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Lewis Hamilton

MERCEDES F1 DRIVER

Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Virat Kohli

CRICKET PLAYER

or readers looking for a new glamour couple to follow after the demise of Bennifer, let us offer a humble suggestion: Virushka. The ushka comes from Anushka Sharma, one of Bollywood’s leading actresses. The Vir is for Virat Kohli, who, in addition to being one of the world’s top cricket players, also happens to be the most followed person on Instagram on the world’s largest continent. His 271 million followers are more than any athlete except Lionel Messi and Cristiano 

Ronaldo, and far beyond the 160 million of the most popular U.S. athlete, LeBron James. Kohli also has the requisite athlete investment portfolio: sports franchises, apparel and even a plant-based meat brand.  

Why is Kohli so popular? The handsome, humble 35-year-old is the greatest batsman of his generation. He was the top player of last year’s one-day World Cup, in which India finished second, and this summer he led his country to the T20 World Cup. Granted, terms like batsman, one-day and T20 might fly over the heads of most American sports fans like a poorly bowled googly, but the growing thirst for international soccer in the U.S. has given cricketers hope their sport can catch on. The U.S’s win over Pakistan in the T20 Cup, which the U.S. cohosted, raised eyebrows. And Kohli already has a foothold outside of India; he and Sharma live in London, and he’s been included on the Time 100. Given time, Virushka just might catch on stateside.  —Mark Bechtel

Flau'jae Johnson

LSU TIGERS GUARD

Her rapping landed her on America’s Got Talent. Her hooping got her a national title at LSU in 2023. Now entering her junior season, the 20-year-old has a major-label record deal, a slew of commercials and a deserving reputation as an electric guard on the court. —E.B.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

ESPN Studio Team

Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike 

Women’s basketball shot into the stratosphere in the spring of 2024 thanks to a groundbreaking March Madness tournament. It was a whirlwind ascent for the sport, and luckily, ESPN’s studio hosts were there to meet the moment—while grounding the soaring hype. The group’s chemistry jumps off the screen, with each member of the triad filling a specific role. Duncan operates as the conductor, seamlessly ushering segments along, while Carter provides game analysis, rattling off stats with an almost hypnotic rhythm. Bringing seven seasons of WNBA experience to the desk, Ogwumike breaks down X’s and O’s in a way that only a seasoned hooper can. Duncan, Carter and Ogwumike present the sport in a stylish, entertaining and authentic package, helping to enthrall both new and seasoned viewers alike. —C.B.

Steph Chambers/Getty Images
 

ON3 INSIDERS

Joe Tipton and Hayes Fawcett 

When a college or prep athlete has news to break, be it a commitment announcement or a transfer portal entrance, it often comes in the form of a graphic generated by this duo, who work for recruiting news site On3. Tipton and Fawcett have more than 500,000 followers on Instagram and 300,000 on X, where they field requests from rising stars across the country.      —K.S.


COURTESY OF TIMPTON AND FAWCETT

Ilona Maher

U.S. WOMEN'S RUGBY PLAYER

The rugby center emerged from the Tokyo Olympics a social media star, thanks to her viral TikToks. Since then, she has melded being an athlete with being an influencer, mixing her quirky humor with messages of body positivity. In Paris, she leveled up in both roles. Before 2024, U.S. women had never won an Olympic medal in rugby sevens, making their bronze medal performance all the more sweet for the new fans that Maher had brought to the sport. She stayed in Paris through the closing ceremony, giving viewers a look at life in the Olympic Village, or the “Olympic Villa” as she referred to it for her fellow Love Island fans. Her social following ballooned by more than 1.2 million on TikTok (to two million plus) and by more than three million on Instagram (to 3.7 million) as the Games ended. —K.N.

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Ilona Maher

U.S. WOMEN'S RUGBY PLAYER

SIMON BRUTY/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

Hannah Peters/Getty Images

SIMON BRUTY/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

ON3 INSIDERS

Joe Tipton and Hayes Fawcett 

COURTESY OF TIMPTON AND FAWCETT

ESPN Studio Team

Elle Duncan, Andraya Carter, Chiney Ogwumike 

Steph Chambers/Getty Images
 

Flau'jae Johnson

LSU TIGERS GUARD

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Virat Kohli

CRICKET PLAYER

or readers looking for a new glamour couple to follow after the demise of Bennifer, let us offer a humble suggestion: Virushka. The ushka comes from Anushka Sharma, one of Bollywood’s leading actresses. The Vir is for Virat Kohli, who, in addition to being one of the world’s top cricket players, also happens to be the most followed person on Instagram on the world’s largest continent. His 271 million followers are more than any athlete except Lionel Messi and Cristiano 

Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton

MERCEDES F1 DRIVER

ICONS & LEADERS

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The rugby center emerged from the Tokyo Olympics a social media star, thanks to her viral TikToks. Since then, she has melded being an athlete with being an influencer, mixing her quirky humor with messages of body positivity. In Paris, she leveled up in both roles. Before 2024, U.S. women had never won an Olympic medal in rugby sevens, making their bronze medal performance all the more sweet for the new fans that Maher had brought to the sport. She stayed in Paris through the closing ceremony, giving viewers a look at life in the Olympic Village, or the “Olympic Villa” as she referred to it for her fellow Love Island fans. Her social following ballooned by more than 1.2 million on TikTok (to two million plus) and by more than three million on Instagram (to 3.7 million) as the Games ended. —K.N.

When a college or prep athlete has news to break, be it a commitment announcement or a transfer portal entrance, it often comes in the form of a graphic generated by this duo, who work for recruiting news site On3. Tipton and Fawcett have more than 500,000 followers on Instagram and 300,000 on X, where they field requests from rising stars across the country.      —K.S.

Women’s basketball shot into the stratosphere in the spring of 2024 thanks to a groundbreaking March Madness tournament. It was a whirlwind ascent for the sport, and luckily, ESPN’s studio hosts were there to meet the moment—while grounding the soaring hype. The group’s chemistry jumps off the screen, with each member of the triad filling a specific role. Duncan operates as the conductor, seamlessly ushering segments along, while Carter provides game analysis, rattling off stats with an almost hypnotic rhythm. Bringing seven seasons of WNBA experience to the desk, Ogwumike breaks down X’s and O’s in a way that only a seasoned hooper can. Duncan, Carter and Ogwumike present the sport in a stylish, entertaining and authentic package, helping to enthrall both new and seasoned viewers alike. —C.B.

Ronaldo, and far beyond the 160 million of the most popular U.S. athlete, LeBron James. Kohli also has the requisite athlete investment portfolio: sports franchises, apparel and even a plant-based meat brand.  

Her rapping landed her on America’s Got Talent. Her hooping got her a national title at LSU in 2023. Now entering her junior season, the 20-year-old has a major-label record deal, a slew of commercials and a deserving reputation as an electric guard on the court. —E.B.