29) Latrell Sprewell (1998-2003)

Winning over Knicks fans was a tall order for Sprewell, who was traded to the team on the day after the 1999 lockout ended. Already a pariah for his choking former coach P.J. Carlesimo, Sprewell also had to overcome being exchanged for New York folk hero John Starks. A calendar year removed from his last competitive basketball with the Warriors, Sprewell slowly transitioned into the Knicks lineup. Once the playoffs started, Sprewell wrote his own Knicks legend, averaging a team high 20.4 points per game and leaving it all on the court nightly as the Knicks reached the NBA Finals. He eventually spent five seasons with the team, going to the All-Star Game once, in 2001, but the relationship eventually soured when he showed up to training camp in 2002 with a broken hand he claimed was suffered by slipping on his yacht.

28) Charlie Ward (1994-2004)

He’s 28th on this list but Ward is easily the greatest Knicks player of all time who also happens to be a Heisman Trophy winner. Ok, he’s the only one, not just in Knicks history but the NBA at large. Though he was a bigger star in football than basketball at Florida State, Ward went un-drafted in the NFL and was a first round pick of the Knicks. He was essentially an apprentice for a few seasons under Doc Rivers and Derek Harper before taking over as starting point guard in ’97-’98. Ward averaged just 7.6 points and 5.1 assists per game in his three seasons as starter but was invaluable for his leadership, unselfish play, and accurate passing that earned him the nickname “best quarterback in New York” (the Jets and Giants were both struggling at the time). At the time of his 2004 departure, Ward was top 10 in franchise history in assists, steals, and three-point field goals.

27) Micheal Ray Richardson (1978-1982)

One year after trading away franchise legend Walt Frazier to the Cavaliers, the Knicks selected Richardson third overall in the draft to replace him. It was a tough spot for any young player to be in, let alone one with a cocaine addiction. While his off-court life in New York was an instant whirlwind, Richardson also quickly developed into an All-Star. In just his second NBA season, Richardson became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in assists and steals, and made his first of two appearances as 1st-Team All-Defensive. But the Knicks remained mired in mediocrity and Richardson’s erratic behavior made him an obvious trade candidate. Over just four seasons with the franchise, Richardson had the three highest single season steal totals in Knicks history, the second highest assist total, and the highest turnover total.

26) Nat Clifton (1950-1957)

Though his metric contributions place him only 26th on this list, Clifton had a much larger intangible impact as the first Black player in Knicks history. He was actually the first Black player to be signed by any team, after the Knicks drafted him in 1950. Before his NBA days, Clifton already had a lengthy pro career under his belt with various barnstorming teams, including the legendary Harlem Globetrotters and New York Rens, and even played a little Negro League Baseball, for good measure. Filling in immediately as the starting power forward, Clifton was a crucial part of the Knicks teams that reached three consecutive NBA Finals, starting in his rookie year, ’50-’51. Though the team lulled later on in the ’50s, Clifton remained a force, even getting named an All-Star in 1957 at the age of 34.

25) David Lee (2005-2010)

Knicks fans don’t look at his time with the team as the fondest era in franchise history. In fact, Lee never reached the playoffs in his five seasons with New York, saving his long postseason runs for later in his career with the Warriors and Spurs. But Lee was a rare bright spot for the Knicks in those Isiah Thomas years, peaking in his final season with the team, ’09-’10, when he averaged a career high 20.2 points per game and was the first Knicks All-Star representative in nine years. An incredibly efficient player in a league that was increasingly prioritizing advanced statistics, Lee had some of the greatest seasons in Knicks history for rebounding percentage, field goal percentage, and offensive rating. He was traded to the Warriors in 2010 in an attempt to free up salary space to sign Dwyane Wade or LeBron James, and neither the trade nor the free agency gambit worked out.

24) Walt Bellamy (1965-1968)

New York was just a brief stopover for Bellamy during his Hall of Fame career, but he made the most of it statistically. Traded to the Knicks from the Bullets in 1965, Bellamy set the career franchise records for rebounds per game in a career (13.3) and rebounds per game in a season (16.0 in ’65-’66). Thanks to being traded midseason and a quirk in scheduling, he also set the all-time NBA record for games played with 88 appearances in ’68-’69. In retrospect, it’s questionable why the Knicks traded for Bellamy in 1965 when the similarly sized and skilled Willis Reed was coming off his Rookie of the Year campaign. The pair didn’t mesh well on the court so the Knicks made a smart move in 1968, sending Bellamy to the Pistons for Dave DeBusschere. Over his three seasons with New York, Bellamy finished with averages of 18.9 points and 13.3 rebounds per game.

23) Johnny Green (1959-1965)

Nestled in between the careers of legendary big men Nat Clifton and Willis Reed was Green, who held down the fort for six seasons after the Knicks drafted him in the first round in 1959. New York never reached the postseason while he was there but it wasn’t due to a lack of individual success for Green, who was named to three All-Star Games in that span. He averaged a double-double for four consecutive seasons for the Knicks and generally was the only consistent offensive threat on the team. When the Knicks drafted Reed in 1964 and he showed instant promise, Green was expendable and quickly traded to the Bullets for Walt Bellamy. He found a surprising second wind later in his career, leading the NBA in field goal percentage twice in the early ’70s, and getting named an All-Star for the Royals in 1971 at age 37.

22) Anthony Mason (1991-1996)

One of the most popular players in Knicks history, Mason was a long shot to even make the roster when they signed him in 1991. He was already 24 years old and had flamed out in brief stints with the Blazers, Nets, and Nuggets, plus stints in the CBA and in Turkey. But Pat Riley quickly recognized how to weaponize his toughness and versatility, and Mason blossomed into a defensive force. Adjustable enough to guard basically any position, he would get deployed off the bench as the ultimate cooler, and usually closed out games covering the opposing team’s best scorer. In ’94-’95, Mason became the first Knicks player to earn Sixth Man of the Year honors and though they ultimately fell short in the NBA Finals, his defensive intensity in the 1994 playoffs is legendary to this day amongst the Knicks faithful.

21) Mark Jackson (1987-1992, 2001-2002)

It almost seemed too good to be true that a New York playground legend would fall to the Knicks with the 18th pick of the 1987 NBA Draft. Even better, Jackson slotted in instantly at point guard, taking control of a position where the Knicks had been struggling recently with stopgap solutions. He became just the third Knicks player to earn Rookie of the Year and was an All-Star in the ’88-’89 season. Things stalled a bit for there for Jackson, as he fell out of favor under coach Stu Jackson, lost playing time, and was ultimately traded away in 1992. Jackson continued on for 17 total NBA seasons, finishing fourth in career assists. He seemed to delight in tormenting his former Knicks team, including in the 2000 Conference Finals with the Pacers. Jackson eventually returned and started all 82 games for the Knicks in ’01-’02 at age 36. He retired second in franchise history in total assists.

20) Kurt Thomas (1998-2005, 2012-2013)

One of the toughest players in an especially gritty era of Knicks basketball, Thomas actually spanned both sides of the late ’90s Knicks-Heat rivalry. A 1996 lottery pick of the Heat, Thomas started his career with Miami and played against New York in the 1997 playoffs. Acquired via trade, Thomas became the starting power forward on the ’98-’99 Knicks team that reached the NBA Finals and he more or less held that job for the next seven years. Not much of a stat sheet filler, Thomas was a jack-of-all-trades type, adding rebounding, passing, defense, and the occasional scoring outburst. He is ninth in franchise history in total rebounds and fourth in blocks. After getting traded to the Suns in 2005 and subsequently spending time with the five other franchises, Thomas returned to New York in 2012 and played his final season with the team before retiring at age 40.

19) Bernard King (1982-1987)

He may left to play college ball at Tennessee but the Brooklyn-born King was always destined to be a Knicks star. With an absurd bag of tricks that he had honed on the playground blacktops of New York, King was arguably the premier offensive threat of the ’80s until suffering a devastating ACL tear. He was traded to the Knicks from Golden State in 1982 and immediately jump started a previously anemic offense. King almost single-handedly stunned the Celtics in a Conference Semifinals series in 1984, then led the NBA in scoring in ’84-’85 with 32.9 points per game. But King was never the same after his injury, missing essentially two-and-half seasons of play and forcing the Knicks to waive him. He was 1st-Team All-NBA twice for New York, finished second in MVP voting in ’83-’84, and his ’84-’85 scoring average is still the franchise record.

18) Willie Naulls (1956-1962)

During Naulls’ childhood, his family moved from Dallas to Los Angeles to escape segregation. It was a real culture when he was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks in 1956, forcing a return into the heart of racist America. Luckily, Naulls was traded in his rookie season to the Knicks and thrived over six seasons as a team leader. He averaged 18.2 points and 11.1 rebounds per game during his time with the Knicks, was named to four All-Star teams, and in ’61-’62 set the franchise record by scoring 30+ points in seven consecutive games. Naulls is also, notably, still fifth in franchise history in rebounds and in 1960, became the first Black captain in NBA history when he was named as such for the Knicks. Though Naulls reached the postseason just once with the Knicks, he eventually won three titles as a role player with the Celtics.

17) John Starks (1990-1999)

For better or worse, no player exemplified the ’90s Knicks more so than Starks. He was Sixth Man of the Year in ’95-’96, an All-Star in 1994, and averaged as many as 19.0 points per game in his prime. Starks was also notoriously temperamental and dangerously overconfident, which led to numerous playoff disappointments. Most notable was a 2-of-18 shooting performance in the game seven loss of the 1994 NBA Finals. Knicks fans always had a love-hate relationship with him, cherishing his aplomb, toughness, and thunderous dunks while always acknowledging deep down that the Knicks likely had a better title shot in the ’90s with a more reliable secondary offensive weapon. Though he played in an era when it wasn’t nearly as popular a weapon as it is now, Starks is still the all-time franchise leader in total three-point field goals.

16) Kenny Sears (1955-1962)

A first round pick out of Santa Clara in 1955, Sears joined a Knicks team in transition and quickly became a cornerstone of their offense. He led New York in scoring in ’57-’58 and in ’58-’59, with a career high 21.0 points per game in the latter, and was an All-Star in both those seasons. Sears also became the first Knicks player to lead the league in field goal percentage, doing so in ’58-’59 and ’59-’60 (the only Knicks player to accomplish it since was Tyson Chandler in ’11-’12) and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting twice. Frustrated with New York’s losing ways (they reached the playoffs just once in his time there), Sears absconded back home to California in 1961, signing with the San Francisco Saints of the ABL. He actually came back to the Knicks briefly when the ABL folded before closing out his NBA career by playing in the 1964 Finals with the Warriors.

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A timeline of Knicks franchise history

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15) Bill Cartwright (1979-1988)

Most fans remember him as the starting center for the first trilogy of Michael Jordan Bulls championships, but Knicks fans (of a certain age) know Cartwright as a one-time potential franchise savior who struggled with injuries. Despite major issues with his feet, he was still a quantifiable success for New York, getting named an All-Star as a rookie, averaging 15+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game in six different seasons, and totaling a franchise record 543 blocks (he is still second in the category behind Patrick Ewing). But Cartwright wasn’t Willis Reed and he wasn’t leading the Knicks to much playoff success. When Cartwright missed essentially the entire ’84-’85 and ’85-’86 seasons with foot injuries, he was replaced by Ewing. After a couple seasons coming off the bench, Cartwright was traded to the Bulls in 1988 in exchange for Charles Oakley. 

14) Allan Houston (1996-2005)

We might as well start with that contract, signed by Houston in 2001 for six years, $100 million. It became an albatross around the neck of the Knicks front office for years, arguably setting in motion all the failures since. But let’s also come to praise Houston, the playoff hero, whose dramatic game five buzzer beater capped off a huge first round upset of the Heat and who eventually propelled the Knicks to the NBA Finals with a huge performance in the clinching game six of the Conference Finals. He was the second leading postseason scorer on those ’98-’99 Knicks and it was the peak of his career. Though paid like a superstar, Houston averaged 20+ points per game just twice in his career and struggled with injuries in his later days. He is the fourth all-time leading scorer in franchise history, second in three-point field goals, and fifth in free throw percentage.

13) Dick McGuire (1949-1957)

One of just two Knicks to lead the NBA in total assists in a season, McGuire did so in ’49-’50 with a then all-time record of 386. McGuire also finished in the top five assists per game in his first six seasons, peaking at 7.6 per game in ’54-’55. A forebear to players like Mark Jackson and Rod Strickland, McGuire (along with his brother and Knicks teammate Al) was a New York playground legend, wowing onlookers (including a young mentee named Bob Cousy) with an array of play making moves that earned him the nickname “Tricky Dick.” He tempered that flamboyant style a bit with the Knicks but was still one of the team’s most popular players as they reached three consecutive NBA Finals, starting in 1951. Named to seven All-Star teams, McGuire was eventually inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame and had his jersey #15 co-retired by the Knicks with Earl Monroe.

12) Carmelo Anthony (2011-2017)

After infamously striking out in the 2010 free agency frenzy, the Knicks made a splash at the 2011 trade deadline by bringing in Anthony. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Anthony came to town heavily hyped and results were mixed. He had arguably the best season of his career with New York, winning the scoring title in ’12-’13 with 28.7 points per game, finishing third in MVP voting, and leading the Knicks to their only second round playoff appearance of the last 20 years. As to be expected, he also racked up plenty of scoring in his six seasons with the Knicks, and is seventh in franchise history in total points and third in three-point field goals. He also reportedly clashed with coach Mike D’Antoni, bristled at management’s inability to build around him, and led the team to just three playoff appearances and only one series win.

11) Charles Oakley (1988-1998)

He was an All-Star only once, averaged just 10.4 points per game, and never won a title. But Oakley is still one of the most beloved players in Knicks history with his is his toughness, grit, and unselfish play that helped define the team’s successful ’90s. Traded to the Knicks from the Bulls in 1988, “Oak” was a mainstay at power forward alongside Patrick Ewing for a decade. He was one of the NBA’s best rebounders and defenders in his prime and is the franchise’s all-time leader in offensive rebounds, third in total rebounds, second in steals, and second in defensive win shares (he’s also, appropriately, second in personal fouls). Though Oakley finished his career with stops in Toronto, Chicago, Washington, and Houston, he is no doubt a Knick for life, and has recently engaged in a bizarre feud with James Dolan, even getting arrested during a game in 2017 for allegedly assaulting the owner.

10) Richie Guerin (1956-1963)

When the Knicks drafted Guerin in 1954, they were one year removed from three consecutive NBA Finals appearances. When he joined the club in 1956 after a U.S. Marines tour of duty, it was a completely different Knicks and Guerin ultimately reached the postseason just once in seven seasons. But he was individually a superstar, playing in six All-Star Games, named 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, and averaging as high as 29.5 points per game, in ’62-’63. Guerin also set the single game franchise record with 57 points in a 1959 win over the Nationals, which stood for 25 years before Bernard King broke it. Despite being one of the final holdouts of the two-handed set shot in the NBA, the Bronx-born Guerin is sixth in Knicks history in total points, and fifth in assists.

9) Earl Monroe (1971-1980)

Though he first built his legend on the outdoor courts of Philadelphia, played his college ball in North Carolina, and started his pro career with Baltimore, Monroe is a paragon of New York basketball. Unhappy with the Bullets and threatening to defect to the ABA, he was traded to the Knicks in 1971 for pennies on the dollar and formed the “Rolls Royce Back Court” with Walt Frazier. Monroe was struggling with knee and hip issues already at this point but lasted the rest of the ’70s with New York, getting named to two All-Star teams, and compiling 9,679 points, eighth in franchise history. He was also a key component of the ’72-’73 title team, especially as the team’s leading scorer in the clinching game five of the NBA Finals. Prior to that, Monroe had been a postseason Knicks killer, dominating them with 24.4 points per game in the Bullets’ 1971 Conference Finals upset over New York.

8) Bill Bradley (1967-1977)

One of just two players on this list who spent his entire NBA tenure with the Knicks, Bradley actually started his pro career in Italy, winning a EuroLeague title while attending Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship. He joined the Knicks in the middle of the ’67-’68 season, just as they hired Red Holzman and were rounding into title contenders. Whether as the starting small forward or the sixth man, Bradley played a big part on the Knicks teams that reached three Finals in four years, winning championships in 1970 and 1973. He was never a big scorer and made just one All-Star appearance but Bradley was a well-rounded player and a consummate teammate. Upon retiring from basketball in 1977, he moved immediately into politics, and delivered a keynote address at the 1992 Democrat National Convention in a familiar venue, Madison Square Garden. 

7) Dick Barnett (1965-1973)

Previously a third option on the early ’60s Lakers title contenders, Barnett found himself as suddenly a load bearing offensive weapon when he joined the Knicks in 1965. He averaged a career high 23.1 points per game in ’65-’66 for a Knicks team that finished dead last in the Eastern Conference. But as the team slowly rebuilt around Willis Reed and Walt Frazier, Barnett found himself returning to a familiar role later in his career, a tertiary scorer on a title contender. He was the starting shooting guard and second on the team in playoff scoring and rebounding on the ’69-’70 title team, and later came off the bench for the teams that returned to the Finals in 1972 and won another championship in 1973. One of just nine players in Knicks franchise history to total over 9,000 points, Barnett was also an accomplished defender and renowned for his basketball IQ.

6) Carl Braun (1947-1961)

Despite missing two seasons in his prime for a U.S. Army tour of duty, Braun was the first Knicks player to reach 10,000 career points and is still top five in franchise history in scoring and assists. His military leave of absence unfortunately coincided with NBA Finals losses for the Knicks in 1951 and 1952, when Braun arguably could have been the difference maker. He was the leading scorer for New York in the 1953 NBA Finals upon his return, a third consecutive loss. Braun made five All-Star appearances, was 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and finished top 10 in the league in scoring four times. After spending 12 seasons with New York, Braun was waived in 1961 and signed with the Celtics, finally earning a title in ’61-’62 at age 34 as a lightly used bench guard. In addition to his basketball prowess, Braun was also a minor league pitcher for the Yankees.

5) Harry Gallatin (1948-1957)

Born and raised in the pastoral enclave of Roxana, Illinois, population 1,139, Gallatin was dubbed “Horse” by his more urbane Knicks teammates. The nickname stuck and became an embodiment of Gallatin’s durability. In addition to being fourth in franchise history in rebounds, Gallatin also holds the Knicks record for consecutive games played, at 610. That rebounding stat is all the more impressive when considering that the NBA didn’t even track them until his third season. Gallatin averaged a double-double for seven consecutive seasons once it was possible, and led the league in rebounding with 15.3 per game in ’53-’54. He was also the second leading scorer on the three Knicks teams that made consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 1951, 1952, and 1953. One more honor for Gallatin: In ’53-’54, he became the first Knicks player ever to be named 1st-Team All-NBA.

4) Dave DeBusschere (1968-1974)

Arguably the most successful trade in Knicks history was their 1968 acquisition of DeBusschere from the Pistons, in exchange for Walt Bellamy. An efficient scorer, apt rebounder, and lockdown defender, DeBusschere slotted in perfectly as the starting power forward for an emerging title contender. He was third in postseason scoring and second in rebounding on the 1970 title team, and then the leading rebounder, while still third in scoring, for the 1973 champs. DeBusschere was also named an All-Star and 1st-Team All-Defensive in all five full seasons he played in New York, while averaging a double-double. In fact, his best statistical finish came at the end, in ’73-’74 at age 33, when he averaged a career high 18.1 points per game but still opted to retire. After a brief stint as ABA commissioner, DeBusschere returned to the Knicks in a front office capacity in 1981.

3) Walt Frazier (1967-1977)

No athlete exemplified the glamour and cool of New York better than Frazier. He first made a name for himself at Madison Square Garden when leading Southern Illinois to a surprise 1967 NIT title. The Knicks took notice, drafting Frazier fifth overall and almost handing him the keys to the offense. Frazier became the premier point guard of the NBA ’70s. He set the still-standing franchise records by being named 1st-Team All-NBA four time (in fact, no other Knicks player has earned it more than once) and 1st-Team All-Defensive seven times. Frazier is also still far-and-away the all-time Knicks leader in career assists (4,791) and is second in points. While Willis Reed took home the Finals MVP trophies in 1970 and 1973, Frazier was the guy the Knicks turned to for big plays on both ends of the court. Nicknamed “Clyde” for his Clyde Darrow style fedoras, he still radiates divinity as the color commentator for Knicks television broadcasts.

2) Patrick Ewing (1985-2000)

Easily the most hyped rookie in Knicks history, Ewing came to New York thanks to a fortuitous (suspiciously so?) draft lottery envelope selection in 1985. 15 years later, he left New York without delivering a title but undoubtedly as a franchise legend, first in team history in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, games played, field goals, win shares, and All-Star appearances (11). With the last two decades an unmitigated disaster for the franchise, Ewing remains synonymous with Knicks basketball for most fans under the age of 50. His era is unfortunately also marked in large part by the lack of a title, but the playoff failures were hardly the fault of Ewing, who was never granted a consistent secondary scorer. He came closest in 1994, when he was outplayed by Hakeem Olajuwon in the NBA Finals as the Knicks fell in seven games, and then in 1999, when New York’s surprise run to the Finals in the wake of his leg injury led credence to the “Ewing Theory.” 

1) Willis Reed (1964-1974)

Reed spent his entire 10-year career with the Knicks team that drafted him out of Grambling and that decade was easily the most successful era of team history. In Reed’s final six seasons at center, the Knicks made at least the Conference Finals each year, three NBA Finals, and won two titles. He is the only Knicks player to earn league MVP, the only to earn Finals MVP (which he did twice), and was the first player in NBA history to win both awards in the same season (’69-’70). Reed’s performance in the 1970 NBA Finals is the stuff of lore, staggering out of the Madison Square Garden tunnel to start game seven on a torn leg and sparking the Knicks to victory. Despite struggling with injuries throughout his career, Reed is third in franchise history in total points, second in rebounds, and third in win shares. After his 1974 retirement, Reed later took on several roles in the organization with varying results, including a brief stint as head coach.