ESPN ranked the top 100 athletes of the 21st century. How many Texans made the list?
ESPN set out to rank the greatest athlete of the 21st century, a daunting task with figures like LeBron James, Tom Brady, Serena Williams and Usain Bolt all worthy of the top spot.
The No. 1 spot was given to swimmer Michael Phelps who has won 23 Olympic gold medals more than double any other athlete in history.
How many Texans made the list of top 100 athletes?
Simone Biles
The highest-ranked Texan on the list, Biles burst onto the scene winning four gold medals in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. She has won 27 gold medals at the Olympics and World Championships and is widely considered the greatest gymnast of all-time.
Texas connection: From Spring
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 7
Tim Duncan
Duncan amassed 14 all-star appearances and All-NBA selections to go along with five NBA titles and three NBA Finals MVPs over his career.
Texas connection: Played his entire 19-year NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 7
Shaquille O’Neal
One of the NBA’s most dominating players, he won three finals MVPs, an MVP and three NBA titles from 2000-2002 while a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Texas connection: Played high school basketball in San Antonio at Robert G. Cole High School.
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 17
Patrick Mahomes
Mahomes became the first quarterback since Tom Brady to win back-to-back Super Bowls when he beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII
Texas connection: Born in Tyler and attended Texas Tech University.
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 18
Clayton Kershaw
Kershaw has played his entire 17-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers winning the 2020 World Series, three Cy Young Awards while earning 10 all-star game selections.
Texas connection: Born in Dallas, Texas and attended Highland Park for high school.
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 31
Tamika Catchings
Catchings would lead the Indiana Fever to their first-ever WNBA title over the Minnesota Lynx in 2012 and earn WNBA Finals MVP for efforts after averaging 22.3 points per game, six rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.
Texas connection: Played high school basketball at Duncanville.
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 34
Kevin Durant
Durant has played for four teams during his NBA career, most notably with the OKC Thunder, the team that drafted him No. 2 overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, and the Golden State Warriors where he won both of his NBA titles and Finals MVP awards.
Texas connection: Played college basketball at Texas.
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 39
Justin Verlander
Verlander was traded to Houston in the 2017 season and has spent the better part of the last eight seasons with the Astros winning two World Series titles and Cy Young Awards in that timeframe.
Texas connection: Played for the Houston Astros
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 40
Dirk Nowitzki
A Dallas Mavs legend, Nowitzki won the 2011 NBA Finals as a massive underdog against the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. In the series, Nowitzki averaged 26.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists on his way to winning NBA Finals MVP
Texas connection: Played entire 21-year career for the Dallas Mavericks
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 41
Alex Rodriguez
Rodriguez starred for the Rangers from 2001-03 with three all-star selections, three Silver Sluggers and an MVP award in the 2003 season.
Texas connection: Played for the Texas Rangers
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 42
Max Scherzer
Joined the Rangers last season and helped bring the first-ever World Series title to the Rangers. Before arriving in Texas, Scherzer had won three Cy Young Awards, eight all-star selections and won the 2019 World Series with the Washington Nationals.
Texas connection: Played for the Texas Rangers
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 46
Steve Nash
Nash played with the Mavs from 1998-2004 before joining the Phoenix Suns where he would make six all-star teams and win two NBA MVPs.
Texas connection: Played for the Dallas Mavericks
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 51
Adrian Beltré
Recently enshrined into the National Baseball Hall Of Fame, Beltré was everything the Rangers wanted out of a third baseman winning two Silver Sluggers, three Golden Gloves and making three all-star teams during his Rangers tenure.
Texas connection: Played for the Texas Rangers
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 52
J.J. Watt
Watt is tied with Lawrence Taylor and Aaron Donald for the most Defensive Player of the Year wins in NFL history with three. All three of Watt’s wins came as a member of the Houston Texans where he played from 2011-2020.
Texas connection: Played for the Houston Texans
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 58
James Harden
Harden is one of the NBA’s most prolific scorers of all time winning three NBA scoring titles and an MVP during his tenure with the Houston Rockets.
Texas connection: Played for the Houston Rockets
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 67
Jason Kidd
Known as a defensive ace and one of the greatest passers in NBA history Kidd began his career with the Mavs as the No. 2 selection in the 1994 NBA Draft. Kidd would return to the Mavs in 2007 and was a key piece for their 2011 title team.
Texas connection: Played for and coaches the Dallas Mavericks
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 69
Sheryl Swoopes
A member of one of the greatest sports dynasties of all time Swoopes won four titles with the Houston Comets from 1997-2000.
Texas connection: From Brownfield and played for the Houston Comets
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 81
Kawhi Leonard
Leonard was selected by the Indiana Pacers and traded to the Spurs during the 2011 NBA Draft. The young forward would help Tim Duncan win the final NBA title of his career during the 2014 season.
Texas connection: Played for the San Antonio Spurs
ESPN Top 100 ranking: No. 81
This story was originally published July 26, 2024 at 1:58 PM.
