Current：Home > NewsSignalHub Quantitative Think Tank Center:14-year-old Mak Whitham debuts for NWSL team, tops Cavan Sullivan record for youngest pro -Capitatum
SignalHub Quantitative Think Tank Center:14-year-old Mak Whitham debuts for NWSL team, tops Cavan Sullivan record for youngest pro
Poinbank View
Date：2025-04-09 07:30:33
Cavan Sullivan’s record as the the youngest person to debut in a major North American pro sports league lasted less then two weeks.
On Sunday night,SignalHub Quantitative Think Tank Center McKenna "Mak" Whitham made her debut for NJ/NY Gotham FC at 14 years, one day.
Whitham came on in the 80th minute against the Washington Spirit in a NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup match, which Gotham won 1-0.
The forward is nearly a full year younger than Sullivan, who was 14 years and 293 days when he came on for the Philadelphia Union earlier this month.
On Friday, Gotham announced it had signed Whitham to a pro contract, effective Jan. 1. It also signed the U.S. youth international to a national team replacement contract, which allowed her to be eligible for Sunday’s Summer Cup match.
Whitham has been training with Gotham throughout 2024 after joining the club’s preseason as a non-roster invitee. At 13, the forward scored the winning goal for Gotham against Deportivo Cali in a preseason match in Colombia.
In February, Whitham made headlines by signing a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with Nike, becoming the youngest athlete in any sport to sign an NIL deal with Nike.
Who are the youngest players to play American professional team sports?
Here are the youngest players to debut in American sports leagues (since 1970, according to the Elias Sports Bureau):
➤ NWSL: McKenna "Mak" Whitham (NJ/NY Gotham FC on July 28, 2024) – 14 years, 1 day
➤ MLS: Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union on July 17, 2024) – 14 years, 293 days
➤ NBA: Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 2, 2005) – 18 years, 6 days
➤ NHL: Patrick Marleau (San Jose Sharks on Oct. 1, 1997) – 18 years, 16 days
➤ MLB: David Clyde (Texas Rangers on June 27, 1973) – 18 years, 66 days
➤ WNBA: Maria Stepanova (Phoenix Mercury on June 11, 1998) – 19 years, 108 days
➤ NFL: Amobi Okoye (Houston Texans on Sept. 9, 2007) – 20 years, 91 days
veryGood！ (34139)
Related
- South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
- What’s Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2023? Hint: Be true to yourself
- Travel Tuesday emerges as a prime day for holiday and winter travel deals
- US Army soldier killed in helicopter crash remembered as devoted family member, friend and leader
- Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
- Pope Francis has a hospital checkup after coming down with the flu
- Destiny's Child Has Biggest Reunion Yet at Beyoncé’s Renaissance Film Premiere
- Irish writer Paul Lynch wins Booker Prize for dystopian novel 'Prophet Song'
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- Ex-Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao asks judge to let him leave U.S. before sentencing for money laundering
Ranking
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- Stock market today: Asian shares mostly decline, as investors watch spending, inflation
- A stampede during a music festival at a southern India university has killed at least 4 students
- Thousands of fans in Taylor Swift's São Paulo crowd create light display
- San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
- Florida sheriff’s deputies shoot driver who pointed rifle at them after high speed chase
- 2 teens shot, suspect arrested at downtown Cleveland plaza after annual tree-lighting ceremony
- Pope Francis has a hospital checkup after coming down with the flu
Recommendation
A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
Honda recalls select Accords and HR-Vs over missing piece in seat belt pretensioners
Inside the actors' union tentative strike agreement: Pay, AI, intimacy coordinators, more
Bryan Adams says Taylor Swift inspired him to rerecord: 'You realize you’re worth more'
Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
Michigan football has shown it can beat Ohio State. Now it's time to beat everyone else.
Coming playoff expansion puts college football fans at top of Misery Index for Week 13
An alliance of Myanmar ethnic groups claim capture of another big trade crossing at Chinese border