Do you follow Las Vegas sports? Pay attention to these young up-and-comers. They’re going to take the world by storm.
The Las Vegas Aces won their first WNBA Title in 2022 and Jackie Young played a major role in their success. She was an unsung hero during the season, racking up 15.9 points, 1.4 steals, 3.9 assists, and 4.4 rebounds. Young also slayed from behind the arc, shooting at .431% from the three-point line.
Of course, she didn’t get the same recognition as A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, and Dearica Hamby, but she was always solid. She proved that again in the 2022 playoffs, where she totaled 12.5 points, 3 assists 4.1 rebounds, and .474 from behind the arc. Odds are she will also play a pretty important role in their 2023 championship campaign.
Noah Gragson is a man on the rise and is now competing with NASCAR’s best in the Cup Series. While the Las Vegas native’s first two races resulted in finishes outside the top 20, he is slowly building a foundation. He is also getting his feet under him at NASCAR’s top level which will take some time.
Gragson is a former Xfinity Series driver, who came within a few laps of winning the title in 2022. Unfortunately, he was beat by Ty Gibbs, who couldn’t be chased down. Despite this shortcoming, Gragson never finished worse than 8th in the series standings. He now looks to make the playoffs in his first Cup season.
Jarret Stidham is at a very interesting place in his NFL career. He was originally drafted by the New England Patriots and eventually landed as the backup for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. Stidham now has a chance of being the Raiders’ starting quarterback if the organization is unable to find someone else in free agency.
Not only is this a huge opportunity for the young QB, but it also could raise his profile. Whether he stays the starter in Las Vegas long-term remains to be seen, but there is definitely potential there. He finished his first two games as a starter with a 60% competition percentage, four touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Logan Thompson came to the Las Vegas Golden Knights at the right time and has grown into one of their best assets. He literally began as third-string relief and worked his way up to the starting goalie position. Thompson is now keeping the team on track for a playoff push.
While a lower-body injury has sidetracked that momentum a bit, he still could have a great career in Las Vegas. He’s played in 36 games this season, earning a record of 20-13 as a starter. Thompson also had 1093 shots sent his way during that time period and only allowed 93 to pass him.
The best part about Thompson is he is so early in his career. This means that there is a lot of talent there and a chance to watch him grow into a Superstar. Maybe on the level of Marc-Andre Fleury during the 2021 playoffs if all goes well.
While Josh Jacobs started the season with his fifth-year option being declined, he is now in high demand. In fact, Jacobs secured the NFL rushing title for 2022 and bailed the Raiders out of several bad games. The young man served as one of the only bright spots in the organization.
Jacobs finished 2022 with 1,653 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 340 attempts while accumulating an average of 4.9 yards per attempt. Jacobs also played a big role in the air, coming down with 53 receptions for 400 yards and 7.5 yards per catch. That’s going to make him a very valuable part of the offense in 2023.
Next: Everything you need to know about The XFL and The Las Vegas Vipers
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