When the world gets a little too crazy, sports is what we rely on to keep our minds off the chaos. 2023 provided us with some truly spectacular performances from the world’s best athletes. From LeBron defying Father Time, to Simone Biles returning to defy gravity, we had plenty to be amazed by. As we reflect back on the year, we’re taking a look at some of the most awe-inspiring, heart-stopping, unforgettable athletes of 2023.
Just when we thought LeBron was finally going to lose to Father Time, he’s shocked us with another improbable comeback. At 38, he’s still one of the best players in the NBA. Despite all his success, family is still his most important value, as he’s supporting his son, Bronny James, on his own comeback journey.
Despite Kansas City’s struggles in the 2023-24 season, Mahomes led the team to another Super Bowl victory in February. His MVP-winning performance on an injured ankle cemented his status as one of the NFL’s premier stars.
The 19-year-old tennis star had a breakout 2023. After a disappointing early exit at Wimbledon, she dusted herself off, went on an amazing 11-1 run during the summer hard court season, then topped it all off with a spectacular three set win in the US Open finals, nabbing her first Grand Slam title.
At the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Noah Lyles put everyone on notice ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. He won both the 100 and 200 meters, making him the unquestioned fastest man in the world.
As she prepares to finally make her Olympics debut in Paris, Sha’Carri Richardson showed that she’s ready to turn the page. She completed her comeback with an impressive victory in the 100 meters at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Averaging 25 points-per-game and 12 assists, the Indiana Pacers point guard has made the team an offensive powerhouse, routinely dropping 130 point games. They made a run to the In-Season Tournament finals, and have become the surprise story of the 2023-24 NBA season.
With another MVP season—averaging 22 points and 9.5 rebounds per game—A’ja Wilson led the Las Vegas Aces to back-to-back WNBA championships, reminding everyone, including the White House, that she’s a transcendent player who has elevated women’s basketball to a new level.
The season didn’t quite go the way the Los Angeles Dodgers wanted, but Mookie Betts has nothing to be sorry about. He batted .307, with 39 home runs and 107 RBIs. He placed second in National League MVP voting, consistently delivering big hits when the team needed them.
Connecticut Sun guard Alyssa Thomas was a literal triple-double machine this season. She broke records by having seven in one season, including the playoffs. And she did it all with two torn labrums in her shoulder.
For everyone who thought Tyreek Hill was making a mistake by leaving Kansas City to play with Tua Tagovailova and the Miami Dolphins, the wild run he’s currently on is proving them wrong. “The Cheetah” is on course to rack up 2,000 yards in one season, and has analysts and fans talking about him as the MVP.
Not only did Acuña unanimously win MLB’s NL MVP award, he also won the Hank Aaron Award. According to ESPN, the honor topped off a ridiculous season where he had “a .336 batting average for the Atlanta Braves and led the major leagues with 149 runs, 217 hits, 386 total bases and 73 stolen bases while hitting 41 home runs with 106 RBIs.”
Injuries and illness have hampered Jalen Hurts in the 2023-24 season, however, he started the year off by making history alongside Patrick Mahomes as the first two Black quarterbacks to start the Super Bowl. He played lights out in the game but couldn’t overcome his counterpart’s game-winning heroics. His team is headed back to the playoffs, with Hurts trying to make back-to-back appearances in the big game.
Rookie C.J. Stroud has broken multiple first year QB records and is a shoe-in for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He’s galvanized a team that thought they were in a rebuilding year to make a playoff run. He’s got them looking like a serious Cinderella contender. The story has to end with him in the Super Bowl, right?
