The sports landscape is shaped by all kinds of power brokers: dealmakers, cultural titans, icons of leadership and athletes. Click here to see the 50 most influential figures and forces in sports right now, on SI’s Power List for 2024.
The 16-year-old broke the U-18 400-meter record twice at the Olympic trials. Then he became the youngest male track and field Olympic gold medalist ever when he competed in the preliminary heat of the men’s 4×400 relay, which his U.S. teammates went on to win.
As the presumptive No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA draft and the reigning Naismith and Gatorade Player of the Year, the 17-year-old Duke freshman was the only player without NBA experience invited to join the USA Select Team for pre-Olympic prep.
After making his Barcelona debut at 15 years, nine months and 16 days, the Spaniard was the breakout star of Euro 2024. As the youngest goalscorer in tournament history, the right winger was named its best young player a day after he turned 17.
The Padres prospect signed a record $5.6 million deal last year and started in the MLB Futures Game this summer. The 18-year-old recently caught for five-time All-Star Yu Darvish when the pitcher made a rehab start with High A Fort Wayne.
The daughter of U.S. Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein, the 16-year-old won the Nike Cross Nationals title in December as a sophomore and was named Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Player of the Year. She signed On’s first NIL high school deal in April.
A month before her 19th birthday last October, Shaw made her senior national team debut and has scored seven goals in 16 caps. She was the youngest player on the USWNT’s Olympic roster and is in her third season with the NWSL’s Wave.
The son of late Bengals WR Chris Henry, the 17-year-old committed to Ohio State as the top wideout of the 2026 class. Henry, who was raised by Pacman Jones, trains in California with another of his father’s former teammates, T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
With 32 goals in his freshman season at Boston University, Celebrini won the Hobey Baker Award. The 18-year-old was then drafted No. 1 by San Jose and will work near his dad, Rick, who is VP of player health and performance for the NBA’s Warriors.