We asked Ben Alamar, ESPN's director of sports analytics, to figure out the most famous athletes in the world. Using a formula that combines athlete paychecks - salary and endorsements - with social media fan base and Google search popularity, he ranked the world's 100 most famous athletes. Here is the ESPN World Fame 100.
IT'S GOOD TO BE: Once considered one of the most dynamic wing players in the NBA, Rudy Gay also helped the U.S. to two world championships. But, despite averaging a steady 18.4 points per game for his career, he was never quite in right place at the right time and has appeared in the postseason just once in his 10 NBA seasons..
