Times Magazine has delivered the top 100 most influential people and there are seven athletes on the list. These seven have proven the power of sports and entertainment have on society.
1. Ninja - EGaming
Ninja burst on the scene with the rise of the popular game Fortnite. He has over 21 million subscribers and impacts tens of millions of people that range from young kids all the way to parents who have to parent those kids.
2. Dwayne Johnson - Filmmaker
He may not be in the professional wrestling world anymore, but if you say that The Rock isn't an athlete, we've got two words for ya. Becoming the highest paid movie star, starting his YouTube channel, and being one of the biggest motivators on Instagram makes Dwayne Johnson a no-doubt influential human.
3. Caster Semenya - Track & Field
Semenya is a track and field athlete that has sparked controversy in the sports world because Caster identifies as female but has the testosterone levels of a male. The controversy has sparked many outbursts from fans and media alike with Semenya handling the situation to the best of her abilities.
4. Mohamed Salah - Soccer
Salah is an icon for Egyptians, Muslims, and soccer fans around the world and he finds a way to stay humble. Because of his position in such a universal sport he is given a platform that not many people have to say their piece.
5. LeBron James - Basketball
LeBron James does not just influence his team and his carousel of coaches, he impacts every kid that has ever wanted to play basketball since 2005. LeBron is idolized and put on a pedestal that only Michael Jordan has ever sat on.
6. Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods just won the Masters. He also has mounted possibly the greatest sports comeback of all time. After a fall from grace that almost none have ever seen, Tiger became a grinder. He slowly clawed his way back and because of that and the dedication to his family, he is on this list.
7. Alex Morgan - Women's Soccer
Alex Morgan is the most famous female soccer player in the world. She also happens to be a hometown favorite. Playing for the USWNT and the Orlando Pride, we know all about how good Alex Morgan is on the pitch, but her full impact comes from her ability to influence young girls to pursue the things they love.