10 Best NBA Draft Picks In New York Knicks History

10 Best NBA Draft Picks In New York Knicks History

10. Kenny Sears (5th overall, 1955)

An All-Star in 1957-58 and 1958-59, Kenny Sears was a 6-foot-9 forward. He twice averaged a double-double in points and rebounds with the Knicks. Three times with the team, he finished in the top-12 in MVP voting.

9. Michael Ray Richardson (4th overall, 1978)

While Michael Ray Richardson spent just four years with the Knicks, he was certainly a joy to watch. He earned three All-Star and two All-Defensive first team nods. In 1979-80, the 6-foot-5 guard led the league in both assists (10.1) and steals (3.2).

8. David Lee (30th overall, 2005)

A double-double machine, David Lee was a member of the Knicks for his first five seasons. In three of them, he averaged a double-double, and he was an All-Star in 2009-10. That year, he also averaged career-bests of 20.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists.

7. Mark Jackson (18th overall, 1987)

The 1987-88 Rookie of the Year, Mark Jackson exploded on the scene with averages of 10.6 assists and 2.5 steals. The 6-foot-3 point guard was named an All-Star the following year. In franchise history, Jackson’s 4,005 assists are the second-most.

6. Bill Bradley (2nd overall, 1965)

A dominant college player at Princeton, Bill Bradley sacrificed numbers with the Knicks as an ultimate team player. Selected as a territorial pick, he was a member of both championship teams in franchise history. Bradley was named an All-Star in 1972-73 and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.

5. Harry Gallatin (20th overall, 1949)

An excellent rebounder, Harry Gallatin led the league averaging 15.3 in 1953-54. He was an All-Star for seven straight seasons from 1950-51 until 1956-57. Gallatin also averaged double-digits in scoring in eight of his nine years with the Knicks.

4. Richie Guerin (17th overall, 1954)

One of the top scorers in the early days of the sport, Richie Guerin was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. In his seven full seasons with New York, he was named to six All-Star and three All-NBA second teams. His 29.5 points per game in 1961-62 are the second-most in a single season in franchise history.

3. Willis Reed (10th overall, 1964)

In 1969-70, Willis Reed became the first (and still only) Knicks player to win MVP. The 6-foot-10 center was also named Finals MVP in both 1970 and 1973. In the five seasons from 1966-67 until 1970-71, Reed averaged at least 20.8 points and 13.2 rebounds in each one.

2. Patrick Ewing (1st overall, 1985)

The holder of the majority of the team’s records, Patrick Ewing played 15 seasons with the orange and blue. The 1985-86 Rookie of the Year finished in the top-five in MVP voting on six occasions while earning 11 All-Star nods. His tenure with the Knicks consisted of averages of 22.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks.

1. Walt Frazier (5th overall, 1967)

Still known today as ‘Clyde’, Walt Frazier was a member of both the 1970 and 1973 championship teams. The 6-foot-4 point guard had one of the most legendary Game 7 performances in the 1970 NBA Finals with a stat line of 36 points, 19 assists, and seven rebounds. Frazier made seven All-Defensive first teams while averaging 19.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists with New York.