LeBron James, Serena Williams have been named Athletes for the Decade by the Associated Press. They beat out Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who were also finalists for the award. The list also includes Lindsey Vonn and Katie Ledeck, who finished third and fourth, respectively. Men's athletes include Lionel Messi (Michael Phelps).
LeBron James
LeBron James is not only the best basketball player ever, but he's also a successful entrepreneur. He has a minority stake at Liverpool Football Club and launched a production business. Uninterrupted Media is his digital media business. His many projects have increased his visibility. His goal is to see the Los Angeles Lakers return to glory.
James was named the AP Athlete of the Decade. This beat other athletes such as Usain bolt, Lionel Messi, Michael Phelps, and Tom Brady. The award was big for James as he had been a controversial figure since 2010. After spurning the Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat, he was viewed as a villain in the league, but he soon earned acclaim. He was awarded the MVP award, and he won three NBA championships within a span of ten years.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams has dominated the tennis court over the past decade, earning her the title of Female Athlete of the Decade. She was selected by AP's beat writers and sports editors based upon her accomplishments on the court and off. She won 12 Grand Slam singles championships, became a mother, fought against racism, and became a role-model for young women.
Since 2007, she has won multiple singles grand slams. She also holds 12 Grand Slam titles. It is a feat no woman has ever achieved. She is also the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam singles trophy, and tied Steffi Graf's record for most consecutive weeks at the top. Serena also reached the finals in 19 majors and won 37 singles titles.
Lionel Messi
In soccer, Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest player of all time. He's not only the best goal-scorer in the history and tradition of soccer, but also one of football's greatest free-kick takers, passers, and dribblers. Among other things, Messi completes more dribbles, plays more through balls and finds more passes into the penalty area than any other player. His dominance is so complete that he's earned the nickname Ruthian. Although it doesn't appear every dictionary, this word is used in sports pages as a description for Messi.
Messi is not only a top-flight soccerplayer, but he has received many other awards and honors throughout his career. Two times, he was named to Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential persons in the world in 2011. He was also named Laureus World Sportsman of the Decade for 2020. His career earnings are over $1 billion. As a 13-year-old, Messi began his career at a Barcelona youth center. Since then, he has won six La Liga titles.
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympic athlete of the decade. Phelps has been awarded 22 Olympic gold medals, eight of which were at the Beijing Games in 2008. He is also one of the most recognizable athletes of all times. He also holds the record for winning more national titles, World Championships, and World Championships than any swimmer.
His Olympic accomplishments have helped make his name synonymous with swimming. Michael Phelps, despite his prolonged absence from competition has not let up. He created a foundation for teaching kids to swim and to promote swimming. His foundation funds swim training programs and teaches children the basics. He has even given more of his time to it. His old friends send him texts asking when he'll be back to compete.