Sports Stars of Tomorrow: Favorite Athletes Revealed

The athletes chasing stardom often have stars of their own they look up to. In a quick-fire round of favorites, the young competitors featured on Sports Stars of Tomorrow revealed the pros who fuel their drive — and the answers ranged across sports, generations, and personal stories.

Basketball names dominated the list, with Caitlin Clark, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Victor Wembanyama all earning mentions. On the football side, Cam Newton, Aaron Donald, Jalen Carter, Myles Garrett, and Nick Bosa were cited — with one athlete pointing to Bosa not just as a favorite, but as a role model who "came so far" and, notably, came from the same area.

The most personal answer came from a player who named his brother, R.J. Hampton — the five-star recruit turned NBA guard — as his favorite athlete. It was a reminder that for some of these rising stars, the biggest influence isn't on a poster. He's at the dinner table.