2000: Donnell Harvey
2002: Nene
2003: Michael Sweetney
2005: Channing Frye
2005: David Lee
2006: Renaldo Balkman
2006: Mardy Collins
2007: Wilson Chandler
2008: Danilo Gallinari
2009: Jordan Hill
2011: Iman Shumpert
The fates of first rounders:
Donnell Harvey was drafted 22nd overall. He was immediately traded to the Mavericks in a deal where the Knicks received Erick Strickland after a career best season with Dallas (averaging 12.8 PPG). Harvey bounced around the league with stints in New Jersey, Phoenix, Denver, Orlando, Atlanta, and the aforementioned Mavericks. In 2004 the Hawks briefly signed then waived Harvey and he has since played overseas.
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Born Maybyner Rodney Hilário, Nene was drafted 7th overall in the 2002 draft. Nene never suited up for the Knicks as he was traded on draft day to the Nuggets along with Marcus Camby and Mark Jackson for Antonion McDyess and Frank Williams (25th pick in same draft). McDyess, the centerpiece of this trade, suffered an injury during a preseason game that kept him out for the entire 2002-2003 season. He would only play 18 games for the Knicks in the 2003-2004 season due to his being traded to the Phoenix Suns in a deal that would bring Stephon Marbury to the Knicks. The league was in terrible shape at the time leading to journalists writing articles like this. Isiah Thomas' Reign of Utter Darkness and Damnation was blooming. Nene, now far away from the sinking ship that was the Knicks franchise, was selected to the NBA All-Rookie team in 2002. He has averaged 12.4 points per game throughout his regular season career along with 6.9 rebounds per game. In his first game with the Wizards in 2012, 10 years after he was drafted by the Knicks, Nene scored 22 points and picked up 10 rebounds.
Michael Sweetney was drafted 9th overall by the Knicks in 2003. Sweetney played 3 years at Georgetown and his stats were reason for excitement. There was seemingly not enough excitement and Sweetney only made 42 appearances in his rookie season. In 2005 he was shipped off to Chicago with two other dudes you don't need to know about in exchange for Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis. EDDY CURRY. Like Curry, Sweetney battled weight demons he could not defeat. He currently plays in Puerto Rico.
Selected 8th overall in the 2005 draft, Channing Frye had the pleasure of playing for renaissance man Isiah Thomas. Frye played with the Knicks from 2005-2007 during which time he averaged 10.9 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game. In 2007 Frye and Steve "The Franchise" Francis were traded to the Blazers in a deal that brought Zach Randolph to New York.
As nice a person as Channing "Nice Guy" Frye was (I invented that), his most important moment as a Knick involved an injury. I assure you this is not a mean spirited statement. It was this injury that gave way to the rise of the mythical mammoth that is David Lee. Currently playing for Golden State, Lee was drafted 30th overall by New York. His gradual increase in playing time, thanks mostly to Frye's injury in 2006, allowed Lee to showcase his potential, and he had a lot more of it than Frye. Lee is one of my favorite Knicks of all time. He was the first Knick to play in an All-Star game since 2001 and the first Warrior to do so since Latrell Spreewell (one time Knick) in 1997. Solid rebounding- 9.8 rebounds per game throughout his career- and scoring- 14.9 points per game- make him a player that should fit anywhere. But anywhere is not New York and on July 9th (my birthday) of the year 2010 A.D. he was traded to Golden State.
The year is 2006. The second half of the decade was as good a time as any to put the Knicks on the right path. At the very least Isiah Thomas could save himself and the franchise from further humiliation or begin working towards that. When the 20th pick of the the first round came around Rajon Rondo was still available. Kyle Lowry was also available. Hell, Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown were lingering as well.
"Screw those guys. We're taking Renaldo Balkman." - Isiah Thomas
Thomas allegedly had a deal with the Suns involving Balkman. The Suns had no idea of said deal.
Oh, and Mardy Collins was drafted 29th overall by the Knicks that same year.
Both players are no longer active in the NBA. The Balkman pick was so mind boggling that conspiracy theories surfaced. The most intriguing of which speculated that Balkman was chosen only because he and LeBron James shared an agent. James was approaching free agency and in Isiah Thomas' advanced mind drafting Balkman put the Knicks in the running for landing LeBron.
Yeah.
With the exception of Nene, Channing Frye, and David Lee being drafted by the Knicks has been a curse. Black magic has plagued those drafted with terrible fates usually including foreign stints. 4 out of 7 of the Knicks 1st round picks from 2000 to 2006 have failed miserably and in some cases hilariously.
2007's drafting of Wilson Chandler came with Isiah Thomas still at the helm. Chandler was fortunate enough to be on board for a regime change and the brightest of Knicks basketball in years. He played in the 2009 Rookie Challenge and was able to grab the most rebounds for the sophomore team.
Of course, Chandler will be mostly remembered as one of the players traded to the Denver Nuggets in the Knicks acquisition of Carmelo Anthony. To Knicks fans he was one of the faces that drove many back to the Garden after so many years of misery.
A very silent and rarely excitable face. Even after this:
The 8th forward drafted in 9 first round draft picks by the Knicks was Danilo Gallinari in 2008. The Italian was drafted 6th overall and had demonstrated his offensive abilities while playing professionally in Italy. Like David Lee, once Gallinari was given more playing time he did not disappoint. He averaged 15.5 points per game, 1.7 assists per game, and 4.85 rebounds per game as a starter for the Knicks. He did this as a 22 and 23 year old under the direction of his father's one time teammate, and Knicks head coach, Mike D'Antoni.
Despite promising signs from the Knicks squad and Gallo, the latter would be traded in February of 2011 to bring Carmelo Anthony to New York. If you're keeping count we're at two first round picks (Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari) being shipped off to Denver for Melo.
Revenge:
The Knicks' 10th 1st round draft pick of the first decade of the 21st century (yeah, I know) was 8th overall. Jordan Hill keeps the Forward Drafting tradition alive by being the 9th player of said position drafted in the 1st round out of 10 draft picks by New York. In Hill's only season with the Knicks (he was around for 24 games) he would average only 10.5 minutes per game. That same season Hill was traded to the Houston Rockets in a deal that lured in Tracy McGrady.
Since drafting Jordan Hill and acquiring Amare Stoudemire no forwards of consequence have been drafted by New York in either the 1st or 2nd rounds. (Here's looking at you Kostas Papanikolaou)
The final name on this 11 year list is Iman Shumpert. Drafted 17th overall Shumpert has become a fan favorite. His defensive tenacity has won him the love of his teammates, coaches, and those Most Mighty Garden Faithful. While it looks like Shumpert is here to stay you can never be sure with this franchise. The history of hasty trades, an inability and/or lack of desire to develop young players, and some terrible picks are on display here. Tearing his ACL and meniscus hasn't helped his cause but he has been able to return since.
He did this recently:
- Alex Moran
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