The 2010s was a decade full of excitement, new stars stood out and new dynasties were formed. Many athletes on this list were also big stars in the 2000s and it is clear that these superstars age like fine wine as they only got better with age. This was a hard list to compile but theSCORE presents the top 5 players of the decade.
LeBron James/NBA player
King James has given the world amazing highlights throughout this decade. Some of his defining moments consist of eight straight NBA Finals appearances and three NBA championships; the last one being a 3-1 comeback over the 73-9 Golden State Warriors to bring Cleveland one of the most meaningful titles in sports history. From 2009-10 to 2019-20, James averaged a remarkable 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game. James won 3 NBA MVP’s during the 2010s.
Floyd “Money” Mayweather/Boxer
Floyd Mayweather’s high-profile victories and perfect boxer record of 51-0 has earned him a spot on this list. He was rarely troubled, maintains one of the most impressive plus/minus Compubox records, and perfected the art of counter-punching. Mayweather fought 10 times in the 2010s, eight of which were world title fights, and made a billion dollars in total career prize money. Though he retired in 2017, the 42-year-old recently hinted on Instagram a return to the ring in 2020.
Serena Williams/Tennis player
Williams is arguably the greatest tennis player to ever grace the court. She has won 23 Grand Slam titles in her career more than any man or woman. Williams has also won 14 women’s doubles and two mixed doubles Grand Slams in her career. Her final major win was at the 2017 Australian Open came while she was pregnant with her daughter, Olympia.
Lionel Messi/Soccer player
The most celebrated soccer player in the history of the sport. He has dazzled fans across the world for the past 15 years while playing for FC Barcelona. In his career, he’s scored an astonishing 575 goals and won 23 major honors. He recently just won his sixth Golden Ball award which is a yearly award that is handed to the best player in FIFA.
Simone Biles/Gymnast
Many say at the age of 22 that she is the greatest Olympic athlete of all time. Simone Biles has won 25 world medals in her career, more than any other gymnast in the history of the sport. To Biles credit she has five Olympic medals, (four golds and one bronze) and it is safe to say no athlete has dominated their profession in a fashion quite like Biles has. Let’s see what she has in store in Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
