The New York Knicks have turned into one of the laughing stocks around the NBA. They have one of the worst owners in sports in James Dolan. The Knicks have not been able to find a competent option to run the team and their head coach selection has been abysmal. Regardless, they still play in the biggest sports market and their home court is Madison Square Garden.
Many great players have gone through the Mecca during the Knicks' history. New York's luck with point guards has not been there recently, but that was not always the case. Here are the top five point guards in franchise history.
5. Micheal Ray Richardson
Richardson came in and was expected to make noise right away. He did just that. The Knicks took Richardson fourth overall in the 1978 NBA Draft. He led the league in assists (10.1) and steals (3.2) in his second professional season.
Richardson spent four years in New York and was selected to the All-Star team three times. He joined the team during a transition period for the franchise and provided a spark at the most important position.
4. Dick McGuire
We are turning back the clock with No. 4 on our list. McGuire was drafted seventh overall out of St. John's in 1949. During his time with the Knicks, the local product McGuire was not a big time scorer, but he was a leader. The Knicks won three straight conference titles with McGuire. He averaged 5.6 assists during his tenure.
McGuire was a five time All-Star as a Knick. He was one of the top point guards in the game when he was in the league. McGuire's No. 15 is hanging in the rafters in Madison Square Garden. In 1993, he was elected to the Hall of Fame.
3. Stephon Marbury
Marbury played during some of the dog days for the Knicks, but his accomplishments cannot be denied. He was traded to the team during the 2003-04 season when the point guard started to become a scoring position. That is what Marbury was. He averaged 19.8 points and 9.3 assists in 47 games after he was traded. In his first full season in 2004-05, Marbury averaged 21.7 points and 8.1 assists.
As the years went on, Marbury's production dropped and he was eventually waived. During his time with the Knicks, Marbury averaged 18.2 points and seven assists. He shot 35% from three and was the definition of a scoring point guard.
2. Mark Jackson
The top two on this list are fairly obvious and it begins with Jackson. The hometown kid, who went to high school in Brooklyn and played for St. John's, was drafted with the 18th pick in 1987. Jackson contributed immediately. He averaged 13.6 points and 10.6 assists in year one and was named Rookie of the Year.
Jackson made his first All-Star team during his sophomore season when he scored 16.9 points per contest. Jackson eventually ended up playing alongside Reggie Miller for the Knicks' rival Indiana Pacers, but he was great during his time in New York.
1. Walt “Clyde” Frazier
When you think of Knicks' point guards, the first name that comes to mind is Clyde. He was one of the most influential players in the league sporting outfits that only he could pull off. Clyde is still seen doing so on a nightly basis broadcasting Knicks' games on MSG Network.
Clyde's accomplishments with the team are remarkable. He was a seven-time All-Star and seven-time All-Defensive First Team member. During his 10 years in New York, the Knicks made the playoffs eight times. This included five straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances, a Finals appearance three out of four years, and two NBA Championships. Clyde averaged 19.3 points and 6.3 assists during his tenure. He is one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time.
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