Serena Williams Bares Secret Trait Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant & She Have That Sets Them Apart As 'Best Athletes'

Serena Williams Bares Secret Trait Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant & She Have That Sets Them Apart As ‘Best Athletes’

Parag Jain

February 5, 2026 | 11:05 PM EST

Serena Williams Bares Secret Trait Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant & She Have That Sets Them Apart As ‘Best Athletes’ — Serena Williams Bares Secret Trait Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant & She Have That Sets Them Apart As 'Best Athletes'

Tennis legend Serena Williams has shared her thoughts on the qualities that separate extraordinary athletes like Michael Jordan, the late Kobe Bryant, and herself from others. She was in conversation with her sister, Venus Williams, and business tycoon, Mark Cuban, who is a minority owner of the NFL team, the Dallas Mavericks.

Last September, the Williams sisters surprised their fans, announcing a new podcast called “Stockton Street.” The podcast was named after the place they spent their childhood in, Compton, California. A new episode is released every Wednesday on X.

The guest for this week was American businessman Mark Cuban. All three of them discussed entrepreneurship and talked about the difference between being good at something and being great at the same thing.

While Cuban said he worked over 16 hours a day on his projects, Serena chimed in, drawing parallels to sports. She said (11:18):

“I think the best athletes, like the Jordans and the Kobes, and the Serenas, are people who really love it. They don’t do it for fame, they don’t do it for anything. There are so many entrepreneurs now, right? But I feel like that is kind of one thing that really sets someone out. So if you’re watching, what can really set you apart is if you really find something that you truly are passionate about and that you truly, truly, truly love.”

While 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams retired from professional tennis in September 2022, Venus Williams remains active on the tour. The senior sister has already played three tournaments this year and is gearing up for the WTA 250 ATX Open in Austin, beginning February 23.

“Nothing Wrong With Hating To Lose” – Serena Williams Defends Coco Gauff Amid Australian Open Controversy

World No. 3 Coco Gauff recently sparked a debate in the tennis world when she vented her frustration after losing her Australian Open quarterfinal clash. On January 27, 12th seed Elina Svitolina defeated the American 6-1, 6-2 in 59 minutes.

The two-time Grand Slam winner was extremely disappointed with herself. After the match, she repeatedly smashed her racket in the corridors of the Rod Laver Arena, unaware that a camera was recording her.

This led to a discussion about whether players deserve privacy at the venues. Serena Williams supported her compatriot with a cheeky message on X that read:

“Passion. Caring. Matters. Nothing wrong with hating to lose. Now Coco when you want I can show you how to demolish in one swipe… Serena style 🙊 🤷🏾‍♀️.”