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25 Under 25

The List . The Stories . The Methodology

Athletes Under 25 With The Strongest Brands

All athletes have brands. But what does it take to rise to the top as a young professional athlete?   

CHARGE researched 969 young athletes across 48 sports to determine the ways they make their voices heard. We analyzed brand strength across many different channels, from social interactions to traditional media presence and even Reddit popularity. Then, we applied a proprietary formula to determine which athletes are making their mark not just with fans, but with the general public.  

Let us know your thoughts on the CHARGE 25 Under 25 by sounding off on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

#1

Jayson
Tatum

NBA:  Boston Celtics
Age:  20
2017 Ranking:  16

Tatum, a 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year Finalist, broke onto the NBA scene this past season with an impressive playoff performance. High rankings in search interest and his popularity on Instagram skyrocketed Tatum to the top of our 2018 list.

CHARGE Score: 28.65

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#2

Luka
Dončić

NBA:  Dallas Mavericks
Age:  19
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Dončić, the 3rd overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft and 2018 EuroLeague MVP, dominated the headlines lately, leading him to the #2 spot on our rankings. While he doesn’t top the list on social media, he has an above-average showing on each platform.

CHARGE Score: 46.05

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#3

Simone
Biles

Gymnastics:  Team USA
Age:  21
2017 Ranking:  11

Biles, a four-time gold medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, hasn't lost any steam in the years since she dominated the Games. Biles ranked in the top 5 in social media followers across every social platform and was also bolstered by strong search interest. 

CHARGE Score: 60.50

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#4

Aly
Raisman

Gymnastics:  Team USA
Age:  24
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Raisman, a three-time Olympic Gold medalist (and Rio teammate of #3 Simone Biles), shares her teammate's skill for social media. Search interest also factored into her jump to #4: as a vocal figure in the USA Gymnastics scandal, Raisman has consistently been in the news.

CHARGE Score: 63.25

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#5

Joel
Embiid

NBA:  Philadelphia Sixers
Age:  24
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Embiid, a 2018 NBA All-Star, is becoming a social media star. Known for his antics, Embiid ranks in the top 15 for every social platform and also ranks in the top 10 of search interest, in part because of his posts going viral and his willingness to engage other athletes.

CHARGE Score: 77.50

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#6

Paige
VanZant

MMA:  UFC
Age:  24
2017 Ranking:  19

VanZant, a professional MMA fighter since 2012, doesn't just perform well in the Octagon. She also dominates across a variety of different social platforms. VanZant’s social media following helped her climb into the top 10 this year, despite her recent injury.

CHARGE Score: 79.90

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#7

Devin
Booker

NBA:  Phoenix Suns
Age:  21
2017 Ranking:  14

Booker, who recently signed a $158 million contract, has a well-rounded digital presence. His consistency across all measures helps him best athletes stronger in one area or another. Multiple top-10 finishes in social media helped him climb even higher this year.  

CHARGE Score: 80.65

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#8

Markelle
Fultz

NBA:  Philadelphia Sixers
Age:  20
2017 Ranking:  7

Fultz, the 1st overall pick from the 2017 NBA Draft, only played in three games during his rookie season. Due to a lingering injury that prevented him from playing, he dominated the NBA headlines. That continued conversation helped Fultz keep a top-10 ranking.

CHARGE Score: 86.10

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#9

Ezekiel
Elliott

NFL:  Dallas Cowboys
Age:  23
2017 Ranking:  2

Elliott, the 2016 NFL rushing leader, leads the field in Twitter followers and also performs well on Instagram. This, combined with the headlines surrounding his suspension last season, kept him as the top ranked NFL player and in our top 10.

CHARGE Score: 88.20

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#10

Lamar
Jackson

NFL:  Baltimore Ravens
Age:  21
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Jackson, a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and 2016 Heisman Trophy winner, rounds out the top 10 of our rankings. While he doesn’t stand out in one particular area, Jackson has above-average performance in both social media and search interest.

CHARGE Score: 88.40

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#11

Miles
Bridges

NBA:  Charlotte Hornets
Age:  20
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Bridges, a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, is another member of the CHARGE 25 with a well-rounded digital presence. While he may not stand out in any one category, his strong all-around brand effort, as well as the recent Draft coverage, helped him earn #11.

CHARGE Score: 92.65

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#12

Myles
Turner

NBA:  Indiana Pacers
Age:  22
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Turner, the second Myles (albeit spelled differently) on our list and former first-round pick, upgraded his digital presence since last year’s 25 Under 25. Turner is one of the few newcomers to the list who was eligible in 2017 but didn’t quite make the cut.

CHARGE Score: 95.70

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#13

Kristaps
Porzingis

NBA:  New York Knicks
Age:  22
2017 Ranking:  9

Porzingis, a 2018 NBA All-Star, played in just over half of the season for the Knicks due to an injury. Despite this, he used the power of social media to maintain a top-15 ranking on our list. The Latvian star's social popularity is doubly impressive due to his bilingual posting. 

CHARGE Score: 100.55

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#14

Trae
Young

NBA:  Atlanta Hawks
Age:  19
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Young, the 5th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, became an instant sensation while playing for the Oklahoma Sooners this past season. This helped him earn high marks in search interest and led him to the 14th spot on our list.

CHARGE Score: 100.60

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#15

Donovan
Mitchell

NBA:  Utah Jazz
Age:  21
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Mitchell, a 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year Finalist, took the league by storm this past season by becoming one of the best rookies in the league and leading his team to the playoffs. Led by his strong search interest, Mitchell rounds out our top 15.

CHARGE Score: 101.00

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#16

Mikaela
Shiffrin

Skiing:  Team USA
Age:  23
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic Gold medalist, came into this year’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang as one of the most talked-about athletes. Shiffrin tied atop our list as the most searched athlete, while also having a formidable Facebook presence.

CHARGE Score: 105.95

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#17

Marcus
Smart

NBA:  Boston Celtics
Age:  24
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Smart, a former top 10 overall pick in the NBA Draft, has been in the headlines recently for both his play in the NBA Playoffs and upcoming free agency. With above average rankings in both social and search interest, Smart has a well-rounded digital presence.

CHARGE Score: 108.85

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#18

Zach
LaVine

NBA:  Chicago Bulls
Age:  23
2017 Ranking:  23

LaVine, a former lottery pick in the NBA Draft, benefitted from traditional media coverage, with news circulating about his impending free agency and his injury recovery. LaVine’s solid performance on social media helped propel him up our list.

CHARGE Score: 110.40

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#19

Saquon
Barkley

NFL:  New York Giants
Age:  21
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Barkley, the 2nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, had a highlight-filled season at Penn State prior to being drafted. Thus, Barkley dominated much of the traditional media and search interest surrounding the draft, leading him to the 19th spot.

CHARGE Score: 112.80

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#20

Kyle
Kuzma

NBA:  Los Angeles Lakers
Age:  23
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Kuzma, a member of the 2018 NBA All-Rookie First Team, had a stand out rookie season, helping to boost his social following and news coverage. While one statistic doesn’t stick out, Kuzma used his overall strong digital presence to land at #20.

CHARGE Score: 112.95

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#21

Baker
Mayfield

NFL:  Cleveland Browns
Age:  23
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Mayfield, the 1st overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, lands just behind the 2nd overall pick of the 2018 Draft (funny, right?). Mayfield led his Oklahoma Sooners to the CFB Playoff. He is also tied for the most searched athlete in our ranking, landing him in the top 25.

CHARGE Score: 114.60

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#22

Julius
Randle

NBA:  New Orleans Pelicans
Age:  23
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Randle, a former top-10 pick in the NBA Draft, combined his breakout season with his impending free agency to increase his search interest. Randle has spent years investing in social media, dating back to his days at the University of Kentucky.

CHARGE Score: 118.35

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#23

Dak
Prescott

NFL:  Dallas Cowboys
Age:  24
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Prescott, the starting quarterback for the NFL’s most valuable and popular franchise, broke onto the scene during his 2016 rookie season. Prescott is near the top of the list across social media platforms, in addition to generating strong search interest 

CHARGE Score: 119.10

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#23

Ben
Simmons

NBA:  Philadelphia Sixers
Age:  22
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Simmons, the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year, took the league by storm this season and helped lead his team to the NBA Playoffs. Earning top rankings in search interest and a growing social media presence, Simmons makes the cut.

CHARGE Score: 119.10

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#25

Dennis
Smith Jr.

NBA:  Dallas Mavericks
Age:  20
2017 Ranking:  Not Ranked

Smith Jr., a member of the 2018 NBA All-Rookie Second Team, was a top 10 pick in last year’s draft. His viral dunk videos and impressive rookie campaign led to a diverse digital presence that earned him the final spot in our top 25.

CHARGE Score: 119.80

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The Stories: Taking a Deep Dive Into the Data Behind the Index

The top 25 athletes are just the tip of the iceberg. Learn how players within each sport stack up, what locations our top 25 hail from, and what the state of young athletes looks like today. We've pulled together interesting stories from all corners of the index. 

See last year's Top 25 here. 

Demographics
Locations
Female Athletes
Individual Athletes
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Golfing
Gymnastics
Hockey
League of Legends
MMA
Motorsports
NBA 2K League
NBA Draft
NFL Draft
Overewatch
Skateboarding
Skiing
Snowboarding
Soccer
Swimming
Tennis
Track and Field
Demographics
Locations
Female Athletes
Individual Athletes
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Golfing
Gymnastics
Hockey
League of Legends
MMA
Motorsports
NBA 2K League
NBA Draft
NFL Draft
Overewatch
Skateboarding
Skiing
Snowboarding
Soccer
Swimming
Tennis
Track and Field
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The Methodology

There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to identify who the rising young stars are in sports. But, instead of guessing, we wanted to put data behind which athletes under the age of 25 have the best brands. That’s why we developed the CHARGE 25 Under 25.

The CHARGE 25 measures the brand energy of 969 U.S.-based athletes, including 727 men and 242 women from 48 sports, using a proprietary formula processing data around social media, search interest, traditional media and more.

The athletes were ranked against their peers to determine their brand energy in each category, culminating in a total score. Like in golf, the lower the number, the better the score.

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