In the past, we’ve spent Valentine’s Day harping on sport’s greatest tragedies and games that absolutely shattered our hearts. However, this year we figured we would take a more cheerful approach by highlighting the players that have absolutely stolen our hearts. Here are some players that we at The Lance want to show some love to.
Jalen Brunson
When Brunson first arrived, fans were skeptical. Although a Knicks fan since birth, many were concerned about the contract the Knicks gave him because of his lack of experience. Since then, Brunson has silenced the skeptics and has turned into a true New York hero. Brunson has led the Knicks to back-to-back playoff appearances, made multiple all-star appearances, and made second-team All-NBA last season. Brunson has restored the culture in the team and given Knicks fans something to hope for which is why we love him.
Anthony Edwards
With the NBA being filled with older superstars, Edwards has become the leading candidate of becoming the new face of the NBA following his playoff run last season. In a league that has seen criticism lately for the vast amount of three-pointers attempted, Edwards’ fearless nature on the court to score at the rim and finesse to shoot over defenders has made fans fall in love. In addition, his personality and confidence on and off the court has captured the hearts of fans.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai was part of the lucrative Paul George trade in 2019. While initially struggling, Alexander has taken the league by storm with his scoring ability. He arrived on the scene starting last season where he led the youngest team in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder, to the number one seed while also finishing second in MVP voting. Following his disappointing playoffs last season, Shai has risen to new levels this season, leading the Thunder to the best record in the league and is the fan-favorite for the MVP. Shai’s smoothness on and off the court has made him a fan favorite.
Jayden Daniels
Heading into this NFL season, Daniels was in Caleb Williams’ shadow. However, it didn’t take long for Daniels to win the fans over. In week three, Daniels threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as he led his team to a thrilling win against the Bengals. Since then Daniels hasn’t looked back. Daniels has put together the greatest season a rookie has ever had. He led a team that won four games last season to 12 wins in the regular season and led the underdog Commanders to the NFC Championship game. His ability to run the ball and stay calm in any situation as a rookie has left fans shocked and given him all the love in the football world.
Saquon Barkley
Barkley started his career with the Giants and was immediately adored. However, this past offseason, the Giants organization decided to let Barkley walk away in free agency to the Eagles. What would you expect to happen when you put one of the best running backs in history behind one of the best offensive lines in history? It led to Barkley rushing for 2,504 yards in the regular season and postseason combined which is the most in NFL history while also leading the Eagles to their second Super Bowl win in franchise history. Barkley’s humbleness on and off the field has won fans’ hearts.
With the upcoming NBA all-star break and multiple drafts on the way, we are looking forward to falling in love with even more players in the new year. Players such as Cooper Flagg, Travis Hunter, and Shedeur Sanders are ready to take the next step into the pros and showcase their skills for more fans to fall in love with.
