Athletes and The 2013 Time 100

One of the more anticipated things from TIME every is their list of the 100 most influential people in the world, for short, the TIME 100.

This year's edition includes on its illustrious list, four athletes from four different sports (tennis, football, skiing and basketball). Three were grouped as Icons, but the King gets to be a Titan.

Here is a snippet on each:

Li Na

"At tournaments, I’ve seen her charm the crowds. When she smiles, everyone melts. She’s such a breath of fresh air. And like Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova before her, Li Na has transcended her sport." - Chris Evert

Lindsey Vonn

"We can relate to each other because our sports are so similar, given the speed involved and the concentration level required. There’s an immediate level of respect when you meet someone who knows what you go through." - Danica Patrick

Mario Balotelli

"Mario is a lovely guy, very humble and very funny. I can assure people he has always been a pleasure to deal with. He has returned to Italy from England as the main man with lots of attention. Now he has to ensure he keeps control and keeps focus. Mario loves the pressure, but to succeed, it is about finding balance." - Gianfranco Zola

Lebron James

"LeBron never takes a play off. His all-out effort is what stands out when you watch him. Whether his team is up 20 or down 20, LeBron is playing like it’s Game 7 of the NBA Finals. His dedication, devotion and focus have won the admiration of fans — and his athletic peers. He’s someone anyone, in any profession, can look up to." - Derek Jeter

In addition, a couple more individuals on the TIME 100 are minority sports owners. Jay-Z is already in the news for his efforts in divesting his ownership share of the Brooklyn Nets as he embarks on his new endeavor with player representation. Meanwhile, his buddy Justin Timberlake is a minority owner of his hometown Memphis Grizzlies.

Sports in the Time's 100 Most Influential People

It's fascinating reading and looking at who made it into Time's 100 list of most influential people. Up on top, They refer to them as the people who inspire us, entertain us, challenge us and change our world. Whether it is positive or negative, it is up to you to discern.

For this year's edition they refer to this group as people making an IMPACT. See how it was here.

Out of the 100 influential people, six of them fit into the sports realm.
Jeremy Lin (Basketball - New York Knicks, guard) - The 23-yr old Harvard alumnus is currently sidelined due to an injury, but for a couple of months, the NBA became all about "Linsanity." The Knicks went 15-10 in his 25 starts

Tim Tebow (American Football - erstwhile with the Denver Broncos, now with the New York Jets, quarterback) - All he does is win. The Broncos went 8-5 with him last season after starting it at 1-4 with Kyle Orton manning the position. That includes one playoff win. Traded to the Jets shortly after Peyton Manning signs with the Broncos. Expressive in his faith and Good Samaritan-ship.

Novak Djokovic (Tennis) - Currently the top-ranked tennis player in the world at the age of 24, played one of the best finals matches in Open history against Rafael Nadal in the 2012 Australian Open.

Yani Tseng (Golf) - The top-ranked female professional golfer has already bagged three wins this year and 15 wins in her growing career.

Lionel Messi (Football / Soccer - FC Barcelona & Argentina) - The only thing left for him now is to win the World Cup for the Albiceleste. Otherwise, he's up there in the discussion as the best player to lace up those boots.

Oscar Pistorius (Athletics) - The South African double amputee is currently on a push to make it to the 2012 London Olympics, running the 400-m as fast as anyone who could.