The New York Knicks have more than their share of high NBA Draft picks over the past few years. But, whether it be due to injury, lack of talent/opportunity, and/or poor coaching, several players just haven't panned out the way the Knicks had hoped and it has set the franchise back.
It has been half a century since the Knicks last won an NBA Championship with their inability to draft and develop talent throughout the years playing a massive role in the drought. Knicks President of Basketball Operations Leon Rose has made it a focal point to right this wrong since arriving in New York, doing an excellent job of stockpiling young talented players such as R.J. Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Miles McBride.
With that said, the inept handling of draft picks for the Knicks has allowed us to draw up an all-time starting five comprised of their bust selections.
Knicks all-time NBA Draft bust starting 5: PG, Frank Ntilikina
Frank Ntilikina, also known as The French Prince, was one of former President Phil Jackson's last moves as President of the Knicks before he and the team mutually agreed to part ways. Unfortunately for Ntilikina, he will forever be tied to Jackson's disastrous tenure as an executive for the Knicks, and his play on the court didn't help matters.
Selected with the No. 8 overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, Ntilikina was picked for his combination of court vision and ball-handling skills on the offensive end and his length/versatility on the defensive end. Being drafted before turning 19, Ntilikina shined in the French League, earning the Best Young Player Award in consecutive seasons.
Sadly, that didn't translate to the NBA, and Ntilikina's lack of experience showed regularly in his time with the Knicks. According to StatMuse, he averaged 5.5 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.0 rebounds per game in 211 games as a Knick in his four-year tenure with the franchise.
Ntilikina was never able to carve out a consistent role in the rotation, averaging no more than 21.9 minutes per game in a season. His inability to shoot the ball consistently made it tough to leave him on the floor for extended periods of action. Through four seasons, he shot 36.6 percent from the field.
To make matters worse for Ntilikina and his placement on this list, the Knicks passed up on some talented guards to select him. Dennis Smith Jr., Malik Monk, Luke Kennard, and, Donovan Mitchell were all selected within the next handful of picks after Ntilikina and have gone on to become productive NBA players.
It is important to note that Ntilikina is the most recently drafted player on this list, which can be viewed as a testament to how much emphasis the recent regimes have put into nailing the draft after seeing prior management perennially costing themselves several opportunities to land talent.
Knicks all-time NBA Draft bust starting 5: SG, Mardy Collins
It didn't take the Knicks long before they decided to cut their losses on the selection of shooting guard Mardy Collins. After slightly over two seasons with the Knicks, they sent him to the Clippers along with Zach Randolph in a trade that netted them Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas in return.
The Knicks took Collins with the No. 29 overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft after acquiring the draft pick in a trade with the Spurs. Collins was unable to make an impact in his limited time with the franchise, averaging 3.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game as a member of the Knicks.
Collins wasn't the most durable player during his time with the Knicks. In his two full seasons with the team, he played 98 out of a possible 164 games. After a rough stint with the Knicks, his Clippers tenure was short-lived. He spent two seasons with the Clippers, averaging 4.2 points per game while shooting 40.9 percent from the field in 82 games. Collins spent four years in the NBA before ultimately taking his talents overseas.
The Knicks passed up on notable players such as Paul Millsap and P.J. Tucker, who have both gone on to have extensive and successful NBA careers.
Knicks all-time NBA Draft bust starting 5: SF, Renaldo Balkman
Taken just nine spots ahead of Mardy Collins, the Knicks selected Renaldo Balkman with the 20th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. The Knicks 2006 draft will forever go down as one of the worst nights in Knicks history and NBA Draft history in large part because of how badly Collins and Balkman's time in New York went.
Balkman spent his first two seasons with the Knicks before being traded to the Nuggets in 2008 and then traded back to the Knicks as part of the deal that helped the Knicks land Carmelo Anthony in 2011. In his first two seasons, Balkman was a liability on the offensive end of the floor. He shot 18.5 percent from 3 in his first season and just 8.3 percent from beyond the arc in his second campaign while shooting below 60 percent from the charity stripe.
Despite the offensive struggles, Balkman was drafted as a high-energy player with a relentless motor. But that never seemed to come to fruition given that Balkman failed to average more than 15.6 minutes per game in a season. He fell out of the rotation in Denver rather quickly after the team traded for him in 2008 and appeared in just 22 games after being dealt back to the Knicks in 2011.
Knicks all-time NBA Draft bust starting 5: PF, Jordan Hill
Jordan Hill may be the most highly-touted player on this list. After a notable career as a member of the University of Arizona Wildcats, the Knicks selected Hill with the No. 8 overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft. In his junior year at Arizona, Hill averaged 18.3 points per game to go with 11.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks while shooting 53.7 percent from the field. He looked like a dominant prospect worthy of being selected in the top half of the NBA Draft.
Hill never got much of an opportunity to showcase his talent to the Knicks. He played 24 games for the Knicks, averaging 4.0 and 2.5 rebounds per game. Strangely, the Knicks traded Hill to the Rockets less than a year after drafting him in a deal that sent a 30-year-old Tracy McGrady to the Knicks.
Not only did the Knicks draft Hill and barely even give him a chance, but some of the players picked after him made this an even tougher pill to swallow. DeMar DeRozan, Jrue Holiday, Jeff Teague, Ty Lawson, and Brandon Jennings all went on to have productive NBA careers, with the first three players earning All-Star recognition.
Knicks all-time NBA Draft bust starting 5: C, Mike Sweetney
Mike Sweetney was a member of the illustrious 2003 NBA Draft class that featured current and future Hall of Famers such as LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony. After missing out on a top-five pick and the opportunity to land one of the aforementioned transcendent players, the Knicks selected Sweetney with the No. 9 overall pick in the draft.
Sweetney attended Georgetown University, where he played from 2000-03. In his junior season, he averaged 22.8 points per game to go along with 10.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks while shooting 54.7 percent from the field. He was a member of the All-Big East First Team in each of his last two seasons at Georgetown. His combination of size and strength enabled him to dominate in the post and made him a coveted player for a Knicks team that was looking to replace Marcus Camby.
Unfortunately, Sweetney's conditioning was a major issue. He constantly battled weight issues throughout his life and the duration of his NBA career, which made it difficult for him to see extended runs in games.
After two seasons with the Knicks that saw him average 6.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game, Sweetney left much to be desired after being a college standout at Georgetown. Sweetney was traded to the Bulls in 2005 in a deal that saw the Knicks end up with Eddy Curry, another center who struggled with weight/conditioning issues during his time in the NBA.
In recent years, Sweetney has opened up about his struggles with depression during and after his NBA career even admitting that he attempted suicide during his rookie season. He seems to be doing much better now and is currently a high school and college basketball coach.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression and considering self-harm, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential support, 24/7. You can call 1-800-273-8255 to be connected.
