25 future top athletes of the 21st century: Caitlin Clark, Justin Jefferson and more
We have spent the past week counting down our list of the top 100 athletes of the 21st century, but what about the next generation?
If we do another list in 2050, which current athletes who didn’t make it this time around are likely to be included?
We came up with a list of 25 — including some you probably already know pretty well such as Caitlin Clark, Justin Jefferson and Scottie Scheffler. There are a couple — Noah Lyles and Hezly Rivera — you will learn more about during the Olympic Games in Paris.
And we might be introducing a few folks — such as Kimi Antonelli, the heir apparent to lead the Mercedes F1 team.
Let’s dive into the next group of prospective icons across the sports landscape as their respective stars rise.
Key accomplishments: Four major titles, 4-0 in Grand Slam finals, one of four men in the Open era (since 1968) with four major titles before the age of 22.
Rafael Nadal had won three Grand Slam events by the time he turned 22. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic had won one apiece. But Alcaraz, who turned 21 in May, already has four. He’s already three-quarters of his way to a career Grand Slam, something Federer didn’t lock down until age 27. He has already won five Masters 1000 events, and he’s 19-1 in Slam and Masters finals. It was a big deal that Alcaraz won at least one match at each Slam in 2021, his age-18 season, but he has proceeded to raise the bar countless times. He has Djokovic’s speed, Nadal’s physicality and, occasionally, Federer’s artistry. He radiates joy, smiling after points won and lost and occasionally applauding his opponent. He’s just getting started. — Bill Connelly
Kimi Antonelli, auto racing
Key accomplishments: Racing in F2 in 2024 as a 17-year-old, 2023 Formula Regional Middle East and European champion, 2022 ADAC Formula 4 champion, 2022 Italian F4 champion.
Imagine being the driver entrusted to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton — now imagine you’ve not even turned 18 yet. That’s the situation facing Italian wonderkid and Formula 2 racer Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes junior and motor racing’s current “next big thing.” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, still sore about missing out on Max Verstappen a decade ago, is determined not to let history repeat itself with a talent he thinks might be generational. Italy has not had a world champion since 1953; if he lives up to the hype, Antonelli might be the driver to end that agonizing wait. — Nate Saunders
Key accomplishments: 2024 Calder award winner as best rookie, youngest player in Blackhawks history with 60-point season, No. 1 pick in 2023 NHL draft; youngest player in Western Hockey League history to score 50 goals in a season, 2023 IIHF Male Player of the Year.
Not that the NHL is lacking when it comes to young superstars, but there is a belief Bedard could be the face of the league eventually. His name was already being discussed in NHL rinks years before he was draft-eligible. Bedard just finished his rookie season with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning the Calder Trophy, finishing with 22 goals and 61 points over 69 games, and playing top minutes as an 18-year-old. Being trusted with that much responsibility at a young age is an honor reserved for those projected to be franchise cornerstones. Bedard could be just that and possibly more as the Blackhawks seek to return to prominence as one of the NHL’s elite teams. — Ryan Clark
Key accomplishments: 2022 South American Footballer of the Year, 2022 Copa América Femenina Golden Ball, 2022 Copa América Femenina Best XI, 2021 Copa Libertadores Femenina Team of the Season, 2019 Colombian Women’s Football League Top scorer.
To give an idea of Caicedo’s rise to the top, she was the first player to compete at three Women’s World Cups (under-17, U20 and senior level) within a year. Going into the 2023 Women’s World Cup, all eyes were on Caicedo, who delivered game in, game out. Her stunning goal against Germany will live in fans’ memories, and she led Colombia to the quarterfinals, its best finish at a World Cup. Now at Real Madrid, the 19-year-old is destined for great things for both club and country. — SherShah Atif
Key accomplishments: Career scoring leader in college basketball history; career leader in points, assists and 3-pointers in the NCAA tournament; 2024 and 2023 AP College Player of the Year; 2024 WNBA All-Star; recorded first rookie triple-double in WNBA history; set WNBA single-game assists record.
A two-time national player of the year in college, Clark became the NCAA Division I leading career scorer for men’s or women’s basketball during her senior season at Iowa. Selected No. 1 in the 2024 WNBA draft, the Indiana Fever rookie has helped catalyze this moment of exponential growth for women’s basketball featuring record TV ratings, sellout crowds and increased investment. Although her deep 3-point shooting was a hallmark of her game in college, Clark’s facilitating has shined most so far at the pro level. She’s the only rookie in league history to tally a triple-double or to have multiple 20-point, 10-assist games, and she could lead the WNBA in assists by season’s end. — Alexa Philippou
Key accomplishments: Undefeated professional (12-0) and amateur (4-0) records, 7-0 since debuting in PFL in 2022, won 11 of 12 professional fights by finish (10 by knockout, one by submission), won gold medal at 2016 International Federation of Muaythai Amateur World Championships.
There is still a lot of work to be done by Ditcheva (12-0) against higher levels of competition — but if she continues along the path she’s been on, the PFL will have a difference-maker in this 26-year-old out of Liverpool. Ditcheva has already shown an ability to perform under the highest of expectations. She handles the spotlight beautifully. She moves and throws punches in a way that jumps off the screen. It is rare to see a flyweight woman consistently finish all of her opponents so viciously. There is another gear to her offense that has overwhelmed opponents so far. She faces Jena Bishop in August in the semifinals of PFL’s playoffs. If she wins, she will face an established name in the finals: Liz Carmouche or Taila Santos. The next chapter is coming very quickly for Ditcheva. It won’t be easy, but she has the perfect combination of charisma, confidence and finishing ability to become a legitimate star. — Brett Okamoto
Key accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 2018-19 Rookie of the Year, 2023-24 Western Conference MVP, third player in NBA history with five first-team All-NBA selections before turning 26, tied for eighth in triple-doubles in NBA history with 77.
After Doncic danced and drilled the go-ahead 3 with seconds remaining in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, the 25-year-old roared at Rudy Gobert: “You can’t f—ing guard me!” Gobert, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, has plenty of company in that misery. Doncic just had one of the most prolific statistical seasons in NBA history, averaging 33.9 points (a league high), 9.8 assists and 9.2 rebounds per game, a combination never before accomplished. Only Michael Jordan has a higher career playoff scoring average than Doncic’s 30.9. — Tim MacMahon
Key accomplishments: Fourth-youngest goal scorer for Brazil’s senior team and fifth player 17 or younger to score for Brazil, joining Pelé, Edú, Ronaldo and Coutinho; 2022 and 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A winner; 2023 Supercopa do Brasil winner; 2023 and 2024 Campeonato Paulista winner.
Real Madrid beat almost all the major European clubs to sign Endrick, 16 at the time, for a whopping €72 million in 2022. Expectations are now high for the youngster, with some even comparing him to Brazil legend Pelé. Wise beyond his years, Endrick responded by saying “Just let history be made.” The stocky striker can do it all: sprint past defenders, use trickery to fool opposition and rely on his strength to finish inside the box. At a world-class club such as Real Madrid, Endrick will surely become a household name over the next decade. — SherShah Atif
Gabriela Fundora, boxing
Key accomplishments: 13-0 professional record, IBF world flyweight champion, 2-0 in world title fights, No. 2 women’s flyweight boxer according to ESPN rankings.
Fundora, known as “Sweet Poison,” is only 22 but has already won the IBF flyweight title and has made one successful defense. Fundora, from Coachella, California, is an exciting fighter to watch, with six stoppage victories in her 13 wins, and that punching power and youth will surely guide her to win more titles in multiple divisions. She is the sister of Sebastian Fundora, the WBC and WBO junior middleweight champion. They are the first brother-and-sister siblings to hold boxing world titles simultaneously. Fundora has the potential to succeed future Hall of Famer and current unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano, the 35-year-old Puerto Rican who has won titles in seven weight classes, and become the biggest women’s boxing star in the smaller weight classes. — Nick Parkinson
Naoya Inoue, boxing
Key accomplishments: 27-0 professional record, 24 wins by knockout, 22-0 in world title fights, four-division champion (junior flyweight, junior bantamweight, bantamweight, junior featherweight).
Inoue is already an all-time great at 31, one of the best boxers in history under 126 pounds. He’s also a megastar in Japan: Inoue’s sixth-round TKO victory over Luis Nery in May packed nearly 60,000 fans into the Tokyo Dome for the first boxing event in the famed venue since Buster Douglas handed Mike Tyson his first loss as a professional in 1990. Each time Inoue moves up in weight, he seems to pack a little more punch. “The Monster” has won each of his past eight fights inside the distance. His 2019 victory over future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire was ESPN’s 2019 Fight of the Year. Inoue won titles at 108 and 115 pounds, won the undisputed championship at 118, and is the reigning undisputed champion at 122 pounds. He’s unlikely to stop there, either, with his sights set on 126 pounds. — Mike Coppinger
Key accomplishments: Two-time MVP, two-time first-team All-Pro pick, three-time Pro Bowl pick, second unanimous MVP in NFL history in 2019, first player with 3,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards in multiple seasons.
Jackson has established himself as the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history and one of the league’s top playmakers. He became the youngest two-time NFL Most Valuable Player since the merger, winning the award again last season at the age of 27. Beating defenses with his arm as well as his legs, Jackson has produced a 58-19 record (.753), which is the best mark by a quarterback with at least 50 starts since 2018. “Lamar Jackson is a phenomenal success,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s a phenomenal success as a football player. He’s a phenomenal success as a person, as a leader, as a family man. In my opinion, there’s nobody better in this league, especially nobody better for the Baltimore Ravens, and for this organization, and for this city. I’m excited about the future.” — Jamison Hensley
Key accomplishments: Three-time Pro Bowl pick, one-time first-team All-Pro, 2022 AP Offensive Player of the Year, his 5,899 career receiving yards is the most through a player’s first four seasons in NFL history, one of four players in NFL history to record 1,600 receiving yards in consecutive seasons: Tyreek Hill (2022-23), Justin Jefferson (2021-22), Antonio Brown (2014-15), Calvin Johnson (2011-12).
Jefferson has produced arguably the best start to a career for a wide receiver in NFL history. His average of 6.5 catches per game is the second highest of any receiver in his first four seasons, and his average of 98.3 yards per game is the highest in NFL history — for any career span. He has done so with a well-honed skill set for getting open against a variety of coverages and the kind of ball skills that have led to a series of iconic catches, most notably to convert a fourth-and-18 at Buffalo in 2022. The only obstacle in crafting a Hall of Fame career is health. His 2023 season was shortened to 10 games because of two significant injuries, a torn right hamstring and a bruised lung, but he still produced his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard effort. — Kevin Seifert
Key accomplishments: Current world No. 1, 14 LPGA Tour wins, two-time major winner, gold medal winner at Tokyo Olympics.
Korda’s silky smooth swing has left other golfers wondering how anyone else can beat her. On April 21, Korda won her fifth consecutive start — and second major championship — at the Chevron Championship, joining Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004-05) as the only LPGA golfers to do so. It wasn’t always so easy. After capturing her first major and a gold medal at the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Korda was sidelined for much of the next season with a blood clot. She battled back to return to the No. 1 in the world. After seeing Korda’s swing at the QBE Shootout in December 2022, PGA Tour pro Kevin Kisner called her the “Tiger Woods of the LPGA.” — Mark Schlabach
Key accomplishments: UEFA women’s Nations League winner with Spain Senior team, two-time Liga F winner, Copa de la Reina winner, two-time Supercopa de Espana winner, two-time UEFA Women’s Champions league winner with Barcelona.
At just 17 years old, López is known for her decision-making and awareness. “She’s very intelligent and knows how to interpret the game very well,” Alba Mellado, a former Real Madrid player, said of López. Rarely do players win a coveted Champions League trophy, and the precocious López already has two with Barcelona. Before breaking plenty of records for club and country, the versatile attacker was making waves on a global stage, winning the U17 World Cup with Spain as well as the Golden Ball award. Her potential is sky-high, and amid a Barça team brimming with stars, she’s sure to earn a starting position. — SherShah Atif
Noah Lyles, track
Key accomplishments: Bronze medal in men’s 200 meters at the Tokyo Olympics, six-time world championships gold medalist, two-time world indoor championships silver medalist, first man to complete the sprint treble at a world championships since Usain Bolt in 2015, five-time Diamond League champion; gold medalist at 2024 World Relays in Nassau; two-time world U20 championships gold medalist.
Lyles has won six world gold medals and an Olympic bronze, yet it seems that the best days are still ahead for the 26-year-old. At the Paris Olympics in just a few weeks, his potential is sky-high. He is expected to compete in three events — the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4×100 relay — three races he won at the most recent world championships. “As people look back at this year, they’re gonna be like, ‘This is the year that Noah won the 200, the 100 and the four-by-[100 relay],'” Lyles said at worlds. “And then they’ll be like, ‘That is the start of a dynasty.'” — Amy Van Deusen
Key accomplishments: 2022 Norris Trophy winner, 2022 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, 2022 Stanley Cup champion, 2020 Calder Trophy winner, second-most points for defenseman through 300 career games in NHL history behind Bobby Orr.
Makar continues to be compared to Orr, the person often considered the greatest defenseman in NHL history. Orr was a Norris Trophy finalist in his first four seasons, winning it three times in that span. As for Makar, the 25-year-old has been a finalist in four consecutive years and won the award in 2022. He fell a point shy of tying Orr as the fastest defenseman to 300 career points and is averaging more than a point per game in his five-year career (336 points in 315 games). He has a Stanley Cup title and a Conn Smythe with the chance to add more as the Colorado Avalanche remain in a championship window. — Ryan Clark
Key accomplishments: UFC bantamweight champion, 18-1 record, six wins by knockout, 2-0 in UFC title fights, third-best significant strike differential in UFC history (+4.24).
In just a few years, Sean O’Malley has gone from a lanky power puncher on “Dana White’s Contender Series” to immensely popular UFC bantamweight champion known for his trademark colorful hairstyle. O’Malley possesses stunning power packed in a wiry frame and an “it” factor that few have in combat sports. He has become a human highlight reel of finishes courtesy of his exceptional striking ability and unique charisma. He already has won the most postfight bonuses in UFC bantamweight history (nine) and received the ESPYS award for Best MMA Fighter this year. Some thought he was pushed into the title picture too quickly, but he silenced the naysayers when he dominated Aljamain Sterling and captured UFC gold. Mixed martial arts is an incredibly unpredictable sport, but O’Malley has shown constant improvement in all facets and has the potential to become the UFC’s next big thing over the next few years. — Andreas Hale
Key accomplishments: 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year, 2024 WNBA All-Star, holds WNBA single-season record with 15 straight double-doubles, looking to become first rookie since 2010 to lead in rebounds per game.
Another player who has been a face of the growth of women’s basketball, Reese led LSU to the 2023 NCAA championship as the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. The Baltimore native, who prides herself on unapologetic authenticity, set the NCAA single-season record for double-doubles (34) during the 2022-23 campaign. After being selected No. 7 by the Chicago Sky, the rookie proved her game, energy and will would translate to the next level: Reese notched 15 consecutive double-doubles to break the WNBA record, passing the likes of Candace Parker. — Alexa Philippou
Hezly Rivera, gymnastics
Key accomplishments: At 16, the youngest member of Team USA competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Two-time junior world championships silver medalist (team and floor exercise), 2023 Winter Cup all-around, balance beam and floor gold medalist, 2022 U.S. gold medalist in balance beam.
Although Rivera doesn’t have the credentials of some of the other athletes on this list yet, she is clearly positioned to be one of the next great U.S. gymnasts. Rivera, who turned 16 in June, will be the youngest U.S. Olympian in any sport in Paris, and she made the remarkable jump from junior national champion to Olympic team in one year. The cool under pressure she displayed at Olympic trials captured everyone’s attention, and she will likely come out of this year’s Games with at least a team medal (probably gold). While veteran teammates such as Simone Biles and Suni Lee might prevent her from earning individual medals this time, all bets are off for the world and Olympic competitions down the road. — Amy Van Deusen
Key accomplishments: Current world No. 1, 12 career PGA Tour wins, two-time Masters winner, has made 40 straight cuts.
Scheffler’s meteoric rise from a golfer who couldn’t win to one who can’t seem to stop winning has been nothing short of amazing. He won four times in six starts in 2022, including his first major victory at the Masters. Last season, he added two more victories and posted a scoring average of 68.63, the seventh lowest in PGA Tour history and the best by any player not named Tiger. This year, Scheffler became the first golfer since Arnold Palmer in 1962 to win six times before July 1, including his second Masters title. Scheffler’s ballstriking has rivaled you-know-who’s at the height of his Hall of Fame career, and so have his creativity and his soft hands around the greens. — Mark Schlabach
Key accomplishments: First player in June amateur draft history (since 1965) to be drafted and make the All-Star team the next year; fifth rookie to start an All-Star Game, joining Dave Stenhouse (1962), Mark Fidrych (1976), Fernando Valenzuela (1981) and Hideo Nomo (1995); 34.9% strikeout rate is best in MLB this season (minimum 11 starts); fourth pitcher since 1893 with multiple starts of zero hits and 10-plus strikeouts in a single season, joining Nolan Ryan (1973), Max Scherzer (2015) and Justin Verlander (2022).
With a fastball that averages 99.2 mph (the fastest in the majors among starting pitchers), a wipeout slider and an unhittable “splinker” (a splitter-sinker hybrid), Skenes’ first two months in the big leagues have been as electric as any we’ve ever seen from a rookie pitcher. He made the All-Star team — the first player to do that the year after he was drafted. Before his second start, Skenes was asked about the adjustments hitters will make. “Go ahead and adjust,” he said. “Good luck.” So far, they haven’t. It’s not a stretch to say he’s already the best starter in the majors. — David Schoenfield
Key accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, 2019 World Series champion. One of six players in MLB history with multiple seasons of 30 home runs and 100 walks before turning 25. He has 25 homers and 125 walks in three straight seasons — only Barry Bonds (four, 2001-04) and Ted Williams (nine, 1941-49) have longer streaks.
When Soto reached the majors as a precocious 19-year-old, he already had the skill that will define his career: one of the best pairs of eyes in the history of the game. With a career .422 on-base percentage, Soto is an OBP machine in an era when getting on base is tougher than ever. Since 1950, only Ted Williams and Barry Bonds have a higher OBP among players with 3,500 plate appearances. Now 25, Soto is on his way to a fifth straight season with more walks than strikeouts and a third 30-homer season. He’s also heading to free agency. Let the bidding war begin. — David Schoenfield
Key accomplishments: Five major titles, 5-0 in Grand Slam finals, top seed in 10 consecutive majors. She is one of three players to win each of their first five career major finals in the Open Era (since 1968), joining Roger Federer and Monica Seles. She’s the only player (in men’s or women’s tennis) to reach the third round or better at every major tournament played since the start of 2020.
The thing about ranking players based on a specific period of time is that it’s hard to figure out what to do about someone like Swiatek. She has already won five Slam titles and 10 WTA 1000 events; in the Open Era, only Serena Williams and Steffi Graf can top her in bowl categories. She has won as many Slams as Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis and more 1000s than Monica Seles and Venus Williams. But she’s also just 23 years old! She’s only one Slam title behind where Serena Williams was at 23. She has won as many French Opens (four) as Rafael Nadal, the king of clay, had at the same age. She hasn’t even figured out grass yet. Swiatek’s trajectory is unlike anything we’ve seen since Serena on the women’s side. — Bill Connelly
Key accomplishments: 2023-24 Rookie of the Year, first rookie to be named first-team All-Defense.
Before Victor Wembanyama ever set foot on an NBA court, LeBron James said the young player was unlike anything the league had ever seen. “Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years. Well, he’s more like an alien,” James said two days after Wembanyama’s American debut in October 2022. Since then, Wembanyama has somehow exceeded the high expectations placed upon him. He became the first rookie in NBA history to make first-team All-Defense and became the second rookie to lead the league in blocks all while averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists a game. He has put the league on notice. Said new teammate Chris Paul: “I tell you there’s probably no player in the league that everybody in the league talks about after the game like him.” — Andrew Lopez
Key accomplishments: Youngest male goal scorer in Euro history, youngest player to make an appearance in World Cup or Euro semifinal, youngest player to play in the European Championship, first player under 18 with 10 goals in one of Europe’s top five leagues in a single season in the past 15 years.
When Lamine Yamal was 15 in 2022, there were already rumors about him as a gem of a player who would ensure Barcelona’s future would be safe. Fast-forward two years and he has already accomplished more than some players do in their entire careers, winning the 2024 European Championship with Spain and breaking plenty of records on the way. No wonder the Spain coach called him a “genius.” Yamal is drawing comparisons to Lionel Messi — both left-footed players with a similar style — and even more so after photos showed an infant Yamal with a 20-year-old Messi. — SherShah Atif
