Most Influential Athletes Now

Roger Federer is a major tennis figure. He earned his name in history with his skill and sportsmanship. Federer was born August 8, 1981, in Basel, Switzerland. His career started young. He picked up a racket and loved the sport. Australian coach Peter Carter helped sharpen his talent. Federer started his pro career in 1998. By 2003, he won his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon. This started a legacy that captured audiences.

Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr., Tom Brady, is an American professional football player famous for his NFL career. He was born August 3, 1977, in San Mateo, California. Brady developed a passion for football early. He played at Junipero Serra High School, where he excelled in football and baseball. His baseball skill impressed people; the Montreal Expos drafted him in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft. Football interest won out, so he enrolled at the University.

Maria Sharapova was born April 19, 1987, in Nyagan, Russia. She is a recognized figure in tennis. Sharapova moved to the United States at age seven to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida. She showed talent for the sport early. Her drive and determination built a professional tennis career. Sharapova made her breakthrough in 2004. At just 17, she beat Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final, becoming the third youngest player to win that event.

Mikaela Pauline Shiffrin is an American World Cup alpine ski racer for the U.S. Ski Team. She competes in slalom and giant slalom technical events. Shiffrin holds the titles for Olympic, World Cup, and world champion in slalom. Shiffrin is the youngest slalom champion in Olympic alpine skiing history, at 18 years and 345 days.

Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton was born January 7, 1985. He is a British racing driver. Hamilton competes in Formula One for Mercedes now. He drove for McLaren from 2007 to 2012. In Formula One, Hamilton won seven joint-record World Drivers' Championship titles, tied with Michael Schumacher. He holds the records for most wins (103), pole positions (103), and podium finishes (182), among other things.

Serena Williams became a tennis powerhouse. She was born September 26, 1981, in Saginaw, Michigan. She grew up mostly in Compton, California. Her parents, Richard Williams and Oracene Price, guided her when she started tennis at age three. Williams and her sister Venus changed tennis with their powerful, aggressive play and court dominance. Serena moved from Compton courts to Wimbledon lawns. This shows her drive, toughness, and commitment.

Manuel Peter Neuer, born March 27, 1986, is a German professional footballer. He plays goalkeeper for Bayern Munich and the Germany national team. Pundits call Neuer a "sweeper-keeper" because of his unique style and speed rushing off his line to block opponents. Neuer shows quick reflexes, great shot-stopping, strength, long throws, area control, and accurate ball distribution. Experts see him as the world's best goalkeeper; he won the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award for fo.

Sebastian Vettel acted in "Top Gear" and "Formula 1: Drive to Survive."

Tiger Woods, born Eldrick Tont Woods on December 30, 1975, made his name in golf history. His father, Earl Woods, an amateur golfer, introduced him to the sport in Cypress, California, when Woods was young. This early exposure showed Woods' talent and passion for golf, leading to global fame. Woods' career shows his talent, toughness, and drive. He played golf at Stanford University on a scholarship, staying only two years.

Dafne Schippers is a Dutch athlete. She competes in heptathlon and the sprints.

Novak Djokovic was the top-ranked player in men's singles tennis in 2016. He is arguably one of the best players in tennis history. Djokovic won many titles at major tennis tournaments. He won over 10 Grand Slam singles titles, three Wimbledon titles, and the Career Grand Slam in under twenty years as a pro. Born May 22, 1987, in Belgrade, SR Serbia, he is the oldest of three sons from Srdan and Dijana Djokovic. His younger brothers, Marko and Djordje, also played professional tennis. He started loving the sport at age four.

Bryce Aron Max Harper, born October 16, 1992, plays right field for the Philadelphia Phillies in MLB. He played for the Washington Nationals from 2012 to 2018. People called him a "five-tool player." Harper finished high school early to attend the College of Southern Nevada, where he won the 2010 Golden Spikes Award. The Nationals picked Harper first overall in the 2010 MLB draft. Harper debuted in MLB with the Nationals on April 28, 2012, at 19 years old. Harper was selected for the 2012

Sidney Patrick Crosby, born August 7, 1987, plays ice hockey for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL. He captains the team. Nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and "The Next One," the Penguins picked Crosby first overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Many consider him one of the greatest hockey players ever. Crosby debuted in the NHL during the 2005–06 season, scoring 102 points. He finished runner-up for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year. In his second season, Crosby led the NHL with 120 points to ca

Michael Nelson Trout, born August 7, 1991, plays center field for the Los Angeles Angels in Major League Baseball (MLB). Trout is an eight-time MLB All-Star. He won the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2014 and 2016 (second place in the 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2018 votes). He also won the Silver Slugger Award six times. He is nicknamed "the Millville Meteor." The Angels selected Trout in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft. He had a short major league appearance in 2011 before becoming a regular player for the Angels the subse

Kathleen Genevieve Ledecky is an American competition swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, and world record holder in several events. She holds the world record for the 400-, 800-, and 1,500-meter freestyle. Ledecky also holds the fastest times in the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyles. In her international debut at the 2012 Summer Olympics at age 15, Ledecky unexpectedly won gold in the 800-meter freestyle, setting the second-fastest performance ever. She has won ten gold medals in major international competitions, all at the Summer Olympics.

Justin James "J.J." Watt, born March 22, 1989, plays defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL. Watt played college football at the University of Wisconsin. The Houston Texans drafted him in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Watt earned the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award three times in his first five seasons. He shifts to defensive tackle sometimes. Watt also played offense, catching three touchdown passes during the 2014 season. In 2014, Watt became

Ronda Jean Rousey, born February 1, 1987, is an American professional wrestler, actress, author, former mixed martial artist, and judoka. WWE currently signs her, and she performs on the Raw brand. Late professional wrestler Roddy Piper gave her the nickname "Rowdy". Rousey became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo, taking bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Rousey started her mixed martial arts (MMA) career after that. She won her MMA debut for King of the Cage before moving to Strikeforce, where she became the last Strikeforce Women's fighter.

Aaron James Judge, born April 26, 1992, plays professional baseball as an outfielder for the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball (MLB). The American League (AL) Rookie of the Year in 2017 unanimously selected Judge, and he finished second for AL Most Valuable Player. Judge played college baseball for the Fresno State Bulldogs. The Yankees selected him in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft. After his 2016 major league debut and a home run in his first career at bat, Judge had a record-breaking rookie season in 2017. He earned an All-Star selection.

Drew Christopher Brees, born January 15, 1979, is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL). After a successful college career at Purdue University, the San Diego Chargers chose him with the first pick in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Brees left college as one of the most decorated players in Purdue and Big Ten Conference history. He set two NCAA records, 13 Big Ten Conference records, and 19 Purdue University records. As of 2018, he still holds the Big Ten record in several passing categories.

Luka Dončić, born February 28, 1999, is a professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Slovenian national team. Dončić was born in Ljubljana to former player Sa-a Dončić. He played for Union Olimpija as a youth player before signing with Real Madrid at age 13 in 2012. Dončić debuted for the senior team at age 16, the youngest in club history. He led Madrid to the 2018 EuroLeague title, winning the EuroLeague MVP and EuroLeague Final Four MVP awards at age 19. He also earned the ACB Most Valuable Player award and won...

Wayne Mark Rooney, born October 24, 1985, is an English professional footballer who plays for the American MLS club D.C. United. Rooney played much of his career as a forward but also served in various midfield roles. He holds the record for goals scored for the England national team and Manchester United. At the club level, he won every honor available in English, European, and Continental football, except the UEFA Super Cup. Rooney and Michael Carrick are the only English players to win the Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, League Cup, UEFA Europa League, and FI...

Katinka Hosszú (Hungarian: [ˈkɒtiŋkɒ ˈhossuː]; born May 3, 1989) swims in individual medley events. She is a three-time Olympic champion and a nine-time long-course world champion. Hosszú currently holds world records for the 100-meter individual medley, 200-meter individual medley (long course and short course), 400-meter individual medley (long course), 100-meter backstroke (short course), and 200-meter backstroke (short course). She was the first swimmer, male or female, to hold world records in all five individual medley events simultaneously.

Philip Alfred Mickelson (born June 16, 1970), nicknamed Lefty, is an American professional golfer. He won 45 PGA Tour events, including six majors: three Masters titles (2004, 2006, 2010), two PGA Championships (2005, 2021), and one Open Championship (2013). His 2021 PGA Championship win made him the oldest major championship winner in history at age 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days.

Brooke Mackenzie Henderson (born September 10, 1997) plays professional golf on the LPGA Tour. The Canadian Press named her female athlete of the year in 2015, 2017, and 2018. Henderson won her first major at age 18 in 2016 at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, becoming the youngest winner. With nine LPGA wins by June 2019, Henderson holds the most major tour victories in Canadian history. In November 2019, golfers on the LPGA Tour voted her the 2019 Founders Award winner.

Steph Curry, born Wardell Stephen Curry II on March 14, 1988, in Akron, Ohio, became a major figure in professional basketball. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry and older brother to NBA player Seth Curry, basketball entered Steph's DNA early. Colleges overlooked him due to his thin build. He proved himself at Davidson College, leading the nation in scoring and earning a John R. Wooden Award nomination during his junior year. The NBA drafted Curry seventh overall in 2009.

Shohei Ohtani, born July 5, 1994, pitches and hits for the Los Angeles Angels in MLB. He played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of NPB's Pacific League before that. The Fighters picked Ohtani in the 2012 draft. Ohtani recorded the fastest pitch by a Japanese pitcher and in NPB history at 165 kilometers per hour (102.5 mph). The 2018 American League Rookie of the Year named him.

Saquon Barkley, born February 9, 1997, is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL. Before joining the NFL in 2018, Barkley played college football at Penn State. There, he set several school records for offensive production across three seasons. Barkley skipped his senior year to enter the NFL.

Damian Lillard was born July 15, 1990. He showed clear basketball skills early. Lillard played varsity freshman year in high school. He played at Weber State, leading the team to the conference championship. The Portland Trail Blazers drafted Lillard and gave him the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, breaking records. In 2022, surgery and recovery kept Lillard out for 47 games. He returned strong, earning Player of the Week 14 times in his career. The Milwaukee Bucks traded Lillard in 2023.

Jordan Spieth plays golf with cool confidence. He was the first teenage golfer to get an amateur exemption for PGA Tour events. Though he did not win events under 18, this set him up. After dominating high school and college, Spieth turned pro at age 19. His first professional golf year struggled; he stayed in the top 10 for early events. In July 2013, he won the John Deere Classic, becoming the first teenager to win a PGA Tour event since 193.

Jade Louise Jones MBE, born March 21, 1993, is a Welsh taekwondo athlete representing Wales and Great Britain. She won Olympic gold in the women's 57 kg category in 2012 and 2016. She also won the 2019 World championship, and European titles in 2016 and 2018, plus the 2015 European Games title at the same weight. In 2012, Jones won Britain's first Olympic gold medal in this category. At that time, she was the reigning Youth Olympic champion in the girls' 55 kg category, having won gold for Great Britain in 2010.

Justin Brooks Verlander, born February 20, 1983, pitches for the New York Mets in MLB and has also played for the Detroit Tigers. Verlander attended Old Dominion University (ODU) in Manakin-Sabot, Virginia, and played college baseball for the Monarchs. He broke the Monarchs' and Colonial Athletic Association's career records for strikeouts. Verlander helped the United States national team earn a silver medal at the 2003 Pan American Games. The Tigers chose Verlander with the second overall pick in the 2004 MLB draft.

Jayson Christopher Tatum, born March 3, 1998, plays professional basketball for the Boston Celtics in the NBA. Tatum is from St. Louis, Missouri. He attended Chaminade College Preparatory School, where he earned a five-star rating. Recruiting services called him one of the top players in the Class of 2016. After one season at Duke, he entered the 2017 NBA draft. The Boston Celtics picked him with the third overall pick. Tatum won the 2019 Skills Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend.

Anna Veith, born June 18, 1989, is an Austrian alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist. She was the overall World Cup champion for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Veith is from Adnet in Salzburg, near Hallein. She began her World Cup career at age 17 in November 2006. She competed in all five alpine disciplines but dropped slalom in January 2012. Her first major win came in the super combined in 2011, securing world champion status without a prior World Cup race win. At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Veith won the super-G at Rosa Khutor.

José Miguel Cabrera Torres, born April 18, 1983, is Miguel Cabrera, nicknamed "Miggy," a professional baseball player. He plays first base for the Detroit Tigers in MLB. Since his 2003 debut, Cabrera has won two American League MVP awards. He also won four AL batting championships and eleven MLB All-Star selections. Cabrera played first and third base most of his major league career, but played left and right field before 2006. He claimed the 17th MLB Triple Crown in 2012, the first time this happened in

James Edward Harden Jr., born August 26, 1989, plays professional basketball for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. Harden scores many points. The NBA named him the best shooting guard and one of the top overall players. He played college basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils. He earned consensus All-American honors and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2009. The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Harden with the third overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft. In 2012, he was named

Jimmy Butler is an American actor. He appeared in "Starting 5" and "Office Christmas Party."

Aaron Rodgers powered the Green Bay Packers. He led the team to a 2011 Super Bowl win. Rodgers became one of the game's best passers. Aaron Charles Rodgers was born in Chico, California, on December 2, 1983. He moved with his parents and two brothers. He played in Ukiah, California, and Beaverton, Oregon, before returning to Chico in 1997. At Pleasant Valley High School football, Rodgers set records for touchdowns, all-purpose yards, and total yards.

Tyler Deron Lockett, born September 28, 1992, plays wide receiver and return specialist for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL. The Seahawks drafted Lockett in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Lockett played college football at Kansas State. He is the son and nephew of professional football players. He joined three state high school championship teams: two football and one basketball. In college, Lockett set many Kansas State football records. He earned a 2011 All-American honor as a kickoff returner and a 2014 College Football award.

Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr., born January 7, 1997, is a quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL. Jackson played college football at Louisville. The Ravens selected Jackson 32nd overall in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. At Louisville, Jackson won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and Walter Camp Award. Jackson became a unanimous All-American as a sophomore in 2016. On January 5, 2018, Jackson announced he would enter the 2018 NFL Draft. The Baltimore Ravens drafted Jackson in the first round with the 32nd overall pick.