ESPN: 100 Most Famous Athletes on The Planet

[NoGutsNoGLory]

I dont know if basketball is bigger than tennis worldwide i might say no on that one...

exactly. Basketball is barely followed outside of the U.S. and in other countries its a niche sport like fukking hockey or the mls is to us.

 

[The Fire]

I dont know if basketball is bigger than tennis worldwide i might say no on that one...

in different demographic splits, yes

 

[The Fire]

exactly. Basketball is barely followed outside of the U.S. and in other countries its a niche sport like fukking hockey or the mls is to us.

the NBA is internationally the most popular American sports league. basketball is popular everywhere in the world, it's cheap to play and involves many people just like soccer. probably the most popular team sport behind soccer

 

[Miggs]

Serena truthfully is more well known globally than lebron or Durant...

 

[Randoug]

Serena truthfully is more well known globally than lebron or Durant...

Nah..Bron known worldwide

 

[FabTrey]

espn trolling again.

Bron ain't even top 20.


tiger and phelps should rank higher than bron.

 

[FabTrey]

Nah..Bron known worldwide

nope. tennis has an edge because it's an individual sport.

 

[Miggs]

Nah..Bron known worldwide

So is Serena.

Lebron is well known where basketball has a presence,Serena is well known in all 4 corners of the globe.

 

[woof]

Lebron makes ridiculous cash off endorsements and constantly has social media talking about him, with huge follower counts. If he wasn't close to the top of this list, with the criteria, something would be off.

cant tell me Serena aint in the top 10 tho

Serena has never done as well as she deserved to in endorsements compared to her white non-peers and that's half the equation here (social media and search trends being the other).

 

[Montez]

RIP Serena

Virat Kohli is a damn God in India, easily top 10.

 

[Scottie Drippin]

the NBA is internationally the most popular American sports league. basketball is popular everywhere in the world, it's cheap to play and involves many people just like soccer. probably the most popular team sport behind soccer

Team sport, sure, but it's still well behind tennis. Tennis is a proper world sport that is even popular in the US.

In fact, Serena not being Top Ten is insane. I guess I need to see what their metric was, but whether loved or loathed, she's been one of the absolute most visible athletes on the planet for almost 20 years.

 

[malbaker86]

More people know who Roger Federer is globally than Kevin Durant?

Considering how massive basketball is in Asia, South America, and in some parts of Europe, are you sure?

Hell yea bruh. Fed's a global SPORTS icon worldwide

 

[IllmaticDelta]

exactly. Basketball is barely followed outside of the U.S. and in other countries its a niche sport like fukking hockey or the mls is to us.

stop it. baskeball is the most global of the big 4 north american sports and it's not close

 

[mastermind]

they didnt include Queen Serena

 

[Malta]

Globally basketball is not on the same level as soccer..its not even close.

Federer is more well known in europe,asia and south america no question....

Bruh, you're forgetting Basketballs popularity in China, the most populated country on earth.


Federer damn sure isn't more known than KD when you factor Asia into the equation -

NBA dudes doing the tours of China look like conquering heroes the crowds they get.