By Noah Johnson, Staff Writer

Who are the top 5 most iconic American athletes still playing today, you ask? Here’s my opinion.

1. Serena Williams

As if Serena Williams wasn’t already enough of an inspiration to so many people, specifically African-American girls in inner-cities, Serena became an inspiration to moms too last year, as she returned to the tennis court to continue her career that is considered by most to be the best ever by a female tennis player.

2. LeBron James

From his I Promise School Foundation, to his vocal political advocacy, to his dominant future Hall-of-Fame play on the court, LeBron James has been an inspiration worldwide for over a decade and a half now. James enters this upcoming season with a legitimate chance to add another NBA Championship to his resume.

3. Tiger Woods

Much like Serena Williams, Tiger Woods didn’t need to win the Masters earlier this year to solidify himself a spot on this list. He had already altered the perception around the sport of golf forever with his dominance. But he did, and at 43 years of age, vaulting himself back to the top of the sports world while bringing back the once common-place clatter about whether or not he will win more professional golf majors than Jack Nicklaus by the time his career ends.

4. Tom Brady

If you would have told the sports world back in 2001 that the 199th pick in the most recent NFL draft would be leading the New England Patriots to their 6th Super Bowl victory–at age 41–in 2019, most people would’ve thought that you were crazy. However, that’s what we had the privilege to witness earlier this year when Brady almost undeniably moved into everybody’s #1 spot on their list of greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game of football.

5. Stephen Curry

Love him or hate him on the court, you can’t deny that Stephen Curry has changed the way that the sport of basketball is played on every level on every continent. From revolutionizing the three-point shot to being at the center of the “super-team” debate, the NBA’s only unanimous MVP has turned heads around the world with his individual and team success, as well as his personality.