Every year, Awful Announcing seeks to honor up-and-coming voices and personalities in the sports media universe who have made a positive impression over the past year. These individuals don’t just have a bright future; they are already making their mark on the industry in the present and earning accolades from fans.
This is the fourth consecutive year that AA has published a rising stars list and the seventh overall. Past selections include Michael Grady, Robbie Hummel, J.J. Watt (2025), Andraya Carter, Jamal Crawford, Noah Eagle (2024), John Fanta, Joshua Perry, and Trevor Immelman (2023). If you want to go back to the wayback machine, names like Rebecca Lowe, Jamie Erdahl, Molly McGrath, and Pablo Torre were past honorees who have stood out for over a decade.
This year’s list also looks to have a lot of staying power, featuring people who have built their careers on being multi-faceted and being able to shine on any platform, whether it be television, streaming, podcasts, or radio.
Gilbert Arenas, Underdog
In 2026, it’s not hyperbolic to say that every former athlete you could ever name has their own podcast. But none are doing it quite like Gilbert Arenas. Gil’s Arena has grown exponentially and now boasts 1.25 million subscribers on YouTube. Arenas has taken the podcasting world by storm and quickly become one of the most influential voices not just covering basketball. He recently launched a football show with Aqib Talib and Skip Bayless as well, showing that it’s now the athletes that sit on top of the sports media perch.
Kenny Beecham, SiriusXM
Kenny Beecham has been a basketball content creator for well over a decade, so perhaps labeling him a rising star now seems to be a bit late. But his “Enjoy Basketball” brand has hit the sweet spot with a national audience that yearns to celebrate the game in a way its national television partners have failed to do so in recent years. Beecham now has deals with NBC, SiriusXM, and even the league itself as his name becomes synonymous with the Association.
Madelyn Burke, ESPN
Madelyn Burke’s career has truly come full circle. After starting out as a production assistant with ESPN, working the famous Super Bowl 42 Giants-Patriots game, she then went on to work for a decade as a digital host with Big Blue. Now she is back in Bristol as a SportsCenter anchor and will likely be a fixture on ESPN’s flagship program for years to come.
Kevin Clark, ESPN/Omaha
Not many people in sports media appear to have more fun at what they do than Kevin Clark, and it bounces off the screen no matter which show heis on. Clark is just as comfortable hosting a podcast and having fun with Joel McHale as he is talking X’s and O’s with Mina Kimes or even going into the college realm and chatting it up with Paul Finebaum about the state of college football. His Omaha show, This is Football, has found a home on ESPN2 as one of the top sports podcasts that can work in both audio and video formats.
Allie Clifton, Amazon
Hailing from the small town of Van Wert, Ohio, Allie Clifton has taken a long and winding road to national stardom. Her career began in Toledo after a college basketball career with the Rockets. And after several years with the Cavaliers, she made the move to Los Angeles with the Lakers and hasn’t looked back since. Clifton has made an impact as a host, reporter, and podcaster, and has even become the first woman to do play-by-play for the Lakers. Now she is adding to her work with a role at Amazon, both as an NBA sideline reporter and as a WNBA host, and a new Girls Tripp podcast to her Road Trippin’ franchise. And she still brings the same work ethic from her playing days to whatever role she is in.
Shae Cornette, ESPN
Replacing Molly Qerim after a decade on the set of First Take was going to be no easy task. Qerim was able to deftly handle being between Stephen A. Smith and his many debate counterparts for years and do it very well. But in her short time at ESPN’s top-rated morning show, Shae Cornette has made the role her own. She seemed to be a natural from her first time in the host chair and can successfully navigate the wide range of personalities that come through the door each day.
T-Bob Hebert, Barstool Sports/FS1
The ratings of Wake Up Barstool and FS1 as a whole are not going to challenge ESPN, but the Barstool universe is full of personalities and influencers who aren’t just popular for their everyman or everywoman personas; they also have some broadcasting skills. And in that category, Former LSU offensive lineman T-Bob Hebert has been the standout star of Barstool’s move into television. The former Louisiana radio host has been the anchor of Wake Up Barstool, which may have come as a surprise to him, but it’s a role that he has taken to quite well.
Corey LaJoie, Amazon
Corey LaJoie isn’t your typical sports analyst, parlaying a massively successful career into a comfy television job. Over the course of ten seasons in the NASCAR Cup series, LaJoie posted zero wins in 276 races. So when he was named to Amazon’s initial broadcast lineup for NASCAR coverage last year, it was fair for most fans to wonder what to expect. Even though he wasn’t the biggest name, he emerged as a breakout star in Amazon’s lineup and a breath of fresh air with his knowledge and personality. His team with Danielle Trotta and Carl Edwards won over race fans in the streamer’s first season with the sport.
Renee Montgomery, CBS Sports/USA Sports
The NCAA Tournament is one of the most-watched sporting events in America, so getting called out of the bullpen for a surprise appearance to sub for Kenny Smith is no easy task. But CBS’s Renee Montgomery was able to step in and not miss a beat. Given her accomplishments in basketball as a player and owner, as well as her activism and community leadership, it’s no surprise she succeeds in whatever she does.
Alexa Philippou, ESPN
No sports league is growing as quickly as the WNBA and women’s sports as a whole. And in the midst of one of the most important moments for the present and the future of the league, ESPN’s Alexa Philippou was there. Philippou, along with Doug Feinberg of the AP, Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports (now at The Athletic), and
Jackie Redmond, TNT/WWE
There aren’t many individuals who could say they are equally as comfortable at the hockey rink as they are in a WWE ring, and that’s what makes Jackie Redmond’s work so special. (You could totally see Paul Bissonnette will eventually get the wrestling bug someday, of course.) The fact that she is just as engaging when talking to hockey coaches in live sports as she is when working with WWE’s sports-entertainment storytellers is one of the most impressive and versatile double duties in the industry.
Ashley ShahAhmadi, NBC
The NBA on NBC has leaned into nostalgia in its grand return to television. The classic theme music, the graphics, and even tribute broadcasts with the likes of Bob Costas and Doug Collins. The broadcast booth is filled with stalwarts like Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, and former Awful Announcing rising star Jamal Crawford. The new face is sideline reporter Ashley ShahAhmadi, who has risen from working with the Charlotte Hornets to now being one of the top reporters in the NBA.
Manti Te’o, NFL Network
Good Morning Football built a special connection with football fans on NFL Network largely due to the on-set chemistry among the original lineup of Kay Adams, Peter Schrager, Kyle Brandt, and Nate Burleson. The program has undergone many changes in recent years, but it has presented an opportunity for the former Notre Dame linebacker to step into the spotlight. Te’o has delivered as a full-time contributor, leading GMFB into its new era as a trusted voice who isn’t afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve.
John Wall, Amazon
Given Amazon’s newness in sports broadcasting, it’s understandable that the streamer would put the most new faces on the rising stars list this year. And to be honest, you could go with any of the Amazon NBA studio personalities, including Blake Griffin, Dirk Nowitzki, and host Taylor Rooks. They would all be worthy. But this nod goes to John Wall for already showcasing his incredible basketball IQ.
Charlotte Wilder & Madeline Hill, The Athletic
The Sports Gossip Show podcast with Charlotte Wilder and Madeline Hill is a perfect fit for the present-day reality of sports-as-entertainment. The pair were on the front lines of the Jordon Hudson and Bill Belichick saga at North Carolina and covered all the messy dramas in the world of sports from Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini to the Real Madrid locker room. In this crazy sports world of ours, it’s an indispensable resource.
About Matt Yoder