Who will be breakout stars of ’21?
Part of sports’ mystique is the unpredictability of it all.
In 2020, who could have foreseen Randy Arozarena’s rise from obscurity to a record-setting MLB postseason, or 20year-old Tyler Herro lighting it up from the NBA bubble?
There’s also the other side of the conversation: the can’t-miss prospects and the already-anointed greats.
This next year – with the Tokyo Olympics on tap and potentially a return to a more normal sports calendar – will provide a fresh crop of breakout stars.
While the conjecture may prove foolish, here are a few of USA TODAY Sports’ best guesses as to whom will become household names in 2021.
Sunisa Lee: At 16, Lee placed second in the all-around at the 2019 U.S. gymnastics championships behind Simone Biles. She was also part of the Americans’ world championship squad, earning team gold, and a silver and bronze in individual events. Now with the Summer Olympics around the corner, she has the chance to shine on the biggest stage in Tokyo.
Noah Lyles: Like Lee, Lyles had a breakout year in 2019, but has to wait an extra year for the spotlight of the Olympics. In 2019, Lyles – then 22 – won the 200-meter dash at 19.83 seconds at the world championships. He was also part of the United States’ gold-medal winning 4x100-meter relay.
Catarina Macario: Born in Brazil, Macario’s family moved to the United States while she was in high school. At Stanford, she was a three-time firstteam All-american, two-time national champion and won the MAC Hermann Trophy – awarded to the nation’s best player – twice. She was granted U.S. citizenship in October and joined the U.S. Women’s National Team training camp that same day.
James Wiseman: The Golden State Warriors took Wiseman second overall in the NBA draft after the 7-footer played three college games at Memphis, leaving some questions about projectability. His professional career is three games old, but all indications are that the 19-yearold is handling the transition well (19 and 18 points in his first two contests, respectively). If he can figure out a two-man game with Stephen Curry, he could prevail as a prototype of the league’s future
bigs.
Tua Tagovailoa: It does seem odd to have someone on a “breakout stars” list who has been a Heisman Trophy contender, national champion and a top-five draft pick. This is merely a prediction that Tagovailoa will have a bountiful 2021: returning to full health, gaining significant offensive weapons and, finally, taking complete control of the Miami Dolphins.
Sabrina Ionescu: Like Tagovailoa, it does feel weird to have a record-setting
college basketball player and No. 1 pick as a breakout star candidate. But Ionescu’s rookie season with the New York Liberty lasted three games before an ankle injury ended her year. With the WNBA’S rising popularity, Ionescu could become one of the league’s elite – in terms of both play and popularity – in 2021.
Sixto Sanchez: MLB’S 60-game season last year served as an appetizer for a rookie class that included the Miami Marlins right-hander, who can touch triple digits on the radar gun and then spin a slider that makes a hitter look foolish. Sanchez posted a 3.46 ERA over seven starts in the regular season before shutting out the Chicago Cubs for five innings (six strikeouts) in the wild-card series. With more performances like that, Sanchez won’t be “just another live arm” for long.
Igor Shesterkin: Still technically a rookie, Shesterkin is one of the favorites to win the Calder Trophy next year. With Henrik Lundqvist gone after 15 years in net for the New York Rangers, it’s Shesterkin’s turn. In 12 games last season, he went 10-2 while averaging 2.32 goals against. He won all five of the contests in which opponents shot 40 times.
Chellsie Memmel: Likely the only person on this list who could have also appeared on it in 2008, the gymnast spent the quarantine posting videos on Youtube and other social media sites of her training — eventually leading to a comeback effort for the upcoming Olympics. As a 32-year-old mother of two, she would become quite the story if she makes the team.
Wander Franco: Franco has been the best prospect in baseball since 2019, and although he lost valuable maturation time with no minor league ball last season, the switch-hitting shortstop from the Dominican Republic is poised to make an immediate impact. He will turn 20 by Opening Day, and could quickly become one of the better players on the defending American League champion Tampa Bay Rays – depending on how early or late the front office promotes him.
Emilie Castonguay & Rachel Luba: Castonguay is executive vice president and director of legal affairs at Momentum Hockey. She became the first NHLPA certified agent in Canada four years ago and the first female agent to represent a No. 1 pick when Alexis Lafrenière was selected by the Rangers in this year’s NHL draft.
Luba, meanwhile, has built a stable of clients at her agency, Luba Sports, at age 28. The former UCLA gymnast represents professional softball players, MLB coaches and MLB players – including one of the most coveted free agents in the 2021 class, right-hander Trevor Bauer. The Forbes 30 under 30 honoree also co-hosts a podcast and is active on social media, providing a glimpse into what new-age athlete representation entails.