I love reading lists like these. Seeing who is really making a difference in the world. And the fact that sports stars are getting recognized in publications like these. It’s great to see.
Fortune’s 50 Greatest Leaders. Just that sentence makes you think of people who are dominating their respective positions in a way we haven’t seen before. Which is why Cleveland’s LeBron James, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and ex-NBA star, now an animal rights activist Yao Ming have been selected in Fortune’s list of the world’s 50 Greatest leaders.
LeBron James – With two NBA titles, James didn’t need to return to Cleveland—a place without a championship, let alone hope of a quick one. But, he said, he wanted to bring a group together and help them “reach a place they didn’t know they could go.” The Cavs, atop their division as of mid-March, are reaching. Meantime James, newly elected VP of the NBA’s Players Association, will face a fresh leadership challenge as labor negotiations with the league get underway.
Yao Ming – Yao Ming could have returned to China for a quiet retirement. Instead, the 7-foot 6-inch former NBA star has spoken out against various animal abuses—including his country’s illegal ivory trade (China accounts for about 70% of global demand) and the practice of hunting sharks for shark-fin soup. But the impact of his efforts has been far bigger than the headlines he generates. Following Yao’s lead, other famous Chinese are starting to talk openly about the country’s problems—resulting in a more public social debate.
Adam Silver – Just three months into his term, Adam Silver won accolades for defusing a crisis by banning L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling (till then one of Silver’s employers) from the NBA for his racist comments. The new commish is energetic and creative. He’s talking about shortening the preseason to alleviate the grueling demands on players and tweaking the playoff structure to improve competitiveness. He has even endorsed a form of legalized betting, which could pay off for the league.
Now you can be like Tony Kornheiser and say “if we had a living, breathing commissioner”. Silver is always busy. The Donald Sterling thing was something that hit us all. And Silver dealt with it like a pro. It could’ve been something that we would still talk about, but in came Ballmer and it’s over. He cut the red wire and the time bomb stopped. LeBron is a constant role model. You can hate him. But I can’t think of any other person to base my work ethic on. And Ming is doing something that we don’t like to think about. But we should always acknowledge. Ivory trade, shark hunting. These are things that happen every day and Yao is working to battle his own country on it! Ivory is 70% of China’s global trade! That’s a David vs Goliath battle right there. And there’s no bigger David than Yao Ming.
