Really Hyped Athletes Who Haven't Won Anything Yet
We often look ahead in the world of sports.
Sports leagues acquire new talent each year. College athletes enter competitions such as the National Football League and National Basketball Association via drafts. The Ultimate Fighting Championship and other promotions routinely feature performers who are fresh faces to casual fans.
It's only natural journalists and fans hype some athletes over others even if those athletes technically have not yet won anything.
Football scouts loved Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck even before he ever took a snap in the NFL. ESPN's Mel Kiper and Todd McShay compared Luck to Peyton Manning and John Elway before the Colts drafted Luck. Luck is enjoying a solid career, but he is not yet on pace to match feats achieved by those all-time greats.
New York Mets ace Noah Syndergaard hasn't won any hardware as a pro. Mickey Gall landed a spot on a UFC pay-per-view only because he fought a famous opponent. Carmelo Anthony may be a wealthy superstar, but he is also a player who doesn't own an NBA championship ring.
Each of the athletes mentioned in this piece could achieve noteworthy accomplishments before they call time on their careers. Some haven't yet truly had opportunities to win anything. This merely serves as a reminder that hype can be unfair in certain situations.
An athlete who doesn't meet expectations is not necessarily a failure.
Ezekiel Elliott
1 of 10
We begin the list with who may be the most-hyped rookie in the NFL this season.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is a popular choice to take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors this season. Pro Football Focus picked Elliott to win the award. Cameron DaSilva of Fox Sports listed Elliot as a favorite, in part because of Elliott's ability to contribute in the Dallas passing attack.
The hype surrounding Elliott makes sense. Elliott is a special athlete who excelled while carrying the ball at Ohio State. He also happens to be running behind what may be the best offensive line in all of the NFL.
Elliott began his NFL tenure with more of a whisper than a yell. He rushed for only 51 yards on 20 carries as the Cowboys lost to the New York Giants at home. That's good for an average of 2.6 yards per carry, which probably won't earn him any trophies after Week 17 if it becomes a trend.
It's obviously too early into the season to judge any rookie, let alone one as hyped as Elliott. One should remember, however, Elliott is not the only rookie offensive player starting for Dallas. Quarterback Dak Prescott, filling in for the injured Tony Romo, performed well against the Giants.
Perhaps the two teammates will be competing against each other for an individual award this season.
Noah Syndergaard
2 of 10
New York Mets ace Noah Syndergaard is a gem for advertisers.
Syndergaard has a rocket arm and can beat elite batters with his fastball. He plays in the biggest sports market in the United States. He has embraced his "Thor" nickname, and he trolled fans this past January when he pretended he had his flowing golden locks cut, as Danny Farris of Fox Sports explained.
Syndergaard may now have to be the best young pitcher on the Mets moving forward.
Matt Harvey has gone down because of injuries multiple times in his career. Jacob deGrom dealt with forearm discomfort that sidelined him this season. Zack Wheeler, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2015, is shut down until next spring. Steven Matz is experiencing tightness in his shoulder.
Syndergaard did not win Rookie of the Year as did deGrom. Fortunately for the Mets, Syndergaard is not eligible to win Comeback Player of the Year as is Harvey. While Syndergaard pitched well at home during the third game of the 2015 World Series, no pitcher wins a trophy for a single start.
We'll see if Syndergaard can be the hero the Mets need him to be now and down the road.
Harry Kane
3 of 10
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane made headlines on September 10 when he scored the 50th Premier League goal of his career. The 23-year-old hadn't yet notched a goal in the current season, and he and Spurs will be hoping the tally against Stoke City will serve as a starting point for the English striker ahead of Tottenham opening their Champions League campaign.
Kane has already earned individual honors. He won the Golden Boot for finishing the 2015-16 season with the most goals in the Premier League (25). He has been named to back-to-back PFA Teams of the Season.
Tottenham nevertheless need more from Kane between now and May.
Spurs folded and faded away last spring when the club had an opportunity to catch Leicester City and potentially win the Premier League. Tottenham instead fell to third and behind rivals Arsenal in the league table. While Kane alone cannot be blamed for this, he could and maybe even should act as an on-the-pitch leader there to pick teammates up when things go against them in future matches.
Gareth Bale famously put Tottenham on his back during his final season with the club. Kane may need to do the same if Spurs are to do more than advance past the group stages of the Champions League.
Remember that Bale had to leave Tottenham for Real Madrid before he finally hoisted trophies.
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Paige VanZant
4 of 10
Paige VanZant is different than other athletes mentioned in this piece in that knowledgeable fans of mixed martial arts understand VanZant hasn't yet done much of note as a pro fighter.
This is not a knock on VanZant. She is, after all, only 22 years old. She has a handful of UFC fights on her resume. She is still evolving as a fighter and is currently at No. 8 in the official UFC rankings.
The hype surrounding VanZant exists due to her activities outside of the cage.
VanZant is now a household name among viewers who enjoy watching Dancing With The Stars. She finished in second place while competing on the show earlier this year, and editions of the program put her in front of millions of individuals who don't buy UFC pay-per-views or watch fights on cable.
As Alex Solano of the Los Angeles Times explained a year ago, the UFC has put an "obvious marketing push" behind VanZant. UFC boss Dana White praised VanZant's likable personality while speaking with Solano in September 2015. VanZant could have a future acting in movies or in World Wrestling Entertainment if she decides fighting isn't for her.
VanZant is not yet close to being ready to fight strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Whether or not VanZant will ever get there is unknown at this time.
Derek Carr
5 of 10
Everybody seemingly loves Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr these days. That wasn't always the case.
Carr was not the first QB selected in the 2014 NFL draft. He wasn't even a first-round pick. Carr fell to the Raiders in the second round of the draft two years ago. He now looks like a steal when compared with Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel and even Teddy Bridgewater, considering Bridgewater's serious knee injury.
Carr is no longer flying under the radar. He is likely a big reason some observers such as ESPN.com's Paul Gutierrez predicted the Raiders will compete for a playoff spot this season.
So far, so good for Carr this season. Carr played well in leading the Raiders to a late comeback victory over the New Orleans Saints in the opening game of 2016. He threw a touchdown and also delivered a completed pass on a two-point conversion with under a minute left on the clock, and the Raiders defeated the Saints 35-34.
Oakland fans have real reasons to believe in the hype hovering over Carr and the Raiders heading into the fall. The Raiders have play-makers on both sides of the ball. Oakland's schedule isn't terrifying.
Carr failing to lead the Raiders to at least one meaningful January game would be a letdown.
Francisco Lindor
6 of 10
Francisco Lindor is hardly only hype. He has played like the real deal since joining the Indians in 2015. Per Baseball-Reference.com, the 22-year-old is a career .315 hitter. Lindor has blasted 26 home runs. He played in his first All-Star Game in 2016, and he has already accumulated quite the impressive highlight reel of defensive plays.
The comparisons to Omar Vizquel, as understandable as they may be, play a part in why Lindor lands on this list.
Vizquel, in his prime, was the best defensive shortstop to ever play the position. He could do it all in the field. He made incredible bare-handed plays. His range was as good as anybody who played shortstop before and after him. Some also forget Vizquel was an offensive spark for those entertaining Indians teams that failed to win a World Series in the 1990s.
Lindor may never get to such a level. He may prove to be even better than Vizquel. We don't know what he will be a decade from now. Those seeing Lindor as a potential franchise player for the Indians should realize he hasn't yet played two full seasons in Major League Baseball.
Lindor still has a long journey ahead of him.
Christian Pulisic
7 of 10
Poor Christian Pulisic now carries the weight that comes with being seen as the latest supposed savior of the United States men's national team.
There's nothing Pulisic can do about that. The young man who turns 18 later this month plays for Borussia Dortmund, one of the recognizable Bundesliga squads among casual American soccer followers. Pulisic has impressed while featuring for club and country.
He is no longer anonymous.
Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports referred to Pulisic as the "greatest potential American soccer player ever" and the best player on the current U.S. senior team after the Americans earned a 4-0 victory over Trindad & Tobago. Really think about that for a minute. Pulisic didn't dominate during a game against a world power. The U.S. notched a victory over a team they should always beat right now, and Pulisic impressed while on the pitch.
Pump the breaks, everybody. We do this far too often to our young soccer stars.
Freddy Adu never even flirted with matching expectations some had for him. Juan Agudelo failed to become a superstar overseas and with the national team.
Pulisic has done little to deserve the hype being tossed his way. Let him become a legitimate star before you make him one via stories and social media.
Mickey Gall
8 of 10
Mickey Gall possesses the tools to become a future star in the UFC.
The 24-year-old has a good look. Gall is still an evolving and improving fighter. He showed, leading up to UFC 203, he can cut solid promos and even play the role of a heel.
Casual fans who only know Gall because of what he did on September 10 should realize Gall still hasn't really won anything.
Gall defeated a celebrity when he earned a victory over CM Punk at UFC 203. He also happened to beat somebody who clearly doesn't belong in the top fighting promotion in the world. Punk is well behind where even pessimistic observers thought he'd be as of September. He has no business earning another fight on any UFC show in the foreseeable future.
Gall handled his business like a professional at UFC 203. He was better than Punk in every aspect. Gall even did well to call Sage Northcutt out after beating Punk to set up his next UFC feud. He's a potential future star, but he's also a fighter who has only won two bouts in the UFC.
Carmelo Anthony
9 of 10
At what point do we say Carmelo Anthony's NBA career has been disappointing?
Anthony, arguably the best overall player in college basketball during his single season at Syracuse, entered the NBA in 2003. A plethora of noteworthy individuals won NBA titles since he began his pro career. LeBron James is a three-time champion. Stephen Curry is a two-time MVP. The Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs were regarded as dynasties over the past 13 years.
What, exactly, has Anthony achieved?
Anthony, per Spotrac, has earned over $170 million from NBA contracts. He is a mainstay on All-Star squads. Those are impressive individual accomplishments. Anthony is not a champion, though, nor is he regarded to be at the same level as James or Curry in September 2016.
The New York Knicks completed multiple noteworthy transactions during the summer to surround Anthony with enough talent to win a title. Anthony will, barring any setbacks between now and late October, start alongside Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Kristaps Porzingis and Courtney Lee.
Anthony is about to begin the biggest season of his pro career.
New York sports fans are fickle. They won't be interested in reading up on the injury histories of Rose and Noah. They will expect Anthony and his new teammates to compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers and win more than a single playoff series.
Andrew Luck
10 of 10
Andrew Luck was supposed to be further ahead as of this fall.
One could have this opinion upon going back and reading the previously mentioned scouting reports put together by analysts such as ESPN's Mel Kiper and Todd McShay before the 2012 NFL draft. Luck, in such evaluations, was the ideal quarterback prospect. He could complete all of the throws. He possessed ideal QB intelligence and poise. He could make plays with his legs and evade defenders.
Luck, in short, was the type of QB coaching staffs would build if given the opportunity.
Luck's best moment of his pro career, to date, occurred when he guided the Indianapolis Colts to a memorable playoff victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. That happened in January 2014. It didn't result in the Colts winning a championship or even earning a berth in a Super Bowl contest. It was a nice postseason win, but that's it.
Luck never won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He isn't a Super Bowl champion as is Russell Wilson. Even the biggest fan of the Colts would have to admit general managers around the NFL would take Tom Brady, Cam Newton and Aaron Rodgers ahead of Luck for the 2016 season.
It's not all Luck's fault he hasn't led the Colts to a championship. Indianapolis has not done well enough to surround Luck with adequate talent to overtake the likes of the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos. With that said, Luck still has yet to take that next figurative step and become a truly elite player worthy of earning MVP votes.
Perhaps 2016 will be the year Luck plays himself off these types of lists.
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