Knicks History

Legends of the Garden: Exploring the New York Knicks Career Leaders

The New York Knicks are one of the most valuable and well-known basketball franchises in the world. Here we wanted to showcase the Knicks all time leaders and pay homage to those the trail blazers that paved the way for our current Knicks.

Despite not being every basketball fans favorite franchise, real fans of the game know how important the Knicks are to the game. Per Forbes, the Knicks are valued at over $5.8 Billion. It is the Mecca of the sport and home to the best fans in the world.

Here you will find the Knicks all time leaders. We wanted to note the most decorated and best New York Knicks players in history.

Who has the most points in Knicks franchise history?

The New York Knicks’ all-time leading scorer is Patrick Ewing, amassing an impressive 23,665 career points. Beyond points, Ewing dominates key statistical categories, cementing his status as one of the NBA’s greatest players and a true Knicks legend.

In addition to being the Knicks all time points leader. Ewing leads the Knicks in a number of categories to this day, with no contender likely to beat his marks in the near future.

Patrick Ewing all time leading numbers

Patrick Ewing is the New York Knicks career leaders in the following categories:

Games – 1039
Field Goals – 9260
Rebounds – 10759

Blocks – 2758
Steals – 1061
Free Throws – 5126

Stats per Basketball Reference.

These are the most common categories across the NBA. As a 7-0 center in the league, to lead so many key statistical categories is incredible. It shows just how dominant he was in the league and how big of a part he played in shaping the Knicks franchise.

Knicks all time scoring leaders

In terms of who is the Knicks all time leading scorer is up for debate. There are many factors that must be considered, such as games played and field goals attempted. When we look at scoring, per game statistics become more telling than total points.

The top ten scorers all-time, as measured by total points scored, for the New York Knicks are:

Patrick Ewing
Walt Frazier

Willis Reed
Allan Houston
Carl Braun

Richie Guerin
Carmelo Anthony
Earl Monroe

Dick Barnett
Bill Bradley

As mentioned above, Patrick Ewing is the all time Knicks leader in points, but you could argue he is not the all time scoring leader. The Knicks all time leading scorer, as measured by points per game, is Bernard King. He averaged 26.5 points per game over 206 games.

Following King is Carmelo Anthony who averaged 24.7 points per game over 412 games and Patrick Ewing who averaged 22.8 points over a whopping 1,039 games for the Knicks. The argument could be made for all of these players to be the top scorer. All we know is, Bernard King, Carmelo Anthony and Patrick Ewing are Knicks legends and all time scoring leaders for the Knicks.

Most points by a Knicks player in a single game

Carmelo Anthony posted the most points by a Knicks player in a game, with 62 points against the Charlotte Bobcats on January 24, 2014.

While Patrick Ewing is the career leader for the Knicks in many categories, including points, he does not hold the single game points record. His career high for the New York Knicks was 51 points against the Boston Celtics.

Second to Carmelo Anthony in single game scoring is Bernard King. He scored 60 points against the New Jersey Nets, on 19 of 30 shooting. A truly incredible game.

Since these Knicks legends, there have been few players that have ventured close to breaking these records. Julius Randle of the 2022-23 Knicks team gave his best effort, scoring 57 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A tremendous effort in a loss on March 20, 2023.

Who is the best Knicks player of all time?

It goes without saying that Patrick Ewing is the greatest Knicks player all time. To lead the franchise in so many statistical categories, but also back up these numbers with wins on the court makes all the difference.

Ewing is an 11-time All-Star and led the Knicks to the playoffs 13 times. He was selected to the All-NBA Team seven times, as well as the All-Defensive Team three times. It is impossible to argue that any player in Knicks history had a bigger impact on the team than Patrick Ewing did.

Whilst he did not win a championship. Had it not been for a missed finger roll against the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 in the Eastern Conference finals, it’s possible Ewing could have had a rematch against Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets. Maybe the second matchup would have been more favorable outcome for the Knicks.

How many hall of famers do the Knicks have?

As of September 2022, the New York Knicks have 22 players in the hall of fame.

The following list are the former Knicks legends that have reached the NBA Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. Not all of these players are true New York lifers, but they wore the jersey and therefore can be considered a Knicks hall of famer.

Carl Braun (1947-61)

Harry Gallatin (1948-57)
Dick McGuire (1949-57)
Richie Guerin (1956-64)

Slater Martin (1956-57)
Tom Gola (1962-66)
Willis Reed (1964-74)

Walt Bellamy (1965-68)
Bill Bradley (1967-77)
Walt Frazier (1967-77)

Dave DeBusschere (1968-74)
Jerry Lucas (1971-74)
Earl Monroe (1971-80)

Spencer Haywood (1975-79)
Bob McAdoo (1976-79)
Paul Westphal (1981-83)

Bernard King (1982-87)
Patrick Ewing (1985-00):
Maurice Cheeks (1990-91)

Dikembe Mutombo (2003-04)
Tracy McGrady (2010)
Jason Kidd (2012-13)

There are many Knicks legends that made the franchise what it is today. It is because of this incredible group of players, that the Knicks organization is where it is today.

The New York Knicks have a rich history of legendary players who have made their mark on the franchise. Knicks legends such as Willis Reed and Patrick Ewing, these players have left an indelible mark on the Knicks’ record books and on the memories of fans. By examining the New York Knicks career leaders in various categories such as scoring, games played, field goals made, steals, and blocks, we gain a deeper appreciation for the players who have helped shape the team’s identity over the years. While the names on these lists may change over time, the legacy of these Knicks all-time players will live on forever. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a new admirer of the team, the New York Knicks career leaders serve as a testament to the team’s storied history and the remarkable individuals who have contributed to its success.