Tennis’s Big 3 in the Modern NBA
I was never much of a tennis player growing up, but I’ve been a fan ever since I watched the Englishman Tim Henman’s Wimbledon quarterfinal match in 2001 against the teenage Roger Federer. I watched Henman’s four-set victory with my Grandad who was on his annual visit from across the pond, and he explained all the rules to me as the near-four-hour match carried on. The thrill of their brilliant rallies immediately put tennis, particularly Wimbledon, on my sports must-watch list.
With the recent wrap of the Grand Slam season and the NBA offseason concluding, I thought it’d be fun to connect these two amazing, yet very different sports. Tennis has gained so much popularity over the past two decades because of the dominance of its “Big 3,” so that got me thinking: Who are their comps in the modern NBA based on performance and presence both on and off the court?
(By the way, these are ranked by my favorites on the tennis side.)
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1. Roger Federer / LeBron James
The sustained level of excellence of Roger and LeBron from their teenage years to their twilight years is beyond impressive. The two have competed at the highest level for almost two decades with the best of the long-retired as well as up-and-coming superstars and everyone in between. The volume of accolades they’ve amassed is mind-boggling, and if you’re reading this, you know what they are, so I won’t repeat the Insta-shoutouts given by every sports account on their birthdays. To me, though, what’s most interesting is not just the victories, but also the losses over their god-worthy careers. Roger has faced some tough-to-swallow defeats in Grand Slam finals (2008, 2014, 2019 Wimbledon; every time he saw the advantaged-Rafa in Roland-Garros; 2009 Australian Open; 2011 US Open). Similarly, LeBron has suffered some bitter losses in his historic playoff runs (2008 Boston; 2009 Orlando; 2011 Dallas; 2015 Golden State; KD-advantaged-Golden State teams). What’s brilliant between the two all-world superstars is that regardless of the volume of tough losses they accumulated, they were still right back competing at the same stage the following year, and while the loss stung, they always noted they were just grateful to be a part of a special competition.
And this is just on the court. Off the court, the parallels are even more impressive.
Both Roger and LeBron have created billion-dollar empires with just their brands. Their recognition and fandom that spreads across every continent are far superior to any other player in each of their respective sports. The volume of sponsorships is unmatched by any of their peers; both legends have earned the bulk of their income from off-the-court endeavors.
Lastly, the way Roger and LeBron have carried themselves as professionals throughout their careers might be the biggest (and most impressive) similarity of all. To have the whole world watching your every move for nearly two decades and showcasing pure class with no scandals in between… definitely the primary reason why each is my favorite in their sport.
2. Rafael Nadal / Kevin Durant
For Rafa, the choice was not as clear to me. But after zooming out and taking a look at some key points — he came into the game slightly after Federer, he has a much less common build and style-of-play for the sport, and he has been Federer’s closest competition for the face of the game — I came to a conclusion: Rafa’s NBA parallel is Kevin Durant.
Like LeBron, KD has sustained a superb level of excellence over a long career thus far, albeit shorter than LBJ’s. Also, in the eyes of the public, KD was never seen as LeBron’s superior, regardless of specific head-to-head stats.
KD has accumulated incredible accolades as well, including back-to-back championships and Finals MVPs, but the mark of “Well, he was on that Warriors team” will always be there. Similarly, Rafa has that incredible 20 Grand Slams count, but it’s often adjoined with, “Well, over half of those were in Roland-Garros on his much-preferred clay surface.” Regardless of the commentary these two have endured, their achievements on the court are all-time and their legacies will always be held in the highest regard. But again, this is just in between the court lines. Off the court, both Rafa and KD have phenomenal standings as well, though not quite at the levels of Roger and LeBron.
3. Novak Djokovic / Giannis Antetokounmpo
With Novak, the story isn’t as linear; he came into the game a while ago and took quite a few years to become a dominant force. He started after both Roger and Rafa, and today, he is considered at the very top of his game, while both the other two superstars are past their peaks. Taking all this into account, there was only one NBA name that came to mind for Novak’s parallel: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The comp isn’t perfect: The experience gap between Giannis and LeBron / KD is much larger than Novak and Roger / Rafa. However, considering their journeys to the top and status in the sport today, I think it’s close. It took Novak almost a decade being pro to reach the No. 1 ranking, and Giannis didn’t make any headlines until he won Most Improved Player four years into his career. Fast-forward to today, and these two are vacuuming up their respective sports’ top accolades as if they’re dust on an old bookshelf. And both Giannis and Novak have a great off-the-court presence, although it’s nowhere near the size or as impactful as their upperclassmen.
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Most notably, regardless of whatever Novak / Giannis and Rafa / KD accomplish on the court, even if they surpass every record set by Roger and LeBron, I do not believe they will ever be seen in the same light as those all-time-greats-turned-billionaire-businessmen. Roger and LeBron changed their respective sports by showing their peers how to effectively impact and connect with the world when they’re not just suited up to play. And that alone will forever immortalize them at the top of the comparison chart.
