The Mets‘ long-awaited Tom Seaver statue will be unveiled Friday at Citi Field.
That got the ESNY team thinking: When the next New York sports statue is commissioned, who should it be? Here are our picks, team by team:
Yankees. The Yankees’ highest honor is a monument in Monument Park, and that only comes posthumously. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera will likely have one someday; Joe Torre has a puncher’s chance. But if the team was to commission a statue, Lou Gehrig deserves it. A born and bred New York, he won the World Series six times and was a two-time MVP to go with a .340 career average. He truly was the luckiest man on the face of the Earth. — Josh Benjamin
Mets. Seaver’s long overdue statue is all the Mets need for now. If they ever decide to add, two options come to mind. Mike Piazza would be the most-deserving player, and his statue would have to depict his post-Sept. 11 home run. If the Mets want to honor their overall history, Jesse Orosco’s embrace of Gary Carter after winning the 1986 World Series is the move. — James Kratch
Giants. It’s a dead heat between Eli Manning and Michael Strahan; debate amongst yourselves. Manning deserves a statue for obvious reasons — start with the two Lombardi Trophies. While Strahan only won one Super Bowl, you could argue his individual achievements were more impressive. He’s also become such a global figure due to his various TV gigs. — Ryan Honey
Jets. The only real option is Joe Namath. No player in franchise history can match what Broadway Joe did for the organization. He’s the only legitimate answer. — RH
Knicks. With all due respect to Patrick Ewing, this has to be Walt “Clyde” Frazier. Clyde’s Game 7 in the NBA Finals against Jerry West and the Lakers is one of the all-time great games in league history. Everyone remembers the hobbled Willis Reed, but few recall that Clyde posted 36 points, 19 assists, and seven rebounds in the decisive victory. The fact that Frazier is the Knicks’ longtime game analyst means he has a connection to the younger generations as well. Oh, and this statue will be Clyde in a signature suit. — Danny Small
Nets. The real answer to the statue question for the Nets is no one. However, if we had to pick someone, it’s Drazen Petrovic. The Croatian tragically passed away in a car accident just as he was developing into an All-Star type player. He is an idol for NBA stars like Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Goran Dragic from the former Yugoslavia. — DS
Rangers. Mark Messier. No more needs to be said. — JK
Islanders. The Isles can go in many directions given the star power they enjoyed during their dynasty days. Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin are both Hall of Famers who spent their entire careers with the organization. They probably both deserve the honor. — JK
Devils. Martin Brodeur’s statue is already outside the Prudential Center in Newark. Scott Stevens figures to be the next most-deserving name; imagine a statue depicting one of his booming open-ice checks. — JK
