How Ben Simmons can launch himself into the pantheon of Australian sporting royalty

5:06 PM ET

Don Bradman. Cathy Freeman. David Campese. Dawn Fraser. Greg Norman.

The list of Australian sporting greats — those whose reach extended beyond parochial adoration to capture the hearts — imagination and interest of a truly global audience, is a long and incredibly proud one.

Ian Thorpe’s staggering Sydney Olympics, the likes of Shane Warne and Dennis Lillee leading cricketing domination across numerous compelling periods, Rod Laver defining the sport of tennis across a period of no less than seven years as world No.1. Sporting history is littered with Aussies bossing the world’s sporting psyche.

Right now, though, it would be hard to argue this is a golden era for Australian sport to match.

As detailed in the ESPN World Fame 100, not one Australian national can hold a candle to LeBron James, Tiger Woods or even Tim Howard in the global fame stakes.

It says much that the biggest global star in Australia is arguably Steph Curry, the slight point guard currently tearing up the rule book in the NBA.

The Warriors superstar may only come in at No.34 on the ESPN World Fame 100 but his amazing three-point shooting and supreme passing game have left Australian sports fans in awe. Curry has almost single-handedly propelled the NBA to near the top of Australia’s sporting psyche despite basketball traditionally struggling to gain traction behind dominant domestic sports such as Australian football and rugby league.

And herein could lay the route for the next great Australian global superstar.

Because that groundswell of interest could become a tsunami if potential No.1 NBA Draft pick and Melbourne-born Ben Simmons lives up to his immense …

continue reading in source espn.go.com