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Do you need to hire a trusted expert for a meeting, conference, corporate event, seminar, trade-show, convention, or company workshop?
Here is a list of the top experts and thought leaders on sports to consider for your event that can deliver a memorable speech and presentation that will inspire, educate, and entertain your audience.
These sports speakers can cover such topics as motivation, leadership, adversity, resilience, hard work, perseverance, accountability, self-discipline, habits, and more.
If you would like to hire any of these speakers or need more suggestions, fill out this form and our agent will respond within two business hours.
Please note, we work with over 5000 experts and thought leaders who may not be listed on our site.
Pat Riley
The legendary Pat Riley is the only coach in NBA history to be named Coach of the Year with 3 separate teams. He’s also an 8-time NBA champion and a 2008 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee.
As the current president and head coach of the Miami HEAT, he holds the record for most regular season and postseason wins with the team. He’s also the all-time leader in both regular season and postseason winning percentage with the Los Angles Lakers.
Pat is not only one of the most successful coaches in professional basketball, but also one of America’s most popular motivational speakers. He has been praised by magazines and peers alike for his ability to lead and inspire people to greatness. His novels “The Show” and “The Inner Game” have both become New York Times Bestsellers.
Laird Hamilton
Laird Hamilton is one of the most decorated and versatile athletes in action sports history. He is a world-champion big wave surfer, inventor of tow-in surfing, SUP pioneer, hydrofoil board creator, fashion designer and model, entrepreneur, environmentalist and author.
Laird has been featured on the cover of more than 100 magazines and has appeared in films such as Surfwise (2007), Blue Crush (2002) and Ride The Wave (2019). His 2016 autobiography Force Of Nature chronicles his incredible life story. A native of Southern California, Laird now resides on Maui with his wife Gabrielle Ree.
Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez is an American baseball shortstop and third baseman who plays for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers. His full name is Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez. He was born on July 27, 1975, in New York City, to a Dominican father and a Puerto Rican mother.
Alex grew up in Washington Heights and then went to Crossroads School For Arts & Sciences in Santa Monica, California. After high school, he was drafted first overall by the Seattle Mariners in the 1993 MLB Draft. Rodriguez made his major league debut at age 18 with the Mariners in 1994.
Simone Biles
Simone Biles is a world-renowned athlete who has made waves in the gymnastics community. She is the proud owner of five All- Around World Champion title, making her the most celebrated gymnast in the world – male or female.
With a whopping 25 Medals under her belt (19 of which are gold), it’s no wonder that she’s been awarded the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year title not just once, but thrice. And if that wasn’t enough, four different moves have been coined after her – The Biles – which can be performed on beam, floor, and vault.
As a sports motivational speaker, Biles utilizes her platform to help advocate for mental health and support initiatives that provide education and assistance for children and young adults associated with adoption and foster care.
Howie Long
Howie Long is a former American football defensive end and actor. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft after playing college football at Villanova.
He played 13 seasons with the Raiders, earning eight Pro Bowl selections and winning a Super Bowl with them in XVIII.
Following his retirement from playing, he became a television broadcaster for Fox Sports, where he currently works as an analyst on its NFL coverage.
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie is an American professional basketball player. She played center and was a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a four-time WNBA champion with the Los Angeles Sparks.
In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history. Leslie is a two-time recipient of the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award (2004, 2008), and holds several league records for rebounds and blocked shots.
Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman is a legend in the world of football, and now he’s bringing his talents to ESPN’s Monday Night Football as the new play-by-play commentator. Working alongside Joe Buck, the duo is one of the longest-running broadcasting teams in NFL history.
He played for the Cowboys for 12 seasons, winning three Super Bowls along the way. Aikman’s passion for the game is evident in everything he does, both on and off the field, making him the perfect person for this role.
Aikman is an engaging and inspiring speaker who helps audiences understand how to capitalize on the strengths of each team member, how to turn adversity into opportunity, and what he’s learnt from his successes and failures in his football career.
Magic Jonhson
Magic Johnson is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 13 seasons. After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers.
He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during their 1980s Showtime period.
Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi was one of the most dominant tennis players of his generation and is considered one of the greatest of all time. He won 60 singles titles, including eight Grand Slams, and was a fixture at the top of the rankings for over two decades.
Agassi’s playing style was characterized by power and aggression, and he was known for his audacious shot-making. He frequently took on opponents who were more physically imposing than he was, but his speed, movement, and Court sense allowed him to compete with them on even terms.
Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is a professional basketball player who has been playing for the Golden State Warriors since 2009. He was born in Akron, Ohio and grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Curry played college basketball at Davidson College before being drafted by the Warriors with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
He is a two-time NBA MVP, and three-time NBA champion. Curry is widely considered to be one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, and he has set numerous league records throughout his career.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams is an American professional tennis player who has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles. She has also been ranked number one in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association on eight occasions, from 2002 to 2017. Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest female tennis players of all time.
Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan, to Richard Williams and Oracene Price, and raised in Compton, California. Developing a love for tennis early on while attending local public courts with her father and sister Venus, Serena quickly began to build a name for herself in junior tournaments throughout California.
Dan Millman
Dan Millman is an American athlete and author.He was a world champion trampoline artist and member of the U.S. Olympic Team in 1972, but he is best known for his popular books on sports psychology and personal development, which include The Way of the Peaceful Warrior and Everyday Enlightenment.
Millman has also written extensively on subjects such as spirituality, family relationships, chiropractic care, nutrition, and physical fitness. In addition to his writing career, Millman lectures regularly around the world on various topics related to human potential.
Mary Lou Retton
Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, 1968, in Fairmont, West Virginia. She began practicing gymnastics at a young age and soon developed into a talented athlete. In 1984, she competed in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles and won five medals, including a gold medal in the individual all-around competition.
Following her success at the Olympics, Mary Lou became an iconic figure in the world of gymnastics. She has since retired from competitive gymnastics but remains active as a coach and leading sports inspirational speaker.
David Goggins
David Goggins is an American ultramarathon runner, ultra-distance cyclist, triathlete and motivational speaker. He is also a retired United States Navy Seal and former United States Air Force Tactical Air Control Party member.
He has set numerous world records, including the Guinness World Record for most pull-ups in 24 hours. David’s athletic career began as high school cross country runner. After college he enlisted in the military where he became a highly decorated Seal.
In 2007 he left active duty to pursue his dream of becoming an ultrarunner. Since then he has become one of the most accomplished endurance athletes in history.
Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson is one of the most successful and celebrated athletes of all time. From his days playing collegiate football to his professional career in both the NFL and MLB, Jackson has cemented himself as a legend in the world of sports. He is the only player in history to be named an All-Star in both the NFL and MLB, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
Throughout his career, Jackson has always been known as a star athlete; he set state records in high school track and continued to excel in college football, baseball, and track and field at Auburn University.
After being drafted by the MLB out of high school, Jackson chose to play college football instead but eventually made his way back to professional Baseball. In 2007, he was ranked number 8 on ESPN’s Top 25 Players In College Football History list.
Shaquille O’neal
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Shaquille O’neal was a dominant force to be reckoned with on the court. Standing at 7 feet 1 inches tall, he used his size and strength to overpower opponents and become one of the most successful basketball players in history.
After winning three NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, O’neal went on to play for the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics before retiring in 2011. Throughout his storied career, he was named an All-Star 15 times and was awarded four NBA Finals MVPs.
Alex Honnold
Alex Honnold is an American rock climber best known for his free solo ascents of big walls. He has completed some of the most difficult free solos in history, including the first ever rope-free ascent of the 3,000 foot El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
In 2012, he was featured on the cover of National Geographic Magazine after completing a ropeless ascent up one side and down another of Half Dome, one of America’s classic granite faces.
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 2011. He was born in Atmore, Alabama, and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.
As an amateur competitor, he won the bronze medal in the Light Heavyweight division at the 1983 Pan American Games. After turning professional, he went on to become Undisputed Cruiser weight Champion by winning the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles in 1988.
At heavyweight, he became a top contender after defeating Buster Douglas for The Ring magazine and lineal championships in 1990. In 1991 he fought Mike Tyson for Tyson’s undisputed heavyweight championship title.
Jim Abbott
Jim Abbott was born in Flint, Michigan, on September 19, 1967. With one arm missing from his birth, he proved to the world that anything is possible with hard work and dedication.
As a child, Jim loved baseball and dreamed of playing in the major leagues someday. Despite his disability, he worked tirelessly to improve his skills and became an amazing pitcher in Major League Baseball where he played for 10 years with the Angels, White Sox, Yankees, and Brewers.
In college, Jim played for the University of Michigan Wolverines where he helped lead the team to win a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He also won numerous awards including best amateur athlete in America by “The Sporting News”.
Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan is an American professional wrestler, actor, and television personality. Born Terry Gene Bollea in 1953, Hogan gained mainstream popularity in the 1980s as a part of the World Wrestling Federation’s showbiz-like presentation of pro wrestling.
He was highly influential in making wrestling appeal to a mainstream audience. His fight against Roddy Piper in 1985 became a prelude to the extremely popular ‘Wrestlemania’ TV series.
He was WWF Champion five times during that decade; his first title reign began after he defeated The Iron Sheik for the belt in 1984.
Oscar de la Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya is a retired American professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2008. He won multiple world titles in six different weight classes, including the lineal championship in three weight classes.
He was a superstar both inside and out of the ring. Oscar de la Hoya held the title for the highest-earning bout in any weight class other than heavyweights, and was one of the “Top 25 Most Influential Minorities in Sports,” according to GQ. He also made Forbes’ “Power List” and was voted one of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World.
De La Hoya was born on February 4, 1971, into a boxing family; his grandfather Vicente and father Joel Sr. were both professional boxers.
He is ranked as the 11th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec.
Bethany Hamilton
Bethany Hamilton (born February 8, 1990) is an American professional surfer who survived a 2003 shark attack in which her left arm was bitten off but later regained partial use of it.
She wrote about her experience in the 2004 autobiography Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board. In April 2007, the feature film Soul Surfer was released. Bethany continues to surf and share her story as a motivational speaker.
Kelly Slater
Kelly Slater is an American professional surfer. He has won 11 ASP World Championships and holds the record for the most championship titles in pro surfing. He began surfing at age 7 and by age 20 he had already turned pro.
In 1995, Kelly Slater founded Outer Reef, a clothing company specializing in surf-inspired apparel. In 2005, he launched his own line of boardshorts called Quiksilver Proboardshorts. Outside of surfing, Kelly is an avid golfer and enjoys spending time with his dog, Pipeline.
John Elway
John Elway was born on June 28, 1960 in Port Angeles, Washington. He is a former American football quarterback who played for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League (NFL). Elway is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts with the first overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft, but chose to play for the Broncos instead. Elway spent his entire 16-year career with Denver and helped lead them to five Super Bowl appearances, winning two of them. Upon his retirement following the 1998 season, he held several league records including most passing yards (51,475) and
Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen is a former American football running back who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. After an All-American career at the University of Southern California, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders in 1982. As a rookie, Marcus rushed for 1,290 yards and was named NFL Rookie of the Year.
He went on to play for 16 seasons with the Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. He retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (123) and third leading rusher behind only Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith. A 6-time Pro Bowl selection, Marcus was also named NFL MVP.
Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice is considered by many to be the greatest football player of all time. He played wide receiver for 20 seasons, predominantly with the San Francisco 49ers and also briefly with the Oakland Raiders.
During his career, he amassed an unparalleled number of records including most catches (1,549), most receiving yards (22,895) and most touchdown receptions (197).
A three-time Super Bowl champion, Rice was named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXIII and selected to 13 Pro Bowls. In 2010, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
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