Predicting What's Next for the Most Talked-About Young Sports Stars
It has been quite the year for some of the youngest and brightest athletes in sports, with names both old and new either emerging from the shadows to become the head of the class or well-known players falling out of the spotlight and into obscurity.
With so much happening in the past year to these athletes, I have the daunting duty of trying to predict what might come next for some of the most talked-about young stars in sports, looking into my crystal ball to determine what the future holds.
Connor McDavid
1 of 10
One of the most hyped up players to ever enter the NHL, the Edmonton Oilers' top overall pick, Connor McDavid, was getting serious praise about how his skills could revolutionize the sport of hockey.
Unfortunately, in just his eighth career game, McDavid got tangled up with a few opponents and went crashing into the boards, breaking his collarbone and putting him on the shelf for a while.
So what's next for the highly touted 18-year-old? While the simple answer would be rest and healing, the more difficult one is predicting what the kid might do once he finally does return, as an injury like he sustained could linger for the entire year.
Short term, McDavid's rookie campaign is probably lost—in terms of statistical production, at least—but long term, this year's No. 1 overall pick will still develop into one of the top players in the league over the next few years—especially since another former top pick, Patrick Kane, has fully recovered from a similar injury.
Antonio Brown
2 of 10
While it seems like Pittsburgh Steelers stud wideout Antonio Brown has been around for a long time, the guy is still just 27 years old, meaning he's just entering the prime of his career and has proved that he's one of the top receivers in the league.
Following an absolutely insane 17-catch, 284-yard performance against the Oakland Raiders in Week 9, Brown finds himself second in the league in receptions and tops in receiving yards—a familiar spot for him.
So where does he go from here? With the injuries to his normal starting quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, it will be interesting to see how Brown adapts with new starter Landry Jones, who has a big arm but isn't exactly Big Ben.
Brown will continue to tear up the league when the ball heads in his direction, but, in the short term, his production won't be as nasty as it is when Roethlisberger is in the lineup. Long term, though? Oh, you better believe he'll be near the top in most receiving categories.
Robert Griffin III
3 of 10
It has been an absolutely tumultuous 2015 for Washington Redskins backup quarterback Robert Griffin III, who has seen himself fall from grace over the past few years for a number of reasons.
After being drafted No. 2 overall in the 2012 draft and guiding the Skins to a playoff berth after winning the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, RG3 has found himself injured, beaten and eventually battered, with teammates, coaches and media, seemingly, ripping him at every opportunity.
Although Washington hasn't shown to be a great team with current starter Kirk Cousins under center, it has been formidable and competitive, meaning the team will probably go with Cousins long term.
That's bad news for Griffin, who has done a good job playing nice as the backup, which will only help his reputation moving forward for other teams to evaluate him. Because, let's be honest, the best thing that can happen for him is to be traded or released and get a fresh start somewhere else that he can compete for a starting gig.
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Anthony Davis
4 of 10
After guiding his team to the playoffs during the 2014-15 season, New Orleans Pelicans All-Star forward Anthony Davis has found that repeating that success is a difficult task.
With his team off to a horrid start to this year's campaign, The Brow needs to step up and be the leader his team and city expects him to be, putting himself into the rare class of a LeBron James or Steph Curry, who lift their mates with their play.
Signing the biggest contract in NBA history in the offseason, it's on Davis' shoulders to transform himself into a global superstar—which he has the talent and personality to do. But until he proves it, there will be continued criticism surrounding his game, whether that's fair or not.
Who knows if NOLA is the spot he'll find ultimate success—it's still too early to tell—but both short and long term, Davis is the centerpiece.
Colin Kaepernick
5 of 10
Much like the aforementioned Robert Griffin III, former San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick has had one hell of a forgettable 2015.
It all started when his team had one of the worst offseasons in NFL history, seeing its head coach leave to return to the college ranks, a bunch of his teammates call it quits or get in trouble and, ultimately, ending with him being benched for poor play.
Just over a year removed from signing a monster extension with the team, the Niners are saying that they haven't given up on Kaep, but anyone who watched the guy play this year knows that something was up, so who knows how this will end?
My guess? The team talks to a few teams about a trade, he sticks around the Bay Area and competes for the starting gig in 2016. Whether he wins the job back or not will be the biggest question, otherwise it's bye-bye, Colin.
Clayton Kershaw
6 of 10
There's absolutely no denying that L.A. Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw is the nastiest, most deadly pitcher to face in the major leagues. But with a new manager set to be hired for 2016 and his rotation mate, Zack Greinke, already saying that he'll opt out of his deal and become a free agent, the success of his team might be in question.
The Dodgers have reached the postseason the past three seasons, but, even with the highest payroll in the league, have yet to even reach the World Series, meaning changes were necessary to spark some energy into the clubhouse next season.
Kershaw is typically quiet and reserved, but for his team to make the leap to World Series champ, it might be time for him to show a little more fire and have his teammates follow his lead.
Again, the guy is as good as it gets on the mound, but, at some point, it becomes more about his team's success than his individual accolades.
Andrew Luck
7 of 10
Even before the news that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was going to miss the next 2-6 weeks with a pretty serious injury, the former No. 1 overall pick wasn't having the season that fans have become accustomed to.
After setting the league on fire in 2014 with absurd stats and leading his team to the postseason for the third straight season, 2015 has been unkind to the Colts from the very beginning, with the O-line struggling to protect Luck and head coach Chuck Pagano under fire for some of his management of the team.
Like the aforementioned Connor McDavid, who's out for a while with a collarbone injury, Luck's 2015 season is all but lost, leaving both him and the Colts looking toward next year.
Assuming he makes a full recovery, which I think he will, Andrew Luck will be just fine and continue to ascend as the next great passer in the NFL. Now, whether that's with Pagano as his coach and some of his offensive weapons changing, that's another question.
Bryce Harper
8 of 10
After missing some time due to injury over the past couple of seasons, Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper enjoyed his best season in the majors in 2015, likely earning himself the NL MVP Award in the process.
That's all fine and dandy, but his team squandered an opportunity at making a serious World Series run by floundering in the second half of the season, which, ultimately, cost former manager Matt Williams his job.
The frustration overflowed, too, as Harper was seen fighting in the dugout with teammate Jonathan Papelbon—which is never good press for anyone—and the player taking a parting shot at Williams just recently.
All that aside, Harper, who's still just 23 years old, will continue to prove he's one of the top three players in the game once 2016 begins, combining every skill a ballplayer would want.
The only question remaining for Harper and the Nationals is when they'll start talking about a contract extension, which will, no doubt, make him one of the highest-paid players in the game now that he's a bona fide superstar.
Jordan Spieth
9 of 10
In terms of success in a single year, there wasn't anyone better than PGA golfer Jordan Spieth, who took the sporting world by storm to win the first two majors of the season and was in contention for the final two.
The 22-year-old Texan is about as cool and reserved as they come, but that doesn't mean he isn't fiery deep down, showing that he's as competitive as anyone in sports with the way he carries himself on the golf course.
Humble and respectful of the game, Spieth has the look of a future great, with the charisma, likability and all-around game of an Arnold Palmer.
That may be high praise, but Spieth has earned it, so look for him to continue to sit atop the world golf rankings heading into 2016 and win at least one more major next season—even as good as the rest of the field has gotten around him—as this kid truly is the golden child, as Golf Channel aptly described him.
Stephen Curry
10 of 10
If the world was unfamiliar with Steph Curry and his remarkable game prior to 2015, the Golden State Warriors superstar and reigning league MVP introduced himself in a big way this year, putting on an absolute clinic anytime he's on the basketball court.
Leading his Dubs to both regular-season and playoff dominance last year, which ended with an NBA title, Curry showed why he's the most lethal shooter on the planet and capable of hitting a crazy shot from anywhere at anytime.
And as jaw-dropping as his skills were during the 2014-15 season, the Baby-Faced Assassin has gone full beast mode on the league so far this year, tearing up the NBA at a pace that's just insane for his undefeated Warriors.
Curry might not be the dominating force that a LeBron James is with strength, make highlight-reel dunks like Russell Westbrook or have the all-around game of Anthony Davis, but he's might be the best shooter the game has ever seen, so he'll happily trade highlights for more championships—and his current pace could easily lead to that.
Expect him to lead Golden State to another top seed in the West and, over the next three years, become the team to beat in the NBA.
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