LeBron, Ohtani, Caitlin Clark, Messi Headline TIME's 100 Most Influential People in Sports List

The Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark and Inter Miami's Lionel Messi all made the cut for Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in sports.

Time editor in chief Sam Jacobs singled out James given the NBA star's longevity on the court and overall staying power.

"We call him the athlete of the century not solely because of his on-court achievements, but also because over his career, he has redefined what it means to be a professional athlete in public life," Jacobs wrote. "Through his political engagement and business efforts, James has set a new standard for the generations that follow, and for those who join him on the list, edited by Lori Fradkin, Cate Matthews, and Mark Selig."

James, Messi, Clark and Ohtani all fall under the "Icons" category. In the case of Clark, an underwhelming second season in the WNBA thanks to multiple injuries did little to diminish her influence on women's basketball.

The 2024 Rookie of the Year, who's averaging 18.7 points and 7.9 assists through 10 games, continues to generate more discourse than any other WNBA player.

This is the first year Time carved out a sports category for its annual "Most Influential People" list. The outlet covered a wide range of honorees, be it star athletes, coaches, executives, broadcasters, agents and others.

For Indiana fans, the exercise was another opportunity to reflect on the improbable rise of Hoosiers football.

Coach Curt Cignetti was chosen after guiding the program to its first-ever national title. Even months later, it still feels surreal that Indiana ran the table and definitively asserted itself as the best in college football.

Elsewhere, the 2026 Winter Olympics were a boon to the profiles for some stars who aren't always in the limelight.

Hockey players Hilary Knight and Jack Hughes were picked after winning golds in the women's and men's tournaments respectively. Skier Mikaela Shiffrin made the cut after leaving Milan with a gold medal. Speed skater Jordan Stolz, who collected two golds and a bronze, was another selection.