LeBron James, Tua Tagovailoa, Chloe Kim, Bill Belichick and Angel Reese are among 13 sports figures who face major questions entering 2026.
MIAMI, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- LeBron James, Tua Tagovailoa, Chloe Kim, Bill Belichick and Angel Reese are among 13 sports figures who face major questions entering 2026.
The concerns for the group, including athletes, a coach and a team owner, include potential retirements, trades, releases and more.
Olympic gold medalists, Hall of Fame nominees and athletes with major injury histories are included in the list, which is in no particular order.
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, World Baseball Classic and FIFA World Cup are among the major events to look forward to in 2026.
LeBron James
While the social media era might lead some to believe LeBron James underachieved during his first two decades in the NBA, the statistics speak for themselves. James, who turns 41 on Dec. 30, stands alone as the NBA's all-time leader in points and minutes played.
The 21-time All-Star, four-time champion and four-time MVP was an ironman over the majority of his first 23 seasons in the NBA, but struggled to get on the court this season due to back and foot issues. His points per game dropped to a career-low 18.6 through his first 10 appearances of 2025-26. James also made 46.9% of his shots, the worst clip since his 2003 rookie campaign.
The Los Angeles Lakers won 50 games in 2024-25 for the second time since 2019-20, when James led them to a title. They are off to another hot start in 2025, but questions remain about James' future with the storied franchise.
James achieved a life goal in 2024-25 when he shared the NBA court with his oldest son, 21-year-old Bronny, but how much longer can the "King" hang on?
James' youngest son, Bryce, is a freshman at Arizona, but has yet to appear in a game for the Wildcats. His famous father told reporters in September that he is "not waiting on Bryce," when asked if he also plans to share the NBA court with the 18-year-old, but has yet to announce potential retirement plans.
James is set to hit free agency this off-season and could opt to end his career, re-sign with the Lakers or play elsewhere. The future of one of the most dominant players in NBA history remains one of the biggest sports questions of 2026.
Tiger Woods
Woods and James share many similarities. Both athletes have arguments as the greatest to ever play their respective sports, with James eyeing Michael Jordan's legacy while Woods chases iconic Jack Nicklaus.
Woods remains stuck on 15 major titles, trailing Nicklaus' record 18, but his days of claiming those crowns appear over. The 49-year-old golfer last hoisted a major trophy in 2019.
Woods' tie for 38th at the 2020 Masters was his best finish at a major in the last half-decade. He missed the entirety of the 2025 campaign due to an Achilles tendon rupture. He also has battled knee and back issues over the last several years, limiting his availability.
Woods, who shares a birthday with James, told reporters in early December that he was "a ways away" from figuring out his 2026 schedule. He said he is "just looking forward to playing again," when asked about potentially joining the PGA Tour Champions -- a senior golf tour for men 50 and older.
"Once I get a feel for practicing, exploding, playing and the recovery process, then I can assess when I will play and how much I will play," said Woods, who was cleared in November to resume chipping and putting.
The 2026 PGA Tour season will start with the Sony Open on Jan. 15 in Honolulu. The PGA Tour Champions campaign will launch Jan. 19 with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship on Jan. 22 in Ka'upuleuhu-Kona, Hawaii.
Tua Tagovailoa
Tagovailoa's future with the Miami Dolphins was written in ink -- literally -- when he signed a $212 million extension in 2024. But a benching in 2025 -- the first year he received money from that pact -- casted a major shadow over his status with the AFC East franchise.
Underperformance led to the benching. His concerning injury history added to questions about his availability, even when he has played well. The Dolphins turned to rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, in Week 16. Tagovailoa was demoted to a third-string option.
That status is likely untenable for 2026 based on Tagovailoa's former prominent role, salary cap hit and potential locker room dynamics. Will the Dolphins release Tagovailoa and/or work to restructure his contract and trade the quarterback or keep him on the roster as the most expensive backup in the NFL?
Bill Belichick
Belichick is arguably the greatest coach in NFL history, but he followed his split with the New England Patriots by leading the North Carolina Tar Heels to a 4-8 record in his first season manning the collegiate sidelines.
The 73-year-old coach's well-publicized relationship with 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson led to many headlines -- and concerns about distractions -- during his first season in Chapel Hill, N.C. Belichick's five-year contract with the Tar Heels includes an annual salary of $1 million, plus $9 million in supplemental income. Money from the first three years of that deal is guaranteed, but a lack of early success and potential interest from NFL teams could result in a split.
Belichick's contract includes options for termination. On June 1, his buyout option dropped from $10 million to just $1 million. Will the eight-time Super Bowl winner -- with six rings as a head coach and two as an assistant -- try to turn it around with the Tar Heels or return to the NFL to chase more records?
One target: Don Shula's record for most wins (347) for an NFL head coach. Belichick sits just 14 victories behind that mark.
Sidney Crosby
"Sid The Kid" already penned his legacy as one of hockey's all-time greats. He wrote that story while wearing a Pittsburgh Penguins sweater. But will he chase more records elsewhere?
Crosby, 38, remains productive. He totaled a team-high 91 points -- from 33 goals and 48 assists -- over 80 appearances in 2024. Crosby's 1.06 points per game through his first 33 appearances of 2025-26 tied for the fewest of his career. His .58 goals per appearance were his second-most since 2010.
The three-time Stanley Cup winner and three-time Ted Lindsay Award winner is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027-28, but trade rumors continue to circulate.
Crosby ranks No. 9 in NHL history in assists, points, goals created and game-winning goals. He should continue to climb those lists, but will he do it in Penguins black and gold?
Crosby has said he wants to target another Stanley Cup, but the Penguins missed the playoffs each of the last three years and don't appear to be close to contention. His current pact, signed in 2024, also includes a no-movement clause, which handed him in control of his future.
Angel Reese
Reese remains one of the most polarizing figures in the WNBA. The Chicago Sky forward, who rose to fame as the "Bayou Barbie" at LSU and developed a rivalry with Caitlin Clark, was an All-Star in each of her first two WNBA seasons.
But the Sky continue to struggle, despite rostering one of the league's young stars, who averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds over her first two campaigns. The Sky went 23-61 during that span, including a WNBA-worst 10-34 in 2025. They've had three different coaches in the last three years and haven't advanced past the first round of the playoffs since 2022.
Their struggles led Reese to lament about the Sky's lack of talent in a September interview with the Chicago Tribune. Those comments resulted in a team suspension. Reese also hinted that she could play elsewhere during her September interview, but told reporters earlier this month that she plans to return to the Sky.
Reese, who said she plans to honor her contract, remains tied to the Sky through 2026. Her deal includes a team option for 2027, but could more struggles lead to a trade request for her to join a contender?
Caitlin Clark
Unlike Reese's Sky, Clark's Indiana Fever made the playoffs in each of her first two seasons. Clark immediately became one of the league's top offensive weapons when she stepped onto the court. The 2024 Rookie of the Year appeared in 40 games that year, when the Indiana Fever went 20-20, but lost in the first round of the playoffs.
The Fever had championships aspirations in 2025, but lost Clark in July due to groin and ankle injuries. They still finished the season strong, advancing to the WNBA semifinals, where they lost in five games to eventual champion Las Vegas Aces.
Clark told reporters earlier this month while at Team USA training camp that she is back to 100%. Several of her Fever teammates also are in injury recovery mode this off-season, while others hit free agency, including top scorer Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, who went down with a season-ending knee injury in August.
Aliyah Boston joins Clark as key players under contract in 2026 with the Fever. Can Clark and the Fever get healthy, assemble another solid supporting cast and win their first WNBA title?
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic was once among the most dominant athletes in sports, but age and competition appear to be gaining on him. The Serbian sensation already holds the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles (24) among men's players.
He could break a tie with women's tennis icon Margaret Court with another Grand Slam title to hold the overall record, but will likely need to out-duel Carlos Alcaraz and/or Jannik Sinner.
The Spaniard and Italian split the last eight titles contested.
Before that run of dominance, Djokovic won at least one Grand Slam title in 12 of 13 years from 2011 through 2023. That stretch included Djokovic becoming the first man to earn a career Grand Slam three times.
Can the 38-year-old turn back the clock and steal a title from the 22-year-old Alcaraz or 25-year-old Sinner? That question remains one of the most intriguing in tennis.
Djokovic hinted in 2025 that his career could be coming to an end, but later said he wants to play several more seasons. He currently holds the No. 4 spot in the ATP Tour singles rankings, behind the top-ranked Alcaraz, No. 2 Sinner and No. 3 Alexander Zverev.
His first shot at Grand Slam No. 25 could come at the 2026 Australian Open, which will be held from Jan. 12 to Feb. 1 in Melbourne.
Mikaela Shiffrin
Shiffrin will once again be among the must-see American athletes competing in the Winter Games this February in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Like many of the aforementioned athletes, her legacy is cemented.
But Shiffrin, who has the most World Cup victories in women's or men's alpine skiing history, could eye another achievement at the 2026 Winter Olympics. With another victory, she would claim a third gold medal, which would be the most ever awarded to an American alpine skier in Winter Olympics history.
Shiffrin, 30, secured a record-extending 105th World Cup win earlier this month. That Dec. 16 triumph was her fourth-consecutive win of the season.
Shiffrin, who won gold medals at Sochie 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018, failed to medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics, despite being favored to win in half of the events she planned to compete in. Can she maintain her current form to make more history on the Italian slopes?
Lindsey Vonn, who has won three Olympic medals, including one gold, is also vying to be part of the American alpine ski team. The 41-year-old held the previous record for World Cup victories before Shiffrin broke it. Vonn, who retired in 2019, could now compete against Shiffrin. Another question: Could the iconic alpine duo unite for a dream team in combined Olympic competition?
Chloe Kim
Kim is another Team USA star to watch in Cortina d'Ampezzo. The 25-year-old snowboarder was the gold medal winner in the halfpipe in each of the last two editions of the Winter Olympics.
She is favored to win the event for a third-consecutive time, which would make her the first snowboarder ever to accomplish that feat.
Steve Balmer
Balmer and the Los Angeles Clippers have been one of the most discussed teams in the NBA over the last decade for several reasons, including major acquisitions and underperformance.
But the Clippers' owner is now under a microscope due to reports that claimed the franchise circumvented the NBA salary cap with payments made to All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard.
Balmer and the Clippers denied circumventing the salary cap and making payments to Leonard through a now-bankrupt company, which Balmer invested in. The NBA is investigating and could find a resolution in 2026. It remains to be seen if the Clippers will face punishment -- or if team ownership could change hands in the wake of the scandal.
The Clippers, who won 51 games in 2023 and 50 games in 2024, abruptly moved on from future Hall of Fame guard Chris Paul in early December. They went 6-21 through their first 27 games of 2025.
Lionel Messi
Messi has accomplished more than most humans on the soccer field with his extraterrestrial-level talent. With Argentina's 2022 World Cup triumph, he added even more lore to his unmatched career.
But Messi, fresh off leading Inter Miami to a maiden MLS Cup crown, can further add to his iconic legacy if he leads Argentina to another title at the 2026 World Cup.
Argentina's three World Cups trail only Brazil (five), Germany (four) and Italy (four). Another World Cup victory would make Argentina just the third team in history to win consecutive titles, joining Italy (1934 and 1938) and 1958 and 1962 Brazil squads, which featured Pele.
World No. 1 Spain is favored to win the first 48-team edition of the tournament. England, France and Brazil are among other teams with better odds than Argentina, which rounds out the Top-5 betting favorites.
Another storyline for the tournament will be to see how far star striker Christian Pulisic can lead the Americans, who are long shots to win the tournament, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Pulisic and the Americans will open the tournament with a Group D meeting with Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, Calif. Messi and the Argentines will face Algeria in a Group J opener June 16 in Kansas City, Mo.
Aaron Judge
While the Americans aren't favored to win the World Cup, they are the top expended contenders for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Team USA finished second to Shohei Ohtani and Japan in the 2023 edition of the tournament. The disappointing finish sent U.S. general manager Michael Hill and manager Mark DeRosa back to work to rebuild a roster capable of championship glory.
Part of that rebuild included the addition of New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who will make his World Baseball Classic debut in 2026. Ace pitchers Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, the 2024 Cy Young Award winners, will also make their debuts and lead the American pitching staff.
The U.S. roster will also feature first-timers Cal Raleigh, who led MLB with 60 homers in 2025, Pete Crow-Armstrong, who logged 31 homers and 35 stolen bases last season, and fellow speedster Corbin Carroll, who led MLB in triples the last two years.
But many fans be looking to Judge to see if he can win a championship before the 2026 MLB season, where he will aim to earn a third consecutive American League MVP Award, which would also be his fourth in five years.
With a third consecutive MVP, Judge would match Ohtani and Barry Bonds as the only players in history to accomplish the feat. In 2026, Ohtani can also match Bonds as the only player in history to win four-consecutive MVP Awards. But both players must maintain form to match Bonds' overall record total of seven MVP Awards.
Category: General Sports
