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Last updated September 14, 2026

New York Knicks history · NBA regular season

The 25 Greatest New York Knicks of All Time

Patrick Ewing ranks No. 1 after producing 3,743.8 Franchise Value across 15 seasons in a Knicks uniform. Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Richie Guerin, and Carmelo Anthony complete the top five. This ranking covers 1950–51 through 2025–26.

25 ranked players1950–51 through 2025–26 franchise coverage1,000 minimum minutesRegular season only
See the full top 25How the ranking works

The answer at a glance

The top five

Franchise Value estimates how many regular-season points above a replacement-level player someone produced for this franchise. It rewards both strong seasons and staying power.

  1. No. 1

    Patrick Ewing

    3,743.8Franchise Value

    15 seasons · 1,039 games
    22.8 PPG · 10.4 RPG · 2 APG

  2. No. 2

    Walt Frazier

    3,530.1Franchise Value

    10 seasons · 759 games
    19.3 PPG · 6.1 RPG · 6.3 APG

  3. No. 3

    Willis Reed

    2,047.3Franchise Value

    10 seasons · 650 games
    18.7 PPG · 12.9 RPG · 1.8 APG

  4. No. 4

    Richie Guerin

    1,597.7Franchise Value

    8 seasons · 518 games
    20.1 PPG · 6.4 RPG · 5.3 APG

  5. No. 5

    Carmelo Anthony

    1,499.9Franchise Value

    7 seasons · 412 games
    24.7 PPG · 7 RPG · 3.2 APG

The full list

The full top 25

Every name links to a full career profile. The best-season rank is the player’s leaguewide Impact Rate rank for that season.

  1. 1

    Patrick Ewing

    3,743.8 value · 15 seasons · best: 1989–90

    3,743.8Franchise Value
    15 seasons1985–86 to 1999–00
    1989–90Impact Rate No. 12
    22.8 / 10.4 / 2PPG / RPG / APG
  2. 2

    Walt Frazier

    3,530.1 value · 10 seasons · best: 1971–72

    3,530.1Franchise Value
    10 seasons1967–68 to 1976–77
    1971–72Impact Rate No. 2
    19.3 / 6.1 / 6.3PPG / RPG / APG
  3. 3

    Willis Reed

    2,047.3 value · 10 seasons · best: 1968–69

    2,047.3Franchise Value
    10 seasons1964–65 to 1973–74
    1968–69Impact Rate No. 4
    18.7 / 12.9 / 1.8PPG / RPG / APG
  4. 4

    Richie Guerin

    1,597.7 value · 8 seasons · best: 1961–62

    1,597.7Franchise Value
    8 seasons1956–57 to 1963–64
    1961–62Impact Rate No. 9
    20.1 / 6.4 / 5.3PPG / RPG / APG
  5. 5

    Carmelo Anthony

    1,499.9 value · 7 seasons · best: 2013–14

    1,499.9Franchise Value
    7 seasons2010–11 to 2016–17
    2013–14Impact Rate No. 8
    24.7 / 7 / 3.2PPG / RPG / APG
  6. 6

    Harry Gallatin

    1,325.1 value · 7 seasons · best: 1950–51

    1,325.1Franchise Value
    7 seasons1950–51 to 1956–57
    1950–51Impact Rate No. 6
    13.3 / 12.1 / 2PPG / RPG / APG
  7. 7

    Mark Jackson

    1,211.0 value · 7 seasons · best: 1987–88

    1,211.0Franchise Value
    7 seasons1987–88 to 2001–02
    1987–88Impact Rate No. 32
    11.1 / 4 / 8PPG / RPG / APG
  8. 8

    John Starks

    1,108.4 value · 8 seasons · best: 1992–93

    1,108.4Franchise Value
    8 seasons1990–91 to 1997–98
    1992–93Impact Rate No. 40
    14.1 / 2.7 / 4PPG / RPG / APG
  9. 9

    Kenny Sears

    1,088.6 value · 7 seasons · best: 1958–59

    1,088.6Franchise Value
    7 seasons1955–56 to 1962–63
    1958–59Impact Rate No. 8
    16.2 / 9.2 / 1.8PPG / RPG / APG
  10. 10

    Ray Williams

    1,080.5 value · 5 seasons · best: 1979–80

    1,080.5Franchise Value
    5 seasons1977–78 to 1983–84
    1979–80Impact Rate No. 6
    16.4 / 3.8 / 5.7PPG / RPG / APG
  11. 11

    Michael Ray Richardson

    1,032.1 value · 4 seasons · best: 1979–80

    1,032.1Franchise Value
    4 seasons1978–79 to 1981–82
    1979–80Impact Rate No. 19
    14.2 / 6 / 7.1PPG / RPG / APG
  12. 12

    Willie Naulls

    1,030.3 value · 7 seasons · best: 1960–61

    1,030.3Franchise Value
    7 seasons1956–57 to 1962–63
    1960–61Impact Rate No. 11
    19.3 / 11.7 / 1.9PPG / RPG / APG
  13. 13

    Jalen Brunson

    1,027.6 value · 4 seasons · best: 2023–24

    1,027.6Franchise Value
    4 seasons2022–23 to 2025–26
    2023–24Impact Rate No. 14
    26.3 / 3.4 / 6.8PPG / RPG / APG
  14. 14

    Bill Cartwright

    1,002.0 value · 8 seasons · best: 1982–83

    1,002.0Franchise Value
    8 seasons1979–80 to 1987–88
    1982–83Impact Rate No. 33
    16.8 / 7.1 / 1.5PPG / RPG / APG
  15. 15

    Dave DeBusschere

    988.7 value · 6 seasons · best: 1971–72

    988.7Franchise Value
    6 seasons1968–69 to 1973–74
    1971–72Impact Rate No. 36
    16 / 10.7 / 3.1PPG / RPG / APG
  16. 16

    Earl Monroe

    954.0 value · 9 seasons · best: 1974–75

    954.0Franchise Value
    9 seasons1971–72 to 1979–80
    1974–75Impact Rate No. 41
    16.2 / 2.6 / 3.5PPG / RPG / APG
  17. 17

    Charles Oakley

    937.1 value · 10 seasons · best: 1993–94

    937.1Franchise Value
    10 seasons1988–89 to 1997–98
    1993–94Impact Rate No. 80
    10.4 / 10 / 2.3PPG / RPG / APG
  18. 18

    Dick McGuire

    909.9 value · 7 seasons · best: 1950–51

    909.9Franchise Value
    7 seasons1950–51 to 1956–57
    1950–51Impact Rate No. 4
    7.9 / 4.2 / 5.5PPG / RPG / APG
  19. 19

    Bernard King

    856.4 value · 4 seasons · best: 1984–85

    856.4Franchise Value
    4 seasons1982–83 to 1986–87
    1984–85Impact Rate No. 4
    26.5 / 5.2 / 2.8PPG / RPG / APG
  20. 20

    Charlie Ward

    855.1 value · 10 seasons · best: 1997–98

    855.1Franchise Value
    10 seasons1994–95 to 2003–04
    1997–98Impact Rate No. 21
    6.5 / 2.7 / 4.2PPG / RPG / APG
  21. 21

    Julius Randle

    854.6 value · 5 seasons · best: 2020–21

    854.6Franchise Value
    5 seasons2019–20 to 2023–24
    2020–21Impact Rate No. 33
    22.6 / 9.9 / 4.7PPG / RPG / APG
  22. 22

    Carl Braun

    814.0 value · 9 seasons · best: 1957–58

    814.0Franchise Value
    9 seasons1952–53 to 1960–61
    1957–58Impact Rate No. 19
    13.9 / 3.6 / 4.1PPG / RPG / APG
  23. 23

    David Lee

    768.2 value · 5 seasons · best: 2009–10

    768.2Franchise Value
    5 seasons2005–06 to 2009–10
    2009–10Impact Rate No. 26
    13 / 9.6 / 1.9PPG / RPG / APG
  24. 24

    Bob McAdoo

    733.4 value · 3 seasons · best: 1977–78

    733.4Franchise Value
    3 seasons1976–77 to 1978–79
    1977–78Impact Rate No. 20
    26.7 / 12 / 3.3PPG / RPG / APG
  25. 25

    Mitchell Robinson

    731.3 value · 8 seasons · best: 2019–20

    731.3Franchise Value
    8 seasons2018–19 to 2025–26
    2019–20Impact Rate No. 22
    7.5 / 8 / 0.7PPG / RPG / APG

What separates the list

Peak and staying power

The main order uses total Franchise Value. These views show who supplied the biggest single seasons and who contributed across the most seasons.

Why No. 1

Why Patrick Ewing leads

Patrick Ewing produced 3,743.8 Franchise Value, 213.7 more than Walt Frazier. His best team season was 1989–90, when he ranked No. 12 in leaguewide Impact Rate.

If you put more weight on playoff moments, championships, or awards, your order may differ. This list does not quietly fold those judgments into the number.

Most seasons among the top 25

Patrick Ewing · 15 seasons

Patrick Ewing logged 1,039 games and 37,586 regular-season minutes across 1985–86 to 1999–00.

Best individual seasons

  1. 1
    Patrick Ewing1989–90 · Impact Rate No. 12
    496.5
  2. 2
    Walt Frazier1971–72 · Impact Rate No. 2
    495.9
  3. 3
    Walt Frazier1970–71 · Impact Rate No. 6
    459.2
  4. 4
    Walt Frazier1972–73 · Impact Rate No. 4
    457.3
  5. 5
    Walt Frazier1969–70 · Impact Rate No. 5
    456.7

Franchise Value leaders by decade

  1. 1950s
    Harry GallatinMost value in the decade
    1,325.1
  2. 1960s
    Willis ReedMost value in the decade
    1,559.7
  3. 1970s
    Walt FrazierMost value in the decade
    2,544.7
  4. 1980s
    Patrick EwingMost value in the decade
    1,426.0
  5. 1990s
    Patrick EwingMost value in the decade
    2,317.8
  6. 2000s
    David LeeMost value in the decade
    768.2
  7. 2010s
    Carmelo AnthonyMost value in the decade
    1,499.9
  8. 2020s
    Jalen BrunsonMost value in the decade
    1,027.6

Just outside the list

Nos. 26–30

  1. No. 26Walt Bellamy699.5
  2. No. 27Jerry Lucas695.1
  3. No. 28Trent Tucker664.1
  4. No. 29Johnny Green643.5
  5. No. 30Stephon Marbury602.1

Method and limits

What this ranking measures

This is a model ranking, not a claim that one number settles every argument about franchise greatness.

01

Count only team value

We add the player’s hussEyquation Season Value only while he belonged to this franchise. A player needs at least 1,000 franchise minutes to qualify.

02

Split traded seasons

When a player changed teams, his season value is divided by the minutes played at each stop. In 1950–51, when minutes were not recorded, games are used instead.

03

Use one clear order

Higher total Franchise Value ranks first. Ties are broken by the player’s best leaguewide Impact Rate rank, then franchise minutes. Peak seasons and per-game stats are context, not hidden inputs.

04

Know what is missing

The model covers NBA regular seasons from 1950–51 onward. Playoffs, championships, awards, cultural importance, and ABA seasons are not inputs.

Sources and historical estimates: Team stints and conventional totals come from Basketball Reference; Franchise Value comes from the hussEyquation model. The site reconstructs missing box-score inputs through 1972–73. Exact Raw BPM inputs begin in 1973–74. In a traded season, the model has one combined season impact estimate; only the value allocation is split by team workload. Data were checked for this release on September 14, 2026. Read the full methodology.

Quick answers

New York Knicks ranking FAQ

Who is the greatest New York Knicks player of all time?

Within this NBA regular-season ranking, which begins in 1950–51, Patrick Ewing ranks first with 3,743.8 Franchise Value produced for this franchise.

Who had the best single season in this ranking?

Patrick Ewing has the highest team-season value in this dataset: 496.5 in 1989–90. He ranked No. 12 in leaguewide Impact Rate that season.

How are the top 25 ranked?

The order is total regular-season Franchise Value, which adds up value above replacement produced for this franchise. More value ranks higher.

Which earlier team names and locations are included?

Covers the New York Knicks from 1950–51 forward.

Keep exploring

Greatest players for every NBA team

Move from this franchise to any of the other 29 current NBA teams, or compare these players with the leaguewide career ranking.

Leaguewide all-time rankingsCurrent NBA team power rankingsPatrick Ewing’s full career profile