The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between self-esteem and motivational components and to determine which were the best predictors of academic achievement among Turkish gifted students. Participants in this study were 184 students (76 girls and 108 boys). Sixty-one students were from the fourth grade, 43 from the fifth grade, 34 from the sixth, 32 from the seventh and 14 from the eighth grade. Eighty-four of the students attended Istanbul Art and Science Centre, which is an after-school program for gifted students, and 100 of them attended a public special education school for gifted students. The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory was used to assess self-esteem and the Scale of Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivational Orientation in the Classroom was used to assess motivational components. Findings showed significant correlations between self-esteem, motivation and achievement. Using a regression analysis, in fourth graders general self-esteem, in fifth graders academic self-esteem, in sixth and seventh graders intrinsic motivations and in eighth graders extrinsic motivation were found to predict academic achievement.