| Athlete |
Nation(s) |
Sport(s) |
Role(s) |
Era |
Notes |
| Michelle Akers |
 USA |
FBL |
Olympics |
1996 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Lance Armstrong |
USA |
CRD |
Olympics |
1992—2000 |
Seven-time Tour de France winner, 2002 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Bill Baker |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Roger Bannister |
 GBR |
ATH |
Olympics |
1952 |
First sub-four-minute mile, 1954 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Simone Biles |
USA |
GAR |
Olympics / Closing Flagbearer |
2016—2024 |
2024 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Bonnie Blair |
USA |
SSK |
Olympics / Torch Bearer / Closing Flagbearer |
1984—2002 |
Multiple Olympic speed skating gold medalist, 1994 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Neal Broten |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Judi Brown |
USA |
ATH |
Olympics |
1984 |
Helped abused children, 1987 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Brandi Chastain |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Dave Christian |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Steve Christoff |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Cassius Clay |
USA |
BOX |
Olympics / Torch Bearer / Olympic Flagbearer |
1960—2012 |
World heavyweight champion, 1974 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Jim Craig |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Mary Decker-Slaney |
USA |
ATH |
Olympics |
1984—1996 |
Double world champion, 1983 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Mike Eruzione |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Chris Evert |
USA |
TEN |
Olympics |
1988 |
Multiple Grand Slam titles, 1976 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Joy Fawcett |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Julie Foudy |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Wayne Gretzky |
 CAN |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1998—2010 |
NHL MVP, Art Ross, 1982 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Mia Hamm |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics / Closing Flagbearer |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| John Harrington |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Pat Head |
USA |
BKB |
Olympics / Coach |
1976—1984 |
1976 USA Basketball Silver Medal and Co-Captain, 2011 Sports Illustrated Sportswomen of the Year |
| LeBron James |
USA |
BKB |
Olympics / Opening Flagbearer |
2004—2024 |
NBA star, 2008-12 USA Basketball Gold Medals, 2012 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Ingemar Johansson |
 SWE |
BOX |
Olympics |
1952 |
World heavyweight champion, 1959 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Mark Johnson |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Coach / Torch Bearer |
1980—2010 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Rafer Johnson |
USA |
ATH |
Olympics / Torch Bearer / Opening Flagbearer |
1956—1984 |
Decathlon world record, 1958 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Kip Keino |
 KEN |
ATH |
Olympics / Administrator / Opening Flagbearer |
1964—2017 |
Cared for orphaned children, 1987 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Johann Olav Koss |
 NOR |
SSK |
Olympics / Administrator / Closing Flagbearer |
1992—2001 |
Triple Olympic speed skating gold medalist, 1994 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Sugar Ray Leonard |
USA |
BOX |
Olympics |
1976 |
World welterweight champion, 1981 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Kristine Lilly |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Jerry Lucas |
USA |
BKB |
Olympics |
1960 |
Final Four MVP, 1961 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Shannon MacMillan |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics / Non-starter |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Rob McClanahan |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Tiffeny Milbrett |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics |
1996—2000 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Bobby Joe Morrow |
USA |
ATH |
Olympics |
1956 |
Triple Olympic gold medalist, 1956 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Ken Morrow |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Edwin Moses |
USA |
ATH |
Olympics / Athlete Oath Taker / Olympic Flagbearer |
1976—1996 |
Olympic gold medalist, 1984 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Jack O'Callahan |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Carla Overbeck |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics / Non-starter |
1996—2000 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Cindy Parlow |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Mark Pavelich |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Christie Pearce-Rampone |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics |
2000—2012 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Michael Phelps |
USA |
SWM |
Olympics / Opening Flagbearer |
2000—2016 |
Eight Gold Medals in 2008 Olympic Games, 2008 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Mike Ramsey |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Mary Lou Retton |
USA |
GAR |
Olympics |
1984 |
Olympic gold medalist, 1984 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Tiffany Roberts |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics / Non-starter |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Bill Russell |
USA |
BKB |
Olympics |
1956 |
NBA champion player-coach, 1968 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Jim Ryun |
USA |
ATH |
Olympics |
1964—1972 |
Mile world record, 1966 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Buzz Schneider |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1976—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Briana Scurry |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics / Non-starter |
1996—2004 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Dave Silk |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Kate Sobrero-Markgraf |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics |
2000—2008 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Eric Strobel |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Rob Suter |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Tisha Venturini |
USA |
FBL |
Olympics |
1996 |
1999 USA Women's World Cup Soccer Team, 1999 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Phil Verchota |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Mark Wells |
USA |
IHO |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
1980—2002 |
1980 USA Ice Hockey Gold Medal Team, 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |
| Serena Williams |
USA |
TEN |
Olympics / Torch Bearer |
2000—2024 |
21 Grand Slam titles (1999-2015), four Olympic gold medals (2000-12), 2015 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |