Time to rank Bay Area's top 10 pro athletes

You're not a sports fan, but you want to be informed. Or you're a sports fan and you want to argue with me.

No matter. I'm here to meet your needs. Because today I once again rank the top 10 Bay Area professional team sport athletes.

I've done this before, although not since 2014 (when eight of the athletes I rank today were left out of the top 10). The purpose of this is to give you an idea of who is important, who is rising and who is fading in the Bay Area pro sports scene. In other words, who is most important among the sports figures in the region.

This is the top 10. It's based on their popularity, their importance to their team and how much time local fans spend thinking about them (OK, maybe how much time I spend thinking of them).

10. Joe Thornton, Sharks.

I don't know much about hockey, but Thornton has been the face of the Sharks since 2005. He missed much of this year with a knee injury and is nearing 40, but he's the Sharks' marquee player.

9. Mike Krukow/Duane Kuiper, Giants.

The Giants' TV announcers are not the best broadcasters in the Bay Area. They're not even the best announcers for the Giants, but they're the most beloved. This year marks their 25th season as a team, meaning they have been together longer than many Giants fans have been alive.

8. Draymond Green, Warriors.

The most polarizing figure on the NBA's best team over the past few years, he is passionate and explosive. But he's also a unique talent in the NBA who is the league's best defensive player and who possesses the team's highest basketball IQ.

7. Jon Gruden, Raiders.

When the Raiders rehired the coach they traded in 2001, they suddenly have the most high-profile coach in the NFL. His snarling, funny, quirky personality earns him fans who give him more credit than his performance as a coach (95-81 record in 11 seasons, ending in 2008) deserve. But he's a star.

6. Madison Bumgarner, Giants.

The throwback ace of the Giants is still just 28, but already has a Paul Bunyan-sized reputation. The fact that he drives a truck and doesn't talk much just adds to it. He's sidelined until June or July, but remains high on this list.

5. Kevin Durant, Warriors.

Funny that one of the top three basketball players in the world ranks No. 5 in the region, but he still hasn't been here two years and was a full-fledged star before arriving.

4. Derek Carr, Raiders.

The Raiders quarterback would have ranked higher a year ago. With Gruden as coach and better health, he is a top-10 NFL quarterback.

3. Buster Posey, Giants.

The Joe Montana of baseball – a winner who fans will forever associate with the more glorious era of Giants baseball. He's the most likely player on the roster to spend his entire career with the team.

2. Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers.

Garoppolo has been with the 49ers for a few months, but his role – the charmed starting quarterback for the most popular team (by far) in the region – puts him high on the list. He looks like the quarterback on a Disney movie.

1. Stephen Curry, Warriors.

The greatest player in Warriors history is also the most popular player in team history. He looks like a cartoon character and plays like a superhero. That he's equally likable off the court just adds to the mystique. He's injured now, but if the Warriors advance in the playoffs, his return will make them the championship favorites.

Reach Brad Stanhope at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.