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Who are the top New York Knicks of all time? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Bill Bradley: a scholar and a statesman, Bradley was also a Hall of Famer on the basketball court – following a decorated NCAA career and two years as a Rhodes Scholar, he won two titles with the Knicks in the 1970s and made an All-Star Game while scoring in double-digits for eight consecutive seasons.
9. Harry Gallatin: perhaps the Knicks’ very first star, Gallatin was one of the best NBA players of the 1950s, as he made seven All-Star and two All-NBA teams and won a rebounding crown with a career-best 15.3 rebounds per game in 1953-1954.
8. Richie Guerin: one of the team’s early stars in the 1950s and early 1960s, Guerin spent his first seven-and-half seasons with the Knicks and was an all-around star, averaging 20.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game en route to six All-Star and three All-NBA teams.
7. Carmelo Anthony: an offensive force in his prime, Anthony spent six-and-half years in New York during the 2010s and was an All-Star for each of them; though it did not result in much team success, he averaged 20+ points per game in every season with the Knicks, including a scoring title in 2012-2013 (28.7 points per game).
6. Dave DeBusschere: a scrappy, hard-nosed forward on both 1970s championship teams, DeBusschere spent the latter half of his career with the Knicks and averaged a double-double with five All-Star and six All-Defensive selections.
5. Earl Monroe: the backcourt running mate of Walt Frazier in the 1970s, Monroe joined the team via trade and was a 2x All-Star with the Knicks, averaging 16.2 points per game over nearly a decade and guiding the team to its second NBA title.
4. Bernard King: an explosive scorer in the 1980s, King only spent four seasons in a Knicks uniform (and missed one full season with a serious leg injury), but made back-to-back All-Star and First Team All-NBA selections mid-decade while averaging well over 20+ points per game each year, including a scoring title in 1984-1985 on a career-high 32.9 points per game.
3. Willis Reed: perhaps best remembered for his iconic appearance in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals (which resulted in the Knicks’ first title), Reed spent a decade in New York and made seven straight All-Star Games and five consecutive All-NBA teams while averaging a double-double for his career; moreover, he was Rookie of the Year in 1964-965, league MVP in 1969-1970, and Finals MVP for both of the team’s championship runs.
2. Walt Frazier: a 7x All-Star and 6x All-NBA/All-Defensive selection during the 1970s, Frazier was one of the era’s elite point guards, averaging 19.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game during his tenure with New York while guiding the Knicks to a pair of championships.
1. Patrick Ewing: the top overall pick in 1985, Ewing was a 20-10 machine during his career and an imposing force on both ends of the court (11x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, 3x All-Defensive), though was never quite the best center in the league and could never get the Knicks over the hump to a title.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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