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One Phone Call Could've Saved Knicks' Decade
Apr 9, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; St. Johnís mens basketball head coach Rick Pitino speaks at a press conference before a pregame ceremony honoring the team at a game between the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images John Jones-Imagn Images

One Phone Call Could've Saved Knicks' Decade

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jayesh Pagar  |  Last updated Nov 21, 2025 9:00 AM ET

When Rick Pitino picked up the phone in 2017, he thought he was doing the New York Knicks a massive favor. The legendary coach had just one simple message: take his former Louisville player Donovan Mitchell with the eighth overall pick. He believed Mitchell would become an NBA star. The Knicks had other ideas.

The Conversation That Haunts Madison Square Garden

The story sounds almost too perfectly tragic for a Knicks fan to handle. Pitino called the front office with confidence and conviction. According to Pitino, he made his pitch clear: "I said 'Take my guy Donovan Mitchell. He's gonna kill it.'"

The response he received was blunt and dismissive. "They said 'Nah we can't take him that high,'" Pitino recalled. Instead, they selected Frank Ntilikina with the eighth pick, a French point guard prospect who never lived up to expectations.​

During his show appearance, the exchange became almost comedic. When Josh asked, "Ntilikina?" Pitino couldn't help but laugh: "Coulda had Donovan at 7. But too high. So they took Frank." It remains one of the most painful draft decisions in Knicks history.

Why the Knicks Said No

But why would the Knicks pass on what turned out to be an absolute steal? The answer reveals everything about how front offices can overthink draft decisions. The Knicks, under Phil Jackson, were specifically looking for a traditional point guard. They questioned whether Mitchell could be a primary ball-handler and worried he couldn't run the offense from the point position.​

"They didn't think he could play point guard. They questioned certain things," Pitino explained. Multiple teams shared this concern, with picks sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth all passing on him. But Pitino knew better. "Can he run a pick and roll? Without question. Can he get other people's shots? Without question. So I always knew he could play two positions," he said.​

The Boulder on Mitchell's Shoulder

Pitino understood Mitchell in ways NBA scouts simply didn't. He knew the kid was a gym rat who would perfect any skill he needed to develop.

"Donovan is a worker. He'll get in the gym and he'll perfect it," Pitino said.

More importantly, Pitino recognized something deeper: Mitchell had unfinished business.​

"He doesn't have a chip on his shoulder, he has a boulder on his shoulder because he wasn't heavily recruited out of high school. He was ranked 55th instead of top 10, top 15. And he's always out to prove that he's one of the better players," Pitino explained.

That hunger would drive Mitchell to become one of basketball's most dangerous scorers.​

The irony is devastating for Knicks fans. Mitchell eventually landed with the Utah Jazz as the 13th overall pick. In his rookie season, he averaged 20.5 points and earned All-Rookie First Team honors. Meanwhile, Ntilikina never developed into anything close to an NBA regular. Today, Mitchell is a perennial All-Star, while Ntilikina faded into obscurity.​

One phone call could have changed everything. Instead, the Knicks chose to doubt, and they're still paying for it.​

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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