The 29 Best New York Knicks Players of All Time

Madison Square Garden has been home to some of basketball's most legendary players across six decades of New York Knicks basketball. Which player do you believe most deserves to be called the greatest Knick of all time?

1. 1
   Patrick Ewing

   The franchise cornerstone from 1985-2000 who averaged 22.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and led the Knicks to the 1994 Finals.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Walt Frazier

   The suave two-time champion from 1967-1977 whose clutch performances and defensive brilliance defined the Knicks' golden era.
   823pts
3. 3
   Bernard King

   The prolific scorer who averaged 32.9 points per game in 1984-85, winning the scoring title and electrifying Madison Square Garden.
   576pts
4. 4
   Charles Oakley

   The fierce enforcer from 1988-1998 whose physical play and veteran leadership gave the Knicks a menacing defensive identity.
   576pts
5. 5
   David Lee

   Double-double forward who made the 2010 All-Star team, the Knicks' first All-Star in nine years.
   541pts
6. 6
   Harry Gallatin

   Hall of Fame forward nicknamed 'The Horse' who led the league in rebounding in 1954 and played in seven All-Star Games as a Knick.
   503pts
7. 7
   Allan Houston

   Two-time All-Star shooting guard whose floater beat Miami in 1999 and sent the Knicks on their run to the Finals.
   503pts
8. 8
   Nat Clifton

   Known as Sweetwater, the first Black player to sign an NBA contract, starring for the Knicks' Finals teams of the early 1950s.
   460pts
9. 9
   Willie Naulls

   Four-time All-Star forward who averaged over 20 points for four straight seasons with the Knicks around 1960.
   411pts
10. 10
    Dick Barnett

    The sharp-shooting guard who contributed to both Knicks championship teams and was known for his signature fall-back jumper.
    411pts
11. 11
    Micheal Ray Richardson

    All-Star guard who led the league in assists and steals in 1979-80, the first player to do both in one season.
    411pts
12. 12
    Amar'e Stoudemire

    Signed in 2010 and scored 25 points a game, starting for the East in the All-Star Game and reviving the Garden's energy.
    357pts
13. 13
    Jerry Lucas

    Hall of Fame big man who brought shooting and passing off the bench to the 1973 championship team.
    357pts
14. 14
    Dave DeBusschere

    The iron-willed power forward who anchored the Knicks' championship defenses in 1970 and 1973, earning six All-Defensive First Team selections.
    294pts
15. 15
    Mark Jackson

    Rookie of the Year in 1988 with a then-rookie record 868 assists, and an All-Star the next season.
    294pts
16. 16
    Carl Braun

    Five-time All-Star guard and the Knicks' leading scorer through most of the 1950s, later their player-coach.
    294pts
17. 17
    Bill Cartwright

    All-Star center as a rookie in 1980 who averaged over 20 points in his first season with the Knicks.
    294pts
18. 18
    Earl Monroe

    The mesmerizing ball-handler nicknamed 'The Pearl' who thrilled MSG crowds and won the 1973 championship alongside Frazier.
    294pts
19. 19
    Julius Randle

    Won Most Improved Player and made All-NBA Second Team in 2021, leading the Knicks back to the playoffs.
    294pts
20. 20
    Richie Guerin

    Six-time All-Star guard who averaged 29.5 points in 1961-62, the Knicks' scoring star of the early 1960s.
    222pts
21. 21
    Phil Jackson

    Hustling forward and key reserve on the 1973 champions, who also earned a 1970 ring while out with back surgery, before his coaching career.
    222pts
22. 22
    Willis Reed

    The 1970 Finals MVP who delivered the most iconic moment in Knicks history by limping onto the court injured to inspire a championship win.
    222pts
23. 23
    Carmelo Anthony

    The prolific scorer who spent his prime years with the Knicks from 2011-2017, averaging 24.7 points per game in New York.
    222pts
24. 24
    Jeremy Lin

    Undrafted guard who sparked 'Linsanity' in February 2012, scoring 38 against the Lakers in a seven-game winning streak.
    222pts
25. 25
    Larry Johnson

    The power forward who hit the most famous four-point play in Knicks history during the 1999 playoff run against Indiana.
    137pts
26. 26
    John Starks

    The undrafted guard turned MSG fan favorite whose ferocious competitiveness embodied the Knicks' gritty 1990s identity.
    137pts
27. 27
    Bill Bradley

    The Princeton-educated wing and future Senator who was a key contributor to both the 1970 and 1973 championship teams.
    137pts
28. 28
    Tyson Chandler

    Became the first Knick to win Defensive Player of the Year, in 2012, anchoring the 54-win team of 2013.
    137pts
29. 29
    Jalen Brunson

    The current Knicks franchise star who has revitalized the team's playoff hopes with elite scoring and clutch shot-making since 2022.
    0pts

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