SNY’s digital staff has ranked the top 10 New York athletes right now — a list that was compiled after plenty of spirited in-office debate.
To be considered for the list, a player must have already played for a New York team (meaning someone like Brian Burns wasn’t eligible).
Additionally, if a player has played sparingly since coming to New York (Aaron Rodgers), or has missed most of this season (Gerrit Cole), they were not included in this ranking.
How a player has performed most recently had the biggest impact on his/her placement on the list, but their entire career in New York was factored in — as was postseason performance.
Without further ado, here is the list…
No. 10: Dexter Lawrence, Giants
“Sexy Dexy” has more than lived up to his billing as a first-round draft pick. With Aaron Donald now retired, you can make an argument that Lawrence is the best defensive tackle in all of football. His sack numbers may never blow you away, but Lawrence is a constant pocket disruptor and easily the best player on Big Blue’s roster right now.
No. 9: Sabrina Ionescu, Liberty
The Liberty have had a resurgence over the past few seasons, and much of it can be traced back to when Ionescu was drafted first overall in 2020. Ionescu played just three games in her rookie season due to injury, but she’s come back with a vengeance, earning All-Star honors in each of the last three seasons. The Liberty are off to a 21-4 record this season as Ionescu has averaged 19.8 points per game.
No. 8: Artemi Panarin, Rangers
Panarin has been a force since joining the Blueshirts ahead of the 2019-20 season, amassing 90+ points in each season (except for 2020-21, when he was limited to 42 games). He is coming off the best season of his career, where he tallied 49 goals and 71 assists.
No. 7: Brandon Nimmo, Mets
Nimmo has long been underappreciated, but it seems most of the holdovers have come around this season during a campaign where Nimmo has been one of the most valuable outfielders in baseball. The 31-year-old has been an elite offensive player for nearly a decade, with an .830 OPS since 2017.
No. 6: Sauce Gardner, Jets
Gardner had very high expectations put on his shoulders when he was drafted fourth overall in 2020, and since then all he’s done is win Defensive Rookie of Year and earn First-Team All-Pro honors twice. Gardner is a true shutdown corner, which can be hard to find in today’s pass-friendly NFL.
No. 5: Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Shesterkin won the Vezina trophy in 2021-22, is a three-time All-Star, and rebounded from his rough patch this past season to be absolutely lockdown late in the campaign before turning into a brick wall in the playoffs — something that’s become the norm for him when the calendar flips to April.
No. 4: Francisco Lindor, Mets
Like Nimmo, Lindor has been underappreciated at times (and that’s putting it mildly). But when you combine his offensive prowess and defensive wizardry at arguably the most important position on the diamond, it becomes impossible to not properly recognize his stardom.
No. 3: Juan Soto, Yankees
Soto captured the hearts of Yankees fans the second he donned pinstripes. Although he’s only guaranteed to be a Yankee for one season, Soto has made the most of it. Along with Aaron Judge, he has formed the most dangerous 1-2 punch in baseball.
Every at-bat is pure cinema, and he plays with a certain swagger and aura that Yankees fans love and other teams despise. He’s the perfect fit for the Yanks and has transformed the team into a serious World Series contender for the first time in years.
No. 2: Aaron Judge, Yankees
The face of the Yankees and the most popular baseball player outside of Shohei Ohtani.
Judge’s home run race took over the sports world in the summer of 2022 and he’s getting very close to that territory again this year. His 34 home runs at the All-Star break were a franchise record, and he’s putting up better numbers than his 2022 MVP season.
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Judge (2022): .284/.364/.618, 33 home runs 70 RBI
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Judge (2024): .306/.433/.679, 34 home runs and 85 RBI
No. 1: Jalen Brunson, Knicks
Most of the NBA world seemingly had no idea what the Knicks were getting when they signed Brunson away from the Mavericks. But the Knicks knew, and — most importantly — Brunson knew what he could do.
What the Knicks got is one of the best, toughest, and most selfless players in the NBA — and someone who raises his game in the biggest moments.
And as Brunson has risen, so have the Knicks, who are legitimate NBA title contenders for the first time in 25 years.
Honorable Mention:
The Knicks (Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo)
Pete Alonso, Mets
Francisco Alvarez, Mets
Garrett Wilson, Jets
Quinnen Williams, Jets
Adam Fox, Rangers
Chris Kreider, Rangers
Breanna Stewart, Liberty
Source Agencies
