For the third year in a row Sports Illustrated has published the World Fame 100 list, its rankings based on three “fame factors”: online search score, social followers and endorsements.
For the third year in a row the Warriors’ Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry made the list. And for the third year in a row they are the only Bay Area-based athletes to do so.
No. 1 on the list (yes, for the third year in a row), is soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. His scores: 100 on search value (a relative scale using his score as a baseline); 121.7 million social followers; and $40 million in endorsements.
Durant, sixth in 2016 (that list came out when he was still with the Oklahoma City Thunder), and eighth in 2017, is No. 7 in the recently released rankings. Curry has bounced from 34th in 2016, to 11th in 2017, to his current ranking of ninth.
On this year’s list, Durant is credited with 17.5 million social followers, $36 million in endorsements, and has a search score of 45. Curry has 19.4 million social followers, $35 million in endorsements, and a search score of 38.
There are a few surprises on this year’s list. As in, Tiger Woods at No. 6? His search score of 88 undoubtedly helps. Then there is Phil Mickelson (No. 10) with no social followers and a search score of 3. Go figure.
Checking in at No. 14 is retired boxer Floyd Mayweather, whose last bout was almost three years ago.
Warriors postseason pains in the neck LeBron James, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook are ranked second 24th, 27th and 34th.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, a Menlo Park native, is 38th with a search score of 160 and a relatively puny $6 million in endorsements.
Chinese table tennis whiz Zhang Jike is 78th, despite no endorsements and a search score of 14.
U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn ranks 95th. And the World Fame 100’s equivalent of the NFL Draft’s Mr. Irrelevant is tennis player Sania Mirza of India, rounding out the survey at No. 100.