Steph Curry joins the ‘Mt. Rushmore’ of 2-sport athletes with American Century Championship victory
Curry won the American Century Championship in dramatic fashion, thus cementing himself among other legends who thrived playing two sports.
Steph Curry dramatically won the American Century Championship Sunday, as he made an eagle putt on the 18th hole to capture the title.
Since Curry is the greatest shooter the basketball world has ever seen, we can now add the Golden State Warrior to the elusive ‘Mt. Rushmore’ of two-sport athletes.
Playing Through reveals these four athletes below:
Mt. Rushmore of Two-Sport Athletes
Stephen Curry
NBA: Golden State Warriors (2009-Present)
Golf: 2023 American Century Championship Winner, Scratch Golfer
College Basketball: Davidson (2006-2009)
Curry is a world-class golfer, as his handicap hovers around scratch. He proved his abilities this past weekend at Lake Tahoe, as he was the star of the show at the American Century Championship.
His hole-in-one went viral. He made the winning putt on the 18th hole, echoing the game-winning buzzer beater he made in 2016 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
And on top of it all, Curry became the first active athlete to win this tournament since 2000. He also became the first African American to win this prestigious event.
He stars for the Golden State Warriors, with whom he has won four NBA titles. The former Davidson Wildcat has also drained more three-pointers than any other player in the history of the NBA.
So yes, Curry is an obvious addition to the Mt. Rushmore of two-sport athletes.
Jackie Robinson
MLB: Brooklyn Dodgers (1947-1956)
College Track & Field: UCLA (1939-1941)
College Football: UCLA (1939-1941)
College Basketball: UCLA (1939-1941)
College Baseball: UCLA (1939-1941)
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball and became a first-ballot Hall of Fame member in 1962.
He did so much for American sports and racial justice, which often overshadows how great of an athlete he was.
Robinson is highly regarded as one of the best infielders of all time, as he used his athleticism to play superb defense for his nine years with the Dodgers.
Robinson was no slouch at the plate either, as he had a career batting average of .313 and hit 141 home runs. He also batted in 761 RBIs.
His baseball accolades do not stop there.
Robinson led the National League in stolen bases in 1947 and 1949 and was elected to the All-Star team on six occasions.
Of course, his ability to steal so many bases stems from his incredible record on the track. He was lightning fast and would have represented the United States in the Olympics had World War II not suspended the games in 1940 and 1944.
Instead, Robinson won the 1940 NCAA Championship in the long jump.
He also played running back on the UCLA football team, averaging more than 12 yards per carry during the 1940 season—a record that still holds today.
Robinson is one of the greatest athletes of all time, and yes, he was safe in Game 1 of the 1955 World Series.
Bo Jackson
NFL: Los Angeles Raiders (1987-1990)
MLB: Kansas City Royals (1986-1990)
MLB: Chicago White Sox (1991, 1993)
MLB: Los Angeles Angels (1994)
College Football: Auburn (1982-1986)
College Baseball: Auburn (1982-1986)
Bo Jackson quickly became an international superstar thanks to his athletic prowess.
He could do it all on the gridiron and the diamond.
While at Auburn, Jackson’s famous touchdown in 1982 against arch-rival Alabama made him a household name. That play is now known as “Bo Over the Top.”
In the spring, Jackson dominated the field while also hitting .338 from the plate. He turned the heads of many scouts from the pro football ranks and the major leagues.
He turned down a contract offer from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 1986 Draft. Jackson opted to go to the Kansas City Royals of the MLB instead.
Then, a year later, the Raiders drafted Jackson in the seventh round of the 1987 NFL Draft, and he decided to pursue both football and baseball.
He quickly became a fan favorite.
He played four seasons for the Raiders, rushing for almost 2,800 yards and scoring 18 touchdowns as a running back.
But a hip injury in January 1991 completely derailed his athletic future.
He sustained it in a playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was never the same again.
Consequently, Jackson retired from football but still tried to give baseball a shot.
He unfortunately did not produce great results with the White Sox and Angels—unlike when he did with the Royals, as he lit up major league baseball as few had done before in Kansas City.
He finished his career with a .250 batting average, and had his best season in 1989, when he drove in 105 runs, and hit 32 homers—all while playing football for the Raiders.
Deion Sanders
NFL: Atlanta Falcons (1989-1993)
NFL: San Francisco 49ers (1994)
NFL: Dallas Cowboys (1995-1999)
NFL: Washington Redskins (2000)
NFL: Baltimore Ravens (2004-2005)
MLB: New York Yankees (1989-1990)
MLB: Atlanta Braves (1991-1994)
MLB: Cincinnati Reds (1994-1995; 1997; 2001)
MLB: San Francisco Giants (1995)
College Baseball: Florida State (1985-1989)
College Football: Florida State (1985-1989)
College Track: Florida State (1985-1989)
“Primetime” Deion Sanders electrified both the baseball field and the football field with his tremendous athleticism and speed.
He was never afraid to showcase his abilities either, often high-stepping into the end-zone whenever he had the chance. He loved to trash talk too.
Sanders played cornerback while at Florida State and in the NFL, where he later became one of the most prolific returners of all-time.
He also spent time playing some wide receiver.
Some regard Sanders as the greater defensive back the game has ever seen as he was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
His baseball career was not as successful as his football one, but he was still a solid player nonetheless.
The best year of Sanders’ career on the diamond came in 1992, when batted .304 for the Braves. He also stole 26 bases and led the National League in triples with 14.
Today, Sanders is the head football coach at the University of Colorado.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.