The Best of Grant Wahl at Sports Illustrated

In more than two decades at SI, Wahl produced numerous magazine cover stories and executed countless other high-impact features as part of a decorated career.

SI Staff | Dec 10, 2022

One of Grant Wahl’s favorite annual projects when he worked at Sports Illustrated was called MLS Ambition Rankings. And while the piece was far from his most decorated or glamorous work across two decades of storytelling through writing, podcasting or appearing on camera, it did hit on something that perhaps defined him and his career and what drove him the most: ambition.

No swing was too big, no target too out of reach for Wahl, who died suddenly Friday while covering Argentina-Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup. His loss is as shocking as it is devastating, as evidenced by the outpouring of support and sympathy that has followed. Wahl was a force in this industry, and for 24 years, SI was the fortunate beneficiary of that talent. While he became known for being a preeminent voice in the soccer space, Wahl’s work spanned multiple sports, and arguably his most memorable story at SI had nothing to do with soccer—it was the grand reveal of LeBron James to the world, a high school junior at the time dubbed “The Chosen One.”

Multiple magazine covers—college basketball, soccer among them—and countless high-impact and meaningful stories followed. In tribute to his life and his work, we shed light on a small selection of the features that helped define Wahl’s career—and helped Wahl define SI.

The Chosen One

LeBron James on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 2002 — LEBRECHTMEDIA/Sports Illustrated

Long before LeBron became LeBron, he was a high school standout being hyped as the next Jordan. You all know what followed. (Read more)

Rock Chalk, Champions

Mario Chalmers on the cover of Sports Illustrated — John Biever/Sports Illustrated

As a native Kansan, there had to have been an extra level of pride for Wahl in landing the April 14, 2008, cover, featuring Mario Chalmers’s heroic shot that helped Kansas topple Memphis to win the NCAA men’s basketball title. (Read more)

Molto, Molto, Mario

One of the most eye-catching soccer covers SI has ever put out featured a 23-year-old Mario Balotelli hovering over a swimming pool in Miami for the Aug. 26, 2013, issue. (Read more)

The Americanization of David Beckham

David Beckham on the cover of Sports Illustrated — Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

Wahl’s book The Beckham Experiment was a New York Times bestseller and chronicled the beginning of David Beckham's time in MLS with the LA Galaxy. His July 16, 2007, cover story preceded that. (Read more)

A Gringo’s Game

“There’s no better feeling than getting crunk after scoring an important goal.“ The essence of U.S. men’s national team great Clint Dempsey was captured in the May 24, 2010, issue of SI. (Read more)

Carli From the Center Circle

2015-0705-Carli-Lloyd-World-Cup-USA-Japan-X159765-_TK1_0477.jpg — Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

Carli Lloyd’s 2015 Women’s World Cup final hat trick was legendary, as was the shot that completed it—one from the center circle. Of course, there’s a backstory. (Read more)

Soccer Savior

Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast great — Agencia MexSport/Imago Images

Didier Drogba didn't single-handedly end his country's civil war, but such is the respect he commanded, that when he called for Ivorians to look beyond what divided them, the people listened. (Read more)

Victory or Villainy?

Ahead of the 2014 World Cup, Wahl profiled Luis Suárez, the polarizing superstar whose intentional handball four years earlier helped Uruguay advance, and whose career went on to feature some more sinister, villainous acts—including an infamous bite in that subsequent tournament in Brazil. (Read more)