The New York Knicks franchise has been very successful as a direct result of the quality of the players that have donned the Knicks uniform. With players such as Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe and Patrick Ewing, it is no wonder that the team has had its fair share of victory.
No Knicks player garnered as much respect for his suave skills both on and off the court as Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Clyde commandeered the court with a confidence not paralleled. Just as in his game, Clyde developed a unique, strong style, which facilitated his becoming the very first athlete to receive a shoe endorsement. Walt Frazier played the game with a silent passion that resulted in him holding many of the Knicks' records, including being the leading scorer up until the Patrick Ewing era. He still holds the record for the most assists 29 years after his retirement. It is no surprise that Clyde was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987.
Earl "The Pearl" Monroe started his NBA career with Baltimore and later became one of the Knicks' biggest stars. He was a key player for the Knicks in winning the 1973 NBA Championship. He and Frazier became known as the Rolls Royce Backcourt and they were a formidable force to be reckoned with. His number 15 jersey was retired by the Knicks in 1986, and in 1990, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990.
In 1985, the New York Knicks picked none other than the dominant Patrick Ewing in the NBA draft. In his rookie year, Ewing led the league's rookies in scoring, rebounds and won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Although he never won a title, Patrick Ewing is one of the most powerful shooting centers to have played the game. He broke almost all of the franchise's records and he is the NBA 13th all-time scorer with 24,815 points. In February 2003, Ewing's jersey was retired, and in April 2008, Patrick Ewing was enshrined into the basketball Hall of Fame.
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