‘Rolling out’ names top 10 Black athletes of 2023

Here are the athletes who set the sports world ablaze
Claressa Shields (Photo credit: Rashad Milligan for rolling out)

The year 2023 provided plenty of memorable moments in the world of sports. Now, rolling out would like to take a moment to salute the top 10 Black athletes behind some of these special times.

10. Claressa Shields


The 14-0 middleweight world champion defended her title in front of the hometown crowd at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on June 3 against Maricela Cornejo. She won the match in a unanimous decision, just as the rest of her pro career decisions have gone.

Lately, she’s been going back and forth with fellow boxing star Alycia Baumgardner, who is suspended after a reported positive drug test. The potential fight between the two Michigan natives would be the biggest female boxing match in years if the two camps can reach an agreement, and Baumgardner’s suspension ends. This is an event to watch for in 2024.


9. Simone Biles

After a two-year hiatus, Biles won her sixth international all-around gold medal and an eighth U.S. national championship. The Associated Press named her the 2023 Female Athlete of the Year.

8. Gervonta “Tank” Davis

In the middle of legal drama, Davis showed up big in the biggest fight of the year. On April 22 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Davis knocked out Ryan Garcia. He also defeated Hector Luis Garcia by technical knockout on Jan. 7.

7. Lamar Jackson

Jackson appears to be on his way to another MVP season with the Baltimore Ravens. The dynamic quarterback is arguably football’s most exciting player since Michael Vick’s early career stint with the Atlanta Falcons. Every week is a show on the field, and it’s led to the Ravens having the best record in the AFC at 12-3.

6. Jayden Daniels

While Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders may have been a prime figure in college football in 2023, Daniels’ team at LSU paved the runway for him to win the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and four interceptions.

5. A’ja Wilson

Wilson took losing the regular season MVP to Brenna Stewart personally. So personal that she was motivated to win her second consecutive title on the road against Stewart, even though the team was missing three important starters; Chelsea Gray, Kiah Stokes and Candace Parker.

4. LeBron James

Every single day is more remarkable than the day before in terms of what the soon-to-be 39-year-old does on an NBA floor.

The most remarkable accomplishment in 2023 is when he officially passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time leading scorer.

3. Angel Reese

The “Bayou Barbie” dominated throughout the 2022-23 season for LSU, and ended her first season at the school with a national championship. Reese made headlines and became the year’s breakout superstar after mocking Caitlin Clark’s celebration in the closing moments of the title game.

2. Sha’Carri Richardson

The charismatic American sprinter won the women’s 100-meter world championship after years of being mocked on social media for her previous losses. At only 23, Richardson has shown the sports world real-time examples of growth and persistence.

1. Coco Gauff

Like Richardson, Gauff suffered through bursts of criticism with a stretch of losses and not winning the “big one,” despite the fame and attention she received at 15 after defeating Venus Williams. In September, the 19-year-old won one of the “big ones” at the U.S. Open. She is the youngest American champion of the Grand Slam tournament.

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