NBA Draft 2011: New York Knicks' 10 Biggest Steals in Draft History

The New York Knicks and their fans are alive with buzz in regards to the upcoming 2011 NBA draft.

This draft is projected to be laden with talent for only the first few picks, rendering it one of the weaker drafts in the event's history.

As a result of the projected shallowness of talent in the draft, the Knicks are actively trying to move up the order and ensure that they can draft a player who can make a difference.

Many Knicks fans would love to see New York in a position to draft sharpshooters Jimmer Fredette or Chris Singleton, but currently, holding the 17th overall pick, the Knicks are not expected to have a shot at either.

If New York fails to move up in the draft order, many fans will be disappointed.  However, it is at times like those that fans need to really stop and think about how holding one of the top picks does not necessarily guarantee anything.

Remember all the lottery flops that the Knicks have had?

Better yet, this would be a great time to reflect on all the draft steals that the Knicks have had over their history.

You know what I'm talking about—the player who no one thought would make a great impact and did.  Or the player who exceeded expectations and wound up being more successful than those drafted before him.

Here's to all the underdogs who have shocked us and made contributions way above their draft grades.

And with that in mind, let us take a look at the Knicks' 10 biggest draft steals of all time.

Spoiler alert: Frederic Weis took the No. 1 slide.

Relax.  I'm only kidding.

10. Acquired Draft Rights of Toney Douglas (29th Overall) in 2009 NBA Draft

Many will not consider Toney Douglas that big of a draft steal, but the fact is that year he was.

New York acquired his rights from the Los Angeles Lakers after he was drafted 29th overall.

Some may say that Douglas has played like a 29th overall player up until now.  However, those people are not giving Douglas his credit.

On his career, Douglas has averaged nearly 10 points, three assists and one steal per game, which is more than solid for a backup point guard.  What's more is he has emerged as one of the league's leading three-point shooters, shooting nearly 38 percent from behind the arc for his career.

This past season, only his second, Douglas showed tremendous improvement.  He maintained his natural scoring ability and defensive edge, while improving his court vision and doing a better job of discerning between the time to pass and penetrate.

However, it is not just stats that make him a steal, but also the nature of that year's draft.  The Knicks drafted Jordan Hill at the eighth spot, and many thought that with his athleticism, he would prove to be the real steal.

Well, Hill is no longer with the team and playing nowhere near the level that Douglas is.  The now-Houston Rockets forward has averaged only 5.5 points and four rebounds per game in his first two seasons—abysmal numbers, especially in terms of rebounds, for a guy standing at 6'10".

Douglas has also performed better than many of the guards drafted before him, most notably Johnny Flynn who was drafted at the sixth spot by the Minnesota Timberwolves, among others.

Yes, Douglas was definitely a draft steal, and as he develops he may even move his way up on this list.

9. Kurt Rambis (58th Overall) in 1980 NBA Draft

Kurt Rambis, now the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves is one of the steals that the Knicks had, but never fully realized.

New York drafted him 58th overall in the 1980 NBA draft, but he gained his reputation with the Lakers where he helped bring Los Angeles four NBA titles.

Rambis' stats do not jump out at you.  On his career he averaged 5.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, but he gained a reputation for being a hard-working underdog.  While with Los Angeles, he was reveled for his rebounding prowess and defensive abilities.

Additionally, he was not only effective off the bench, but provided his teams with a consistent option as a starter.  He started 77 games for the Lakers in the 1982-1983 season.

No, Rambis is no Hall of Famer, but he exceeded the expectations of a 58th overall pick.  Many thought his NBA days were over before they even began when he went to play in Italy.

However, Rambis fought his way back into the NBA and wound up having a long and effective career. Although he never played for the Knicks, he still makes the cut because a player of his demeanor was definitely a steal that late in the draft.

8. Charlie Ward (26th Overall) in 1994 NBA Draft

A multiple-sport athlete, Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward elected to pursue a professional basketball career as opposed to professional football.

And the Knicks were glad he did.

Ward proved to be quite the steal at 26th overall in the 1994 NBA draft.

On his career, Ward averaged 6.3 points, four assists and 1.23 steals per game.  Again, these are not numbers that scream game-changer, but Ward was nonetheless effective.

He was a large part of the Knicks success in the 1990s and a reliable three-point shooter at over 36 percent.  Additionally, he had the best defensive ability out of any other guard in that year's draft.

Ward should have been at least a mid-first-rounder as opposed to at the bottom.  

As previously noted, his stats are nothing extravagant, but he was as reliable as anyone over the course of his career and proved to be a real commodity that other teams missed out on.

But other teams' losses proved to be the Knicks' gains.

7. Phil Jackson (17th Overall) in 1967 NBA Draft

The Knicks drafted Phil Jackson 17th overall in the 1967 NBA draft.

At the time, 17th overall meant that he was drafted in the second round, which actually contributes to his ranking on the list.  Now a 17th overall would be the first round, but since Jackson is considered a second-round pick, he gets the No. 6 spot.

On his career, Jackson averaged 6.7 points and over four rebounds per game.  Again we have a player on the list without incredible stats who was better known for the intangibles he brought with him on the floor.

Jackson was a tough defender and worked hard on both ends of the floor.  He was an integral part of the Knicks' only two championship teams in 1970 and 1973.  

His name often gets lost behind the likes of Walt "Clyde" Frazier and Willis Reed, but Jackson was just as important to New York's championship run. 

Jackson displayed a knowledge of the game that was matched by hardly anyone, which translated into his successful coaching career.  Yes, Jackson brought all the necessary intangibles needed to help win a championship, and he did so as a former second-round draft pick.

Very impressive.

6. Wilson Chandler (23rd Overall) in 2007 NBA Draft

This is the first of a few slides that may be hard to read for current Knicks fans.

The Knicks drafted Wilson Chandler 23rd overall in the 2007 NBA draft, who fully came into his own this past season before New York sent him to the Denver Nuggets as part of a deal for Carmelo Anthony.

On his career, Chandler has averaged 13.9 points and over five rebounds per game.  He is an above-average defender and is both an inside and outside threat.

When he came into the league, Chandler already had an NBA-type body, and it's a wonder why no team took a chance on him sooner.  Over the past four seasons, Chandler has added even more muscle and become one of the more unstoppable forwards in the game.

Additionally, Chandler has the versatility to play the 2, 3 or 4 positions, and was even caught playing the 5 at times while with New York.

To further prove how Chandler was a huge steal for the Knicks in the draft, we need only look at some of the other forwards drafted in front of him.

Chandler has out-performed the likes of Corey Brewer (sixth overall), Julian Wright (13th overall) and Nick Young (16th overall).  

Recently, Chandler has even drawn comparisons to Carmelo Antony.  Some believe that the only thing separating the two is confidence.  Chandler has all the tools to bring his game to Anthony's level one day though.

And this fact makes him a huge draft steal for the Knicks.  It's just a shame they traded him before they got to fully experience how much of a steal he actually was.

5. David Lee (30th Overall) in 2005 NBA Draft

It was tempting to give this spot to Wilson Chandler, but the fact is David Lee became an All-Star before many of those drafted before him in 2005, when the Knicks selected him 30th overall.

Lee was the lone shining star during his time with the Knicks, who were abysmal as a team during his tenure.

For his career, Lee has averaged 13.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.  In 2010, his last year with the Knicks, Lee averaged 20.2 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, the same year he was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team.

His numbers slipped a bit this past season with Golden State Warriors, but this is to be expected when Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry get most of the touches.

It is a complete mystery how Lee was left to be selected as the 30th overall pick in 2005.  Teams passed on him for a number of lesser skilled players, even the Knicks.  New York drafted Nate Robinson at No. 21 before drafting Lee at No. 30.

No matter, though, as Lee proved to be one of the best players in that draft, along with Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

Lee is a borderline superstar, and next season, having become fully acclimated to the Warriors system, he should be able to remove "borderline" from that title.

The Knicks parted ways with him in favor of Amar'e Stoudemire, but even they would be the first to admit he was one of the biggest draft steals in team history.

4. Gerald Wilkins (47th Overall) in 1985 NBA Draft

Gerald Wilkins, younger brother of former Atlanta Hawks superstar Dominique Wilkins, proved to be one of the biggest draft steals the Knicks ever got.

New York drafted him 47th overall in the 1985 NBA draft and he spent seven seasons in orange and blue.

During his time with the Knicks he averaged 14.9 points, 3.5 assists and three rebounds per game.  Not bad for a player drafted near the bottom of the draft, is it?

Wilkins was an average three-point shooter, but an above-average defender, grabbing one steal per game over his career.  No one expected much from Wilkens; he was relatively unknown.  Some even think that New York only selected him because of his relation to Dominique.

However, not long after entering the NBA and joining the Knicks, Wilkens broke out from his brother's shadow and made a name for himself.  He played 14 years in the NBA is one of the best draft steals the Knicks ever selected.

3. Trevor Ariza (44th Overall) in 2004 NBA Draft

The Knicks drafted Trevor Ariza 44th overall in the 2004 NBA draft, which proved to be one of Isiah Thomas' only good decisions while with New York.

No one thought Ariza would even see playing time in his first year.  He surprised everyone by appearing in 80 games his rookie season.

Ariza, now with the New Orleans Hornets, has averaged 8.9 points and over four rebounds thus far in his career.  This past postseason though, he exploded, averaging over 15 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Notable players of similar size and position drafted higher than Ariza are Luke Jackson (10th overall) and Kirk Snyder (15th overall).  Both players were not nearly as capable as Ariza and are left fighting for spots on teams.

Ariza meanwhile just finished his seventh year as a pro in extravagant fashion.  He is one of the most versatile players in the game.  He can defend, score and rebound, a rarity among guard-forwards.

The Knicks shipped him off to the Orlando Magic during the 2005-2006 season in a trade for Steve Francis, one the Knicks came to regret.

Ariza has solidified his spot within this league as one of the premiere role players, and was most certainly one of the greatest draft steals in Knicks history. 

2. Landry Fields (39th Overall) in 2010 NBA Draft

We all knew this slide was coming.

Landry Fields was selected 39th overall in last year's NBA draft by the Knicks.  Many thought he was too soft to succeed in the NBA, but he proved critics wrong.

Fields played in all 82 regular-season games, starting in 81 one of them.  He averaged 9.7 points and over six rebounds per game, and emerged as one of the best rebounding guards in the league.

Additionally, Fields proved his worth on defense, succeeding on the occasions he was tasked with guarding Dwyane Wade.

Toward season's end, Field's production started to slip, and he had an abysmal playoffs, but expectations are high for this rookie sensation.

Fields has drawn comparisons to the previous slide holder: Trevor Ariza.

If Fields can continue to play consistently smart basketball and develop his confidence and outside shot further, he is poised to become a borderline All-Star.  

People say that the shooting guard position is a question mark for the Knicks, but in my opinion, there is no question.  Fields is the solution to this imaginary problem.  Sure, his production dropped toward the end, but knowing the type of player he is, you better believe he is going to work hard during the offseason to ensure that doesn't happen again.

Fields proved to be more NBA ready than the second overall pick in last year's draft, shooting guard Evan Turner.  Turner averaged only 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.

Fields has enormous potential.  And that is why, come draft night, the Knicks should turn their focus to size and rebounding, rather than trying to move up to select another 2-guard.

Jimmer Fredette, who?

1. Wilis Reed (10th Overall) in 1964 NBA Draft

Willis Reed tops the list of the Knicks' all-time best draft steals.

The Knicks selected Reed with the first pick in the second round of the 1964 NBA draft.  Of course, at that time, this meant he was drafted 10th overall.

Regardless, Reed still is the greatest draft steal in Knicks history.

In his rookie season, he averaged 19.5 points and 14.7 rebounds per game.  Reed went on to win the NBA's Rookie of the Year award that year.

But he wasn't done.

Reed helped lead the Knicks to their only two NBA titles in 1970 and 1973, and we all remember how he triumphantly limped out onto the court in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the Lakers, inspiring a New York victory.

On his career, Reed averaged 18.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.  He is in the Hall of Fame and considered one of the 50 greatest players to ever play the game.

Additionally, Reed won the NBA MVP award in 1970, was a two-time Finals MVP, a seven-time All-Star and the 1970 All-Star Game MVP.

Yes, Reed was drafted only 10th overall, but one has to wonder how he got that low.  As it stands, Reed proved to be the best player that draft had to offer.

And he still stands to be the greatest draft steal in New York Knicks history.

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