Ranked: The athletes and moments that defined USA sport in 2024

As 2024 draws to a close, the American sports landscape is richer than ever with stories of resilience, dominance, and historic achievements. From the Olympic stage in Paris to the hardwood courts of the NBA, this year showcased athletes who shattered records, defied odds, and etched their names into the annals of sporting history.

In perhaps the most inspiring storyline of 2024, Simone Biles made a triumphant return to the global stage at the Paris Olympics. After stepping back from competition during the Tokyo Games in 2021 to prioritize her mental health, Biles proved she is still the greatest of all time.

At 27 years old, she captivated the world with her dazzling performances, winning five medals –including three golds – in a stunning comeback that solidified her place as the most decorated gymnast in history, as Eurosport reported. Biles’ floor routine, in particular, was a highlight of the Games, showcasing not just technical brilliance but a level of artistry unmatched in the sport.

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While Biles soared in gymnastics, Noah Lyles owned the track. The American sprinter became the undisputed star of the Paris Olympics, winning gold in the 100m and the 4x100m relay –becoming the first American to win the 100-meter since Justin Gatlin in 2004. He also took bronze in the 200m in a race that he was famously battling COVID for.

Lyles, who already held the world’s attention after his triple gold at the 2023 World Championships, set a new Olympic record in the 200m, clocking 19.20 seconds. His charismatic personality and bold ambitions for greatness have positioned him as the new face of American sprinting, filling a void left by the legends before him.

2024 also witnessed the meteoric rise of Caitlin Clark, who transformed from college basketball star to global sensation. After leading the University of Iowa to their first NCAA title earlier in the year, Clark made a seamless transition to the WNBA, where she quickly became the league’s brightest star.

Playing for the Indiana Fever, Clark led the league in scoring and shattered the single-season record for three-pointers made. Her flair for the dramatic and deep shooting range drew comparisons to Steph Curry, and her popularity has propelled women’s basketball to unprecedented heights, with record-breaking attendance and viewership numbers.

The Boston Celtics rewrote NBA history in 2024 by clinching their record-breaking 18th championship, surpassing their longtime rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers. Led by a rejuvenated Jayson Tatum, who averaged 32 points per game in the Finals, the Celtics defeated the Denver Nuggets in a hard-fought seven-game series.

Veteran coach Brad Stevens, who returned to the bench mid-season, orchestrated a masterful playoff run, blending young talent like Jaylen Brown and Derrick White with seasoned veterans. The Celtics’ victory parade through Boston drew over a million-strong crowd, as the Boston Herald reported, as fans celebrated the team’s rise to the top of the NBA.

Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas lived up to the hype, delivering a game for the ages as the San Francisco 49ers edged out the Kansas City Chiefs in a thrilling 34-31 victory. Quarterback Brock Purdy led the 49ers to their sixth Lombardi Trophy, cementing his place as one of the league's elite.

Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs put up a valiant fight, with Mahomes delivering one of the most electrifying fourth-quarter comebacks seen in recent memory.

Caitlin Clark meteoric rise wasn't simply a personal triumph, they were part of a wider shift in appreciation for women’s sports in 2024. Across the U.S., women's sports shattered attendance records, saw unprecedented TV viewership, and garnered increased investment from sponsors and media alike.

The WNBA in particular saw a viewership increase of 170%, as ESPN reported, with 54 million unique viewers across networks. While the National Women's Soccer League reported an attendance growth of 53% over the last three years, peaking in 2024 with more than 2 million people attending games for the first time, as the NWSL reported.

Add to that list Ilona Maher. Maher helped lead Team USA Rugby Sevens to a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, its frst ever medal in the sport, securing a historic victory over Australia in the third-place match. Known for her physicality, Maher was a key figure in the team’s podium finish, marking a milestone for U.S. rugby.

Off the pitch, Maher continued to captivate fans with her witty and authentic presence on TikTok and Instagram. By blending humor with insights into the life of an elite athlete, she broadened rugby's appeal, advocating for body positivity and shining a spotlight on women’s sports.

Shohei Ohtani solidified his legacy as one of baseball’s all-time greats, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to their first postseason in nearly a decade. Despite coming off elbow surgery, Ohtani had to wind down his pitching duties, but excelled as everywhere else, becoming the first-ever player in Major League Baseball to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season, as MLB reported.

His dominant performance earned him a third AL MVP and inspired a new generation of two-way players. A global icon, Ohtani continues to captivate fans in both Japan and the U.S., where he’s credited for revitalizing interest in the sport.

At 37, Lionel Messi continued to shine, racking up 25 goals and 16 assists in a season in which Inter Miami picked up the Supporters' Shield but were ultimately eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Atlanta United in a dramatic 3-2 loss.

Despite this, Messi’s impact on MLS remains significant. His presence boosted stadium attendance and viewership to record numbers in 2024, and he played a key mentorship role for younger players like Benjamin Cremaschi. As rumors of a farewell season in 2025 swirl, his contributions to elevating soccer's profile in the U.S. are already part of his enduring legacy​

Going back to January, Chloe Kim made history once again, this time at the X Games in Aspen. The two-time Olympic gold medalist became the first woman ever to land a 1260 in a women's snowboard halfpipe competition.

The moment came in her final run of the competition, where Kim executed a cab 1260 — three and a half rotations — and while she admitted it wasn't as clean as she hoped, the achievement cemented her place in snowboarding history.

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