We've had some great athletes call New Jersey home, but which athlete rises above all the rest?

According to USA Today Sports, and reported at msn.com, the best athlete in the history of the Garden State is Carl Lewis. He is a member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame, and his resume is incredible.

Lewis, who grew up in Willingboro, is among the top Olympic medal winners in history, boasting 9 track and field gold medals, the second most in history, despite missing the 1980 Games due to the U.S. boycott.

Some of the other names that may have come to mind when thinking about great sports figures with New Jersey ties include Yankee legend Derek Jeter, current Met Todd Frazier, football great Joe Theismann and NBA star Shaquille O'Neal.

In my opinion, the best case for anyone else taking the Garden State title would be Jeter. The Yankees captain was part of one of the most dominant teams in baseball history and he was key to the team's success.

Jeter is a five time world champion and spent his entire career in Yankees pinstripes, and he remains one of the most popular Yankees ever. I love him, and I'm a Mets fan!

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