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Much has been made about the New York Knicks' lack of depth in the aftermath of their blockbuster offseason trades for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. What was once a strong suit of the team has turned into a major weakness, although a crucial bench piece remains in Miles McBride. McBride continues to thrive as the Knicks' sixth man, most recently scoring 18 points off the bench in their 121-106 win over the Orlando Magic in NBA Cup action on Tuesday night.
When McBride entered the league as the 36th overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, there wasn't much fanfare surrounding him even after the Knicks acquired the draft rights to him. But fast forward to the fourth season of his career, and he's one of the most important players for a team with championship aspirations, earning the love of a passionate fanbase that has made a habit out of serenading him with “Deuce” chants every time he lets a shot fly.
McBride continues to be a cult hero among Knicks fans, and all the 24-year-old guard could do is bask in the adoration.
“It feels like it came out of nowhere. It just started and I don’t think it’ll ever stop… I feel like the first day I got to New York, I saw someone walking around in my West Virginia jersey. I feel like I had a lot of love as a rookie, but, obviously, I wasn’t playing as much. The love just continued to grow the more I played and the more we won,” McBride said, via Knicks Muse on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Miles McBride builds off of breakout 2023-24 season for the Knicks
The Knicks were ravaged by injuries throughout the 2023-24 season, but amid all that, Miles McBride stood out and was ready for whatever role the team was going to give him. He stepped up as a starter, tallying 17.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while playing 43.9 minutes a night in 14 starts.
Now, McBride has established himself as a mainstay in head coach Tom Thibodeau's rotation. And he's putting up career-best numbers in the process, averaging 11/3/3 on 46/43/89 shooting, making him quite a valuable role player — and a beloved one at that.
Year after year, McBride has shown marked improvement, and the Knicks have rewarded him with a bigger role as a result of his efforts. And the fanbase's love for him has only grown since and will continue to do so since he gives everything he has on a nightly basis.
