Two sporting events came to define the month of June this year, and you don’t need many guesses to name them: the New York Knicks’ NBA title and the World Cup being played across North America.
As a result, the list below is populated by six items related to the Knicks or the beautiful game, more than half the list.
The Stanley Cup struggled to keep up (just look at the TV ratings), and baseball will get its time in the sun next month at the All-Star Game in Philadelphia, but they each squeezed onto this list as we ranked the top 10 best sports moments in June.
10. Marina Mabrey ties WNBA record of 53 points
For context, when Liz Cambage and A’ja Wilson had 53-point games, they made 15 and 20 free throws, respectively. Mabrey made just 10 free throws for the Tempo against the Sparks on June 25, but she hit 9 of 18 3-pointers — her second nine-trey performance in three games. Just 32 minutes to score 53? Insane.
9. Alexander Zverev’s five-set French win
There was a surprising amount of upsets and engrossing tennis at Roland Garros, one of the less popular Grand Slams here in the States. Zverev outlasted Flavio Cobolli in five sets and four hours, 16 minutes in the final, grabbing his first major title and becoming the first men’s Grand Slam winner not named Sinner, Alcaraz or Djokovic since 2022.
8. Cape Verde advance at World Cup
In Cape Verde’s World Cup debut, the tiny African island nation earned a scoreless tie with Spain — with 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha making seven saves — before stunning Uruguay with another draw to grab second place in their group. It’s like East Nowhere Tech making the Sweet 16.
7. Hurricanes’ Game 2 comeback en route to Stanley Cup
Down 2-0 with 10 minutes left in regulation, Carolina ripped off three goals in five minutes to take the lead. The Vegas Golden Knights forced overtime, but Seth Jarvis delivered the winning goal for the Hurricanes to even the series, a series they’d go on to win in six.
6. Knicks take Game 1 thriller
You want to talk comebacks? The Knicks were never out of a game that entire postseason. Down 14 in the third quarter, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks ended the game on an 11-0 run to prevail 105-95 and set the tone for the series. Only reason this isn’t higher, of course, is that other comeback we’re going to get to.
5. Jacob Misiorowski hits 105 mph
Every Misiorowski start in May and June came with a crazy headline attached, be it his paltry ERA or his record-breaking velocity. Most recently, June 26 against the Cubs, the Brewers’ ace threw a 105.5 mph fastball, breaking his own record (again) for fastest pitch by a starter. Enjoy this otherworldly talent while you can before his arm falls off in 2027.
4. Knicks’ ticker-tape parade
The Knicks bring New York City together in a way the Yankees, Mets, Giants and Jets cannot. The 1970 and 1973 teams did not get ticker-tape parades, meaning this was the Knicks’ first trip through the Canyon of Heroes as well as the first parade for a New York major-four sports team since the Giants in February 2012.
3. U.S. beat Australia to win their group
This one felt like a national holiday — because it landed on one, specifically Juneteenth. The weather was gorgeous, bars across the country were packed and the U.S. men’s national team secured top spot in their group for only the third time by beating Australia. Whatever happens from here, we won’t soon forget that one.
2. Lionel Messi’s hat trick
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland had two goals in their openers to kick off June 16’s World Cup action. That night, Argentina opened their 2022 title defense against Algeria, and questions surrounded how effective he’d be on the biggest stage at 39 years old. What foolish questions they were. Messi always seemed to have ample space as he fired in three goals, tying Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goals record of 16 (which he’d eventually break).
1. OG Anunoby’s tip-in
“The tip is good! It’s good! It’s good!” Not much more needs to be said than Mike Breen’s iconic call of the game-winning play, punctuating the Knicks’ 29-point comeback in Game 4 on June 10. It sucked away any hope San Antonio had left in the series, and it will go down as one of the best NBA moments, and games, of all time.
