Knicks Icon Still Viewed Among NBA Greats

Earl "The Pearl" Monroe was a major part of the golden era of New York Knicks basketball in the 1970's.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 1967 NBA Draft out of Winston-Salem State began his career with the Baltimore Bullets, but a trade to the Knicks in November 1971 set him on a path towards becoming one of the best players in NBA history.

Bleacher Report ranked the top 100 players in NBA history and Monroe clocked in at No. 89.

"Earl Monroe is celebrated predominantly for his deep scoring arsenal, glitzy ball-handling and championship ring as a member of the 1973 New York Knicks. Those are indeed attributes and accomplishments that fueled his entry into the Hall of Fame and onto this list," Bleacher Report wrote.

"Still, Earl The Pearl should generate more fanfare for his adaptability. He left a super-starring role with the Washington Bullets at the start of his fifth year for a not-as-prominent spot on the Knicks." 

"Make no mistake, Monroe wasn’t just another cog in New York. But he saw his overall field-goal attempts and scoring winnow down as part of a deeper team. Maintaining the essence of his game while thriving as part of a larger ecosystem is not something just anyone could have done. Then again, Monroe was far from just anyone."

Monroe's top highlight with the Knicks was winning the 1973 NBA Finals, the last championship in the franchise's history up until this point.

Monroe made it to the playoffs five times with the Knicks, but as the decade continued on, his playing time began to shrink due to injuries.

In 1990, Monroe was elected into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame, cementing his place in basketball immortality.