Predicting 2025’s Breakout Sports Stars – 10 Athletes To Keep An Eye On

0
Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama (Photo: BTA)

Billions of people worldwide follow sports and have a favorite player/team they cheer for. Some of the world’s biggest superstars have been around for years, but new names emerge all the time, and we expect 2025 to give us access to plenty of them.

While on the topic of new names, Nostrabet.com spent a lot of time analyzing some of the breakout sports stars in 2025. Following the research, it became clear that there are many names that sports fans should keep an eye on. “Some of the athletes you are about to see have already shown that they have a lot of potential. Others, however, are yet to reveal what they’re capable of. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that they will prove to the world that they are among the best in their respective sport”, said Kristiyan from NB.

Aside from being interesting to watch, the names you are about to see may be an option for sports bettors. With that said, let’s dive in and see a few people that you should keep an eye on.


Jean Silva – UFC

The UFC is one of the world’s most entertaining leagues to follow, so it’s no surprise you can find tons of big stars. One name that we expected to see a lot more of in 2025 is Jean Silva.

  • The Brazilian fighter did well in 2024, but expect him to step up his game in 2025.
  • Those following Silva’s results in 2024 know that he won 3 matches. What’s even more impressive is that all 3 victories were by knockout.
  • Unlike other UFC fighters, Jean Silva became famous for his willingness to go against anyone. Despite being a featherweight, he is ready to fight anyone, even people outside of his weight category.
  • Considering his age of 28, Silva has what it takes to be one of the top UFC fighters in 2025.

Payton Talbott – UFC

Continuing with the UFC, Payton Talbott is another of the breakout sports stars in 2025 that we’ll probably see more of. He is another fighter who impressed all MMA fans with his performance in 2024. Consequently, many people (including us) expect him to be in top shape in 2025.

  • Following the beginning of his career in 2023, Talbott slowly but steadily became one of the big names in the UFC.
  • The player has had a couple of memorable fights, such as the one against Cameron Saaiman. Talbott won the fight in the second round and then dominated at UFC 303 in his clash against Yanis Gemmouri. This fight was only 19 seconds long, so it’s no surprise that the 26-year-old was on another level.
  • Considering this performance, it is no surprise that Payton Talbott will most likely be one of UFC’s superstars in 2025.

Johnny Keefer – Golf

Although not as popular as other sports, golf has always had fans from around the world. Many people think of Tiger Woods, but there are also many young golfers who deserve more attention, such as Johnny Keefer.

  • Despite being just 23 years old, Keefer is among the breakout sports stars that we’ll be hearing more of 2025.
  • People familiar with his performance weren’t surprised by his results in 2024. He finished among the top 6 players 8 times and even won once. These results were very impressive and can help him become one of the rising stars in golf.
  • A lot of players will keep a close eye on him to see if Johnny Keefer can find his way among the top 20 in KFT. To achieve this, he will need to get a lot of points.

James Wood – Baseball

If you are a baseball fan and follow the MLB, you have probably heard of James Wood. A lot of experts believe that Wood can be the next big star in 2025 because the 22-year-old impressed everyone in 2024 with his results.

  • Despite the good results. It’s worth mentioning that 2025 will be Wood’s first full MLB season. Fortunately, he has the skills to be among the breakout sports stars and has proven it many times.
  • According to some statistics, James Wood is among the top 20 players when it comes to “exit velocity”.
  • Overall, this player has potential so we’re yet to see if he’s going to live up to it.

Cole Palmer – Football

As the most popular sport globally, it’s no surprise that people love football. There are many promising names in the sport, and it’s safe to say that Cole Palmer is one of them. He is among the breakout sports stars that we expect to see a lot more of in 2025.

  • Palmer became a part of Chelsea last summer following a surprising 40M GBP transfer. Although people did not expect the youngster to do much, he ended up scoring 25 goals across different competitions.
  • Even though Palmer’s club is not in the title race, the player himself continues to impress football fans from around the world. Therefore, we also think that he will be one of the top footballers in 2025 and a name that even online bettors should focus on. After all, a lot of bookmakers have started offering many different individual markets that let people punt on specific footballers.

Emma Raducanu – Tennis

Tennis fans from around the world will have access to many other competitions in addition to the Australian Open 2025, and each one will include top-tier players. One of them is going to be Emma Raducanu, and it’s safe to say she will most likely be one of the breakout sports stars to watch in the upcoming year.

  • People first heard of Raducano three years ago when she was just 18 years old. Back then, the talented player won the US Open and quickly became one of the most famous tennis stars.
  • Unfortunately, things have not been that good after her success. She had a lot of injuries that prevented her from winning any big competition.
  • The good news is that things have changed because she finally recovered and is back on track. Keep in mind that she is only 22 years old, so she can definitely start winning again.

Lando Norris – F1

Lando Norris is probably the most recognizable name on our list of breakout sports starts for 2025. Known as one of the best F1 pilots, Norris is definitely capable of winning the championship, and we believe 2025 might be his year.

Although he did very well in 2024, Lando Norris finished behind Max Verstappen. No one knows what’s going to happen in 2025, but McLaren’s star has the potential to win. Keep in mind that Norris is just 25 years old, so we expect him to become even better. It’s true that Verstappen is on another level, but if there’s one racer that can stop him, it has to be Norris.


Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov – Esports (Dota 2)

Esports is one of the fastest-growing industries worldwide, and many countries recognize Esports players as professional athletes. There are a lot of upcoming names that will shine in 2025, and we believe that BZM will definitely be among them.

  • The Bulgarian Dota 2 player has been a part of the professional scene for several years now. Despite being just 19 years old, he already proved himself as the leading mid-laner when he was a part of OG.
  • Due to bad results, however, he had to leave the team and spent a few months playing for other squads.
  • Fortunately, bzm found a new home with Tundra Esports, and it seems like he will be among the breakout sports stars in 2025.

Currently, Tundra Esports is among the best Western European teams and one of the main contenders for all upcoming tournaments. Bzm has to fill the role of one of Dota 2’s best midders, so we’re yet to see if he will succeed. 


Jack Draper – Tennis

The last of the breakout sports stars in 2025 that we want to discuss is Jack Draper. Many people consider him to be Andy Murray’s successor because he is among the most promising British tennis players.

  • Although his Wimbledon results in 2024 did not impress many people, Draper did very well in the US Open. The young start reached the semi-finals and became the first Brit to do that in 12 years.
  • Jack Draper may not have had the same success as Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz, but things may change in the future.

Victor Wembanyama

The last name on the list is one of the hottest NBA stars right now. Victor Wembanyama is a 21-year-old Center who plays for the San Antonio Spurs. Many players regard him as one of the hottest basketball prospects in the current generation.

  • Victor began playing when he was just 15 years old.
  • Aside from being a part of the San Antonio Spurs, he is also playing for France’s national team. In fact, he even won the silver medal during the 2024 Olympic Games.

Closing Thoughts

Predicting 2025’s breakout sports starts is not easy because there are many people to pay attention to. With that said, we believe that the names here will perform well and are worth checking.

As mentioned, more and more people are choosing to punt on individual betting markets. Bookies often have good odds for them, so check what’s available before deciding what you will wager on. Don’t forget to check out some of the major sporting events that will take place in 2025 because you’ll see all of the sports stars mentioned above in action.

Author
Veselin Ignatov
Veselin IgnatovVeselin's primary job is to create unique content, such as reviews and analyses of different bookmakers and other topics from the iGaming industry.
Comment

No comments added yet. Be the first!