Story perspectives

Eileen Gu Expected First in 2026 X Games Draft

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 10:46 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Jeremy Bloom, U.S. X Games CEO, announced the athlete draft in Los Angeles on September 16, 2026.
Eileen Gu, three-time Olympic gold and three-time silver medalist, is expected to be selected first overall.
The draft will allocate 40 skiers and snowboarders to four clubs, each picking ten athletes—five men and five women.
Summer League viewership rose 78% to 18.3 million U.S. TV viewers, the series’ highest ever.

History

Historical Context

The June 19 1984 NBA draft in New York, overseen by David Stern, produced seven Hall-of-Fame inductees out of 23 first-round picks (?30 %). Its talent-pipeline model spurred league growth and inspired other sports. In 2026, X Games chief Jeremy Bloom will hold a 40-athlete draft in Los Angeles, aiming to replicate that impact with stars like skier Eileen Gu.

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Story summary

Jeremy Bloom, U.S. X Games CEO, announced the athlete draft in Los Angeles on September 16, 2026.
Eileen Gu, three-time Olympic gold and three-time silver medalist, is expected to be selected first overall.
The draft will allocate 40 skiers and snowboarders to four clubs, each picking ten athletes—five men and five women.
Summer League viewership rose 78% to 18.3 million U.S. TV viewers, the series’ highest ever.

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