With all the social media trends looking back ten years to 2016, we at Sandman thought we’d do the same. So let’s rewind to the sports world of a decade ago and revisit some of the biggest moments and headlines from that year.
Golden State Warriors Set NBA Record With 73 Wins
The Warriors looked unstoppable all season and carried that dominance into the playoffs. They advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they faced the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The series went the distance, with Golden State erasing a 3-1 deficit to move on.
In the NBA Finals, they met LeBron James and jumped out to their own 3–1 series lead. Golden State defended home court early, taking a 2-0 advantage with dominant wins by 15 and 33 points. Cleveland responded by winning Game 3, then dropped Game 4 before the series shifted back to California. The Cavaliers bounced back with double-digit wins in Games 5 and 6, setting up a decisive Game 7.
The finale delivered instant drama. Golden State held a one-point lead entering the fourth quarter as the teams traded blows down the stretch. With 53 seconds left, Kyrie Irving drilled a three over Stephen Curry, and LeBron James iced the game with a free throw in the final moments, sealing one of the most memorable Finals finishes in recent history.
Cubs Win the World Series and End 108 Years of Pain
2016 delivered two of the greatest Game 7s of all time, the NBA Finals and the World Series showdown between the Cleveland Indians (still named that at the time) and the Chicago Cubs. For a city so often defined by sports heartbreak, Cleveland had a legitimate chance to claim two championships within five months.
Behind dominant pitching throughout October, the Indians entered World Series Game 5 at Wrigley Field with a 10-2 playoff record. Led by AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber and ALCS MVP Andrew Miller, the series felt close to finished. Chicago, however, refused to go quietly. A three-run fifth inning helped the Cubs hang on in Game 5, and they followed it up by slugging their way to a Game 6 win to force a decisive seventh game.
Game 7 delivered instant chaos. Dexter Fowler opened the scoring with a leadoff home run, the first ever in a World Series Game 7. Chicago built a 5-1 lead before Cleveland stormed back, capped by Rajai Davis’ dramatic eighth inning home run to tie the game at six. After a 17-minute rain delay in the 10th inning, the Cubs regained control with two runs. Cleveland answered with one of its own, but it wasn’t enough. The final out, a slow ground ball to Kris Bryant, sealed the Cubs’ first championship in 108 years.
Peyton Manning and Von Miller Lead Broncos to Super Bowl 50 Victory
How do you cap off a Hall of Fame NFL career? By winning the Super Bowl of course. Peyton Manning did exactly that. After his record-setting 2013 MVP season, he returned to the game’s biggest stage and finished the job.
The Super Bowl itself was defined by Denver’s defense, led by Von Miller. Miller was unstoppable, recording five tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Carolina had no answer for him all night. Denver pulled away for a 24-10 victory, and Miller was deservedly named Super Bowl MVP.
Villanova Wins on a Buzzer Beater
The 2016 NCAA Tournament opened with chaos, featuring eight first-round upsets, the most in tournament history, and it ended with one of the most iconic buzzer beaters ever. The Final Four featured Oklahoma against Villanova and North Carolina facing Syracuse, with UNC and Villanova advancing comfortably to the national championship.
The title game was a back-and-forth battle filled with clutch shots on both sides. North Carolina surged late, closing on a 17-7 run to tie the game at 74 with four seconds remaining. Moments after Marcus Paige’s incredible off-balance three, Ryan Arcidiacono found Kris Jenkins trailing the play, and Jenkins buried the game-winner to deliver Villanova its second national title in three years.
Kobe Bryant’s Final Game
The Lakers struggled in 2016, finishing with just 17 wins, but Kobe Bryant made sure the season ended in unforgettable fashion. In his farewell game, Bryant delivered a phenomenal performance, scoring 60 points with four rebounds and four assists.
He powered the Lakers to a 101-96 win over the Jazz, capping the night with a personal 15-0 scoring run over the final 2:30. Bryant’s 60th point came at the free throw line, extending the lead to three and sealing the moment. He closed his Hall of Fame career with five championships, one regular-season MVP, and two Finals MVP awards.
2016 Summer Olympics in Rio
The Summer Olympics are always memorable, but the 2016 Games delivered a wave of star-making performances. Simone Biles had been steadily rising in the gymnastics world heading into Rio, but once she arrived, she elevated herself to another level. Competing in her Olympic debut, Biles captured four gold medals in the all-around, team, vault, and floor exercises, along with a bronze on the balance beam. She became the first U.S. female gymnast to win four gold medals at a single Olympics.
Since Rio, Biles has continued to separate herself from the field, building a resume that places her among the greatest athletes of all time, regardless of sport. She now owns 11 Olympic medals, including seven gold, two silver, and two bronze.
While Biles dominated on the mat, the pool produced its own breakout stars. Maya DiRado and Ryan Murphy both arrived in Rio after missing qualification for the 2012 Games, and both made the most of their opportunity. DiRado opened with a silver medal in the 400-meter individual medley and a bronze in the 200-meter individual medley, then closed her Olympic career in stunning fashion by winning gold in the 200-meter backstroke and the 800-meter freestyle relay.
Murphy was equally dominant. He competed in three events and won gold in all three, taking the 100 and 200 meter backstroke titles and anchoring the 4x100 medley relay. Along the way, he set Olympic records in the 100-meter backstroke and the relay, cementing his place as one of the defining swimmers of the Games.
Looking Back
From record-setting seasons and championship droughts ending to iconic buzzer beaters and farewell performances, 2016 packed an extraordinary amount of sports history into a single year. A decade later, it’s still hard to believe all of it happened in twelve months.
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