TIME magazine unveils inaugural list of most influential sports figures
The Los Angeles Lakers star leads a comprehensive categorisation of global sporting icons, titans, innovators and leaders in TIME’s first dedicated sports influence index.
TIME magazine has published its inaugural list of the top 100 most influential figures in sports, placing Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on the cover as the "Athlete of the Century." The publication structured the list into four distinct categories—Icons, Titans, Innovators, and Leaders—to reflect the diverse ways athletes and industry figures shape global culture.
James, widely recognised as a future NBA Hall of Famer and prominent activist, was categorised under the "Icons" section. He appears alongside other established global figures such as Lionel Messi, Shohei Ohtani, Hilary Knight, and Caitlin Clark. The inclusion underscores TIME’s assessment of James’ sustained impact both on the court and through his philanthropic and social advocacy work.
The "Titans" section highlights current dominant forces in sport, featuring San Antonio Spurs prospect Victor Wembanyama, USWNT forward Trinity Rodman, Cristiano Ronaldo, and MLB star Aaron Judge. This category appears to focus on athletes currently driving significant viewership and competitive narratives in real time.
Further down the list, the "Innovators" category recognises figures reshaping their disciplines or media landscapes, including figure skater Alysa Liu, NBA player Jalen Brunson, journalist Pablo Torre, and alpine skier Lindsey Vonn. The "Leaders" section rounds out the index, naming NFL player Myles Garrett, golfer Nelly Korda, sports journalist Shams Charania, and UFC president Dana White.
In outlining its methodology, TIME noted that "sports remains one of the last realms in which massive global audiences gather together in real time." The publication highlighted its long-standing engagement with sports journalism, noting that 43 athletes have graced its cover over the past decade.
The list follows a precedent set in 2019 when TIME named its first-ever Athlete of the Year, an honour awarded to the US Women’s National Team. James received the same distinction in 2020, marking the first time a male individual athlete had won the award since its inception.
