NBA Draft 2011: Chris Singleton and 10 Best Prospects for the New York Knicks
Fortunately for the New York Knicks, they spent the past year loading their roster with top NBA talent, so it's time for them to turn their attention to acquiring complementary pieces.
They've won back their fans. They've won back the city of New York. Madison Square Garden is electrified once again like it's 1994.
The center pieces are in place. What the Knicks must set out to do in this year's draft is find a nitty, gritty type of player that will play the perfect ying to Amar'e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups' yang.
With the talent that the Knicks already have in place, this year's draft pick may be the difference between an early-May exit, and a late-June celebration.
Here are the 10 best prospects for the New York Knicks at No. 17.
Nikola Vucevic
1 of 10
Nikola Vucevic is big.
Standing at 7'0", and weighing in at 260 lbs, the USC product has the perfect body for a future NBA center.
The New York Knicks sorely need a natural center, and his presence in Mike D'Antoni's lineup would enable the embattled coach to slide Amar'e Stoudemire to his more accustomed position at power forward.
Vucevic is surprisingly athletic for a big man of his size, making him a sound fit for D'Antoni's high-octane system.
He possesses the ability to score in a variety of ways in the paint, and can step back and knock down the mid-range jumper.
Josh Selby
2 of 10
Josh Selby is an explosive scorer.
He would be an ideal fit for the New York Knicks, coming off the bench and giving them an instant scoring threat.
With a secondary unit comprised of sharp shooters Shawne Williams, Toney Douglas, Bill Walker and Josh Selby, the Knicks may be looking at one of the most explosive benches in the NBA in terms of scoring.
Odds are if Selby has a good enough training camp, he'd even give Landry Fields a run for the starting shooting guard job.
Given the dismal end to the season that Fields had, adding depth at the 2-guard slot may not be such a bad idea.
Marshon Brooks
3 of 10
Marshon Brooks is a pure scorer.
He's another guy that can come off the bench and give the Knicks an instant scoring threat, forcing teams to guard the perimeter as well as the paint.
This would enable the Knicks to get more open looks for Amar'e Stoudemire in the post, which would clearly translate into a more potent offensive attack.
Brooks has a quick first step and loves to attack the basket, but can also step back and knock down the open shot. He shoots the ball with confidence, and is an explosive scorer—he recorded a 52-point game this past season.
Jimmer Fredette
4 of 10
Well, you must have known this was coming.
Jimmer Fredette was one of the most celebrated NCAA hoop stars in quite some time.
The Naismith Award winner scored at a legendary rate this season, making him a household name across the nation.
But enough about his background—what would drafting Jimmer mean for the Knicks?
Well for one, he gives them an option at point guard this season and beyond.
He can develop into a more traditional point guard by learning from one of the game's best in Chauncey Billups.
With Jimmer molding into a true point guard while maintaining his deadly accuracy from the field, we may be looking at a special talent running the show at Madison Square Garden for years to come.
Even if the plan to make Jimmer the point guard of the future flops, the Knicks would still have one of the deadliest shooters in the NBA providing a spark off the bench.
Jordan Williams
5 of 10
Jordan Williams represents another pure center that the New York Knicks sorely need.
Williams is athletic for his 6'10" frame, although slightly undersized as an NBA center. His body, however, is a perfect example of an "Eastern Conference center."
Williams' repertoire is that of a traditional big man.
The Maryland product doesn't possess a great mid-range game, but does exhibit soft hands in the post and can finish well with his back to the hoop.
Klay Thompson
6 of 10
Klay Thompson is another guy who can shoot the ball lights-out.
His ability to stretch defenses would create more open shots for his star counterparts in New York, a thought that is sure to make Knicks management salivate.
Widely regarded as the top shooter in the Pac-10, he'd certainly give Landry Fields a run for the starting shooting guard job if the Knicks decide to go with him at No. 17.
Markieff Morris
7 of 10
Markieff Morris carries with him a reputation as a defensive stopper.
For a New York Knicks team that finished third-to-last in opponent points per game this past season, Morris is an attractive option at No.17.
He would bring instant stability to a thin New York Knicks front line, and paired with Amar'e Stoudemire, would create one of the more fearsome 4-5 combinations in the Eastern Conference.
Morris does the little things, a la Charles Oakley, and would be a welcomed commodity at Madison Square Garden.
Kenneth Faried
8 of 10
Kenneth Faried is a monster.
His energy and hard-nosed style of play would make him an instant fan favorite among the Garden faithful.
Faried led all of D-1 this past season with 14.5 rebounds per game—the New York Knicks ranked 20th in the NBA in boards per game.
The need for a force on the glass is clear, and Faried would all but solve the Knicks' inability to contend on the boards.
Tristan Thompson
9 of 10
If there's one aspect of their roster that the New York Knicks need improvement on, it's their frontcourt depth.
Tristan Thompson carries with him a reputation as a shutdown defender, which has to be appealing to the Knicks, who finished last season allowing the third-most points per game to opponents.
Thompson also runs the floor well, so he should have little trouble fitting into head coach Mike D'Antoni's high-octane system.
Even more impressive, Tristan ranked first in the Big 12 in blocked shots and second in rebounds in 2010-2011. He would bring to the Knicks a sense of hustle and dirty work off the bench that would efficiently complement Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony's star power.
Chris Singleton
10 of 10
The New York Knicks need a defensive stopper.
Luckily for them, Chris Singleton is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the country. He finished his junior season ranked among the ACC leaders in blocks, rebounds and steals.
The Knicks have long been butchered for their lack of defensive intuition, and Singleton would go a long way towards not only repairing that reputation off the court, but more importantly, giving the Knicks a true stopper on it.
They have the star power. Chris Singleton will give them the blue-collar effort they need on the defensive end.
Then maybe, uttering the word "championship" at Madison Square Garden wouldn't be met with such a disapproving stare.
For more 2011 NBA draft coverage, stay tuned to Bleacher Report for updated NBA mock drafts, NBA draft rumors, NBA draft results and draft grades.
