"She's the GOAT, hands down" - Serena Williams honored by NBA side Philadelphia 76ers' players as part of Women's History MonthΒ
NBA team Philadelphia 76ers' players marked their respect for Serena Williams as part of Women's History Month as they weighed in on the impact the American has had on the sport.
Williams has been one of the most influential figures in tennis. Not only has the American made her mark in the sporting world but she has also impacted the lives of many women.
In honor of March being Women's History Month, Philadelphia 76ers players expressed their admiration for the former World No. 1 via a video on social media.
Shake Milton affirmed that Williams is the greatest athlete of all time. He also emphasized the American's sacrifices which pushed her to the top.
"She's the GOAT, hands down like it's not even debatable. She might be the greatest athlete of all time, period! It takes a tremendous amount of sacrifice amongst other things to be able to do what she does. She's an inspiration," he said in the video.
James Harden, another 76ers player, highlighted how Williams and himself grew up in Compton, California. He observed that it was incredible of Williams to have made it out of the city, which was filled with 'distractions'. He also opined that the 41-year-old's legacy thrives in all sports and not just tennis.
"You know, we're from the same place, both from Compton," asserted the 33-year-old. "So, the amount of distraction is crazy and for her to make it out of Compton and recognize as the best female player to touch a racket and not even just tennis but she's a sports icon, sports legend in general."
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starting #WomensHistoryMonth honoring, @serenawilliams | #womenempowerment https://t.co/ZFJxjcN3Ik
"This is beyond tennis, this is beyond sports" - James Harden on Serena Williams' legacy
James Harden stated that Serena Williams' legacy is beyond tennis and that she has influenced all kinds of people irrespective of their involvement with any sport. Harden maintained that the seven-time Australian Open champion is a figure that has made an impact in this 'world'.
"There's no cap on people she's touched. Little kids, adults, I think everyone in the world. This is beyond tennis, this is beyond sports. She's one of those people who has made an impact in this world," opined Harden.
Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers revealed that the main reason he admires Williams is that she was not influenced by the noises around and set her own path to glory.
"I love Serena for a lot of reasons but the main reason is because she didn't allow anyone to tell her who she was gonna be. She pushed the envelope in fashion. She dominated the sport and she did it her way," the coach said.
Serena Williams played the last match of her professional career against Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 2022 US Open. She lost against the Australian in three sets as her esteemed career came to an end.