kids encyclopedia robot

New York Knicks facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
New York Knicks
New York Knicks logo
Conference Eastern
Division Atlantic
Founded 1946
History New York Knicks
1946–present
Arena Madison Square Garden
Location New York City, New York
Team colors Royal blue, orange, silver, black, white
                        
Main sponsor Experience Abu Dhabi
President Leon Rose
General manager Gersson Rosas
Head coach Mike Brown
Ownership Madison Square Garden Sports (James L. Dolan, Executive Chairman)
Affiliation(s) Westchester Knicks
Championships 3 (1970, 1973, 2026)
Conference titles 5 (1972, 1973, 1994, 1999, 2026)
NBA Cup titles 1 (2025)
Division titles 8 (1953, 1954, 1970, 1971, 1989, 1993, 1994, 2013)
Retired numbers 8 (10, 12, 15, 15, 19, 22, 24, 33, 613)
Kit body unknown.svg
Association jersey
Team colours
Team colours
Association
Kit body unknown.svg
Icon jersey
Team colours
Team colours
Icon
Kit body unknown.svg
Statement jersey
Team colours
Team colours
Statement
Kit body unknown.svg
City jersey
Team colours
Team colours
City

The New York Knicks are a professional basketball team from New York City. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Knicks are part of the Eastern Conference and the Atlantic Division. Their home games are held at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. They share this arena with the New York Rangers hockey team.

The Knicks are one of the NBA's original teams, founded in 1946. They are one of only two original teams still in their first city. The team has won three NBA championships. Their first two titles were in 1970 and 1973. After a long wait, the Knicks won their third championship in 2026. Famous players like Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Patrick Ewing, and Jalen Brunson have all played for the Knicks.

Team History: From the Start to Today

Early Years and First Finals Appearances (1946–1967)

The New York Knicks were founded in 1946 by Ned Irish. They were one of the first teams in the Basketball Association of America (BAA). This league later merged to form the NBA. The Knicks played their very first game on November 1, 1946, against the Toronto Huskies. They won that game 68–66.

Under their first coach, Joe Lapchick, the Knicks were a strong team. They reached the NBA Finals three times in a row, from 1951 to 1953. However, they did not win the championship during those years. A notable moment from this era was when the Knicks played against Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. Chamberlain scored an incredible 100 points against them in one game.

In 1964, the team drafted Willis Reed. He quickly became a star player and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. This marked the beginning of a new, more successful time for the Knicks.

JoeLapchickGoudeycard
Lapchick was responsible for leading the Knicks during their early success. However, these ventures never culminated with a win in the NBA Finals.

Championship Glory (1967–1975)

The Knicks became a top team in the late 1960s. Coach Red Holzman led them to their first NBA championship in 1970. Key players like Willis Reed and Walt Frazier were central to this success. Reed famously played in Game 7 of the Finals despite an injury, inspiring his team to victory.

The team continued its winning ways. With new players like Earl Monroe, they returned to the Finals in 1972. They lost that year but came back strong in 1973. The Knicks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers to win their second NBA title in four years. After this, Willis Reed retired, and the team's fortunes began to change.

Willis Reed and Walt "Clyde" Frazier, under coach Red Holzman, brought the Knicks two NBA Championships in the early 1970s

The Patrick Ewing Era (1985–2000)

In 1985, the Knicks won the first-ever NBA draft lottery. They used this pick to select Patrick Ewing, a star center from Georgetown University. Ewing quickly became the team's leader and won the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

Under coaches like Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy, the Knicks became known for their tough, defensive style. They reached the NBA Finals twice with Ewing, in 1994 and 1999. They faced the Houston Rockets in 1994 and the San Antonio Spurs in 1999, but lost both series. The 1999 team made a surprising run to the Finals as an eighth-seeded team. Ewing left the team in 2000, ending a memorable era.

Patrick Ewing ca. 1995 cropped
Patrick Ewing played for the Knicks from 1985 to 2000, leading them to the Finals in 1994 and 1999.

Challenges and Rebuilding (2000–2010)

After Ewing's departure, the Knicks went through a challenging period. They struggled to make the playoffs for several years. There were many coaching changes and player moves during this time.

In 2008, Donnie Walsh became the team president. He worked to rebuild the team and create space for new star players. Mike D'Antoni was hired as head coach. The team began to focus on a faster, more exciting style of play.

New Stars and "Linsanity" (2010–2017)

In 2010, the Knicks signed star forward Amar'e Stoudemire. This signing brought new excitement to the team. In 2011, another big trade brought Carmelo Anthony to New York. The Knicks returned to the playoffs in 2011.

During the 2011–12 season, a surprising player named Jeremy Lin captured the world's attention. Lin, a little-known point guard, led the Knicks on an amazing winning streak. This period was called "Linsanity" and brought a lot of energy to the team.

The Knicks continued to improve, winning their division in 2013. They made it to the second round of the playoffs that year. Phil Jackson, a famous former coach, became the team's president in 2014. However, the team struggled again for a few seasons.

Jeremy Lin with the Knicks and reporters
Jeremy Lin was a surprise player that came off the bench during the 2011–12 season.
Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Amar'e Stoudemire all featured in the starting lineup of the early 2010s Knicks

Return to Success and a New Championship (2017–Present)

After more rebuilding, the Knicks started to find their way back. In 2020, Leon Rose became president, and Tom Thibodeau was hired as head coach. Players like Julius Randle and RJ Barrett emerged as key talents. Randle was named the NBA Most Improved Player in 2021, and Thibodeau won Coach of the Year. The team made the playoffs in 2021, ending an eight-year drought.

The 2022 off-season brought Jalen Brunson to the Knicks. He quickly became a leader for the team. In 2024, the Knicks traded for Karl-Anthony Towns, adding another star player. The team had a great 2024–25 season, reaching the Eastern Conference finals.

In 2025, the Knicks won their first-ever NBA Cup title. Jalen Brunson was named the NBA Cup MVP. The team continued its strong performance into the 2025–26 season. They advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4–1 to win their third NBA championship, ending a 53-year wait! Jalen Brunson also earned the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award.

2019 third overall pick guard RJ Barrett, 2021 All-NBA Second Team forward and Most Improved Player Julius Randle, and Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau led the Knicks to a surprisingly successful 41–31 record in 2020–21 and their first playoff berth in years.

Season-by-Season Highlights

Here are the results for the last five seasons. For a full history, see List of New York Knicks seasons.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage

Season GP W L W–L% Finish Playoffs
2021–22 82 37 45 .451 5th, Atlantic Did not qualify
2022–23 82 47 35 .573 3rd, Atlantic Lost in conference semifinals, 2–4 (Heat)
2023–24 82 50 32 .610 2nd, Atlantic Lost in conference semifinals, 3–4 (Pacers)
2024–25 82 51 31 .622 2nd, Atlantic Lost in conference finals, 2–4 (Pacers)
2025–26 82 53 29 .646 2nd, Atlantic NBA champions, 4–1 (Spurs)

Team Colors and Uniforms

The Knicks have used their famous royal blue, orange, and white colors since the beginning. Their uniforms have changed over the years, but these colors always remain.

Early Designs: Father Knickerbocker (1946–1964)

The first Knicks logo showed a character called "Father Knickerbocker" dribbling a basketball. Early uniforms were white for home games and blue for away games, with blue and orange trim.

Classic Look: Roundball Logo (1964–1992)

A very famous logo was introduced in 1964. It featured the word "Knicks" over a brown basketball. This "classic roundball logo" was used for nearly 30 years. The uniforms during this time had an arched "NEW YORK" in orange lettering. These were the uniforms worn during their 1970 and 1973 championship seasons.

Modern Era: Triangle Logo (1992–Present)

In 1992, the Knicks updated their logo. It featured the word "Knicks" in a modern font over a basketball, with a silver triangle. Black was also added as an accent color. Later, the team brought back uniforms inspired by their championship era, but with a bolder "New York" script.

The Knicks also have special uniforms. These include "City" uniforms that celebrate New York City's culture. For example, one uniform honored the city's firefighters. Another "City" uniform featured a design inspired by the New York City skyline. In the 2025–26 season, the "statement" uniform featured a black base with orange and blue gradient stripes.

Team Personnel

Current Roster

Retired Jersey Numbers

The Knicks honor their greatest players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team can wear that number again.

New York Knicks retired numbers
No. Player Position Tenure Date
10 Walt Frazier 1 G 1967–1977 December 15, 1979
12 Dick Barnett G 1965–1973 March 10, 1990
15 5 Earl Monroe G 1971–1980 March 1, 1986
Dick McGuire 2 G 1949–1957 March 14, 1992
19 Willis Reed 3 C 1964–1974 October 21, 1976
22 Dave DeBusschere F 1969–1974 March 24, 1981
24 Bill Bradley F 1967–1977 February 18, 1984
33 Patrick Ewing C 1985–2000 February 28, 2003
613 Red Holzman 4 — 1967–1977
1978–1982		 March 10, 1990

Notes:

  • 1 Also served as a broadcaster.
  • 2 Also served as head coach (1965–1968) and scouting director.
  • 3 Also served as head coach (1977–1978).
  • 4 As head coach; the number represents his 613 victories coaching the Knicks.
  • 5 Number retired twice, first for Monroe and six years later for McGuire.
  • The NBA retired Bill Russell's No. 6 for all its member teams on August 11, 2022.

Basketball Hall of Famers

Many Knicks players and coaches have been honored in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Players
No. Name Position Tenure Inducted No. Name Position Tenure Inducted
6 Tom Gola G/F 1962–1966 1976 32 Jerry Lucas 1 C 1971–1974 1980
7 Slater Martin G 1956 1982 19 Willis Reed C 1964–1974 1982
24 Bill Bradley F/G 1967–1977 1982 22 Dave DeBusschere F 1969–1974 1983
10 Walt Frazier G 1967–1977 1987 15
21
33		 Earl Monroe G 1972–1980 1990
11 Harry Gallatin 2 F/C 1948–1957 1991 15 Dick McGuire G 1949–1957 1993
8 Walt Bellamy 3 C 1965–1968 1993 11 Bob McAdoo F/C 1976–1979 2000
33 Patrick Ewing 4 C 1985–2000 2008 9 Richie Guerin G 1956–1963 2013
30 Bernard King F 1982–1987 2013 8
19		 Nathaniel Clifton F 1950–1956 2014
42 Spencer Haywood F/C 1975–1979 2015 55 Dikembe Mutombo C 2003–2004 2015
3 Tracy McGrady G/F 2010 2017 1 Maurice Cheeks G 1990–1991 2018
5 Jason Kidd 5 G 2012–2013 2018 4 Carl Braun 6 G 1947–1950
1952–1961		 2019
44 Paul Westphal G 1981–1983 2019 12 Dick Barnett G 1965–1973 2024
4 Chauncey Billups G 2011 2024 7 Carmelo Anthony 7 F 2011–2017 2025
1 Amar'e Stoudemire F/C 2010–2015 2026
Coaches
Name Position Tenure Inducted Name Position Tenure Inducted
613 Red Holzman Head coach 1967–1977
1978–1982		 1986 Lenny Wilkens 8 Head coach 2004–2005 1998
Larry Brown Head coach 2005–2006 2002 Pat Riley Head coach 1991–1995 2008
Don Nelson Head coach 1995–1996 2012 Rick Pitino 9 Head coach 1987–1989 2013
Contributors
Name Position Tenure Inducted Name Position Tenure Inducted
Ned Irish Founder/President 1946–1974 1964 Hubie Brown Head coach 1982–1986 2005

Notes:

  • 1 In total, Lucas was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the 1960 Olympic team.
  • 2 Also served as head coach (1965–1966).
  • 3 In total, Bellamy was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the 1960 Olympic team.
  • 4 In total, Ewing was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the 1992 Olympic team.
  • 5 In total, Kidd was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the 2008 Olympic team.
  • 6 Also served as head coach (1959–1961).
  • 7 In total, Anthony was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice – as player and as a member of the 2008 Olympic team.
  • 8 In total, Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame three times – as player, as coach and as a member of the 1992 Olympic team.
  • 9 Also served as assistant coach (1983–1985).

All-Star Game Selections

Many Knicks players have been chosen to play in the NBA All-Star Game.

Team Management

Presidents and Owners

The Knicks have had several leaders and owners throughout their history.

Head Coaches

Main article: List of New York Knicks head coaches

Team Records and Awards

Franchise Leaders (Regular Season)

These players hold the top spots in various statistics for the Knicks. Bold means the player is still active with the team. Italic means the player is still active but not with the team.

Points scored (regular season) as of the end of the 2025–26 season

  1. Patrick Ewing (23,665)
  2. Walt Frazier (14,617)
  3. Willis Reed (12,183)
  4. Allan Houston (11,165)
  5. Carl Braun (10,449)
  6. Richie Guerin (10,392)
  7. Carmelo Anthony (10,186)
  8. Earl Monroe (9,679)
  9. Dick Barnett (9,442)
  10. Bill Bradley (9,217)
  11. Bill Cartwright (9,006)
  12. John Starks (8,489)
  13. Willie Naulls (8,318)
  14. Gerald Wilkins (8,258)
  15. Harry Gallatin (7,771)
  16. Charles Oakley (7,528)
  17. Jalen Brunson (7,462)
  18. Julius Randle (7,445)
  19. Dave DeBusschere (6,957)
  20. Kenny Sears (6,854)

Other statistics (regular season) as of the end of the 2025–26 season

Most minutes played
Player Minutes
Patrick Ewing 37,586
Walt Frazier 28,995
Charles Oakley 23,959
Willis Reed 23,073
Bill Bradley 22,799
Most rebounds
Player Rebounds
Patrick Ewing 10,759
Willis Reed 8,414
Charles Oakley 7,291
Harry Gallatin 5,935
Willie Naulls 5,015
Most assists
Player Assists
Walt Frazier 4,791
Mark Jackson 4,005
Dick McGuire 2,950
Carl Braun 2,821
Richie Guerin 2,725
Most steals
Player Steals
Patrick Ewing 1,061
Charles Oakley 844
Micheal Ray Richardson 810
Ray Williams 750
Charlie Ward 744
Most blocks
Player Blocks
Patrick Ewing 2,758
Mitchell Robinson 690
Bill Cartwright 543
Marvin Webster 542
Kurt Thomas 479

Individual Awards

Knicks players and coaches have won many important NBA awards.

NBA MVP

NBA Finals MVP

NBA Eastern Conference finals MVP

NBA Cup MVP

NBA Rookie of the Year

NBA Sixth Man of the Year

NBA Defensive Player of the Year

NBA Most Improved Player

NBA Clutch Player of the Year

NBA Coach of the Year

NBA Sportsmanship Award

J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award

NBA scoring champion

NBA All-Star Game head coaches

All-NBA First Team

All-NBA Second Team

All-NBA Third Team

NBA All-Defensive First Team

NBA All-Defensive Second Team

NBA All-Rookie First Team

NBA All-Rookie Second Team

Team Rivalries

The Knicks have some exciting rivalries with other NBA teams.

Boston Celtics

The Knicks and the Boston Celtics are two of the oldest teams in the NBA. Their rivalry is very strong, much like the famous Yankees–Red Sox rivalry in baseball. They have played many intense games, especially in the playoffs. The Knicks defeated the Celtics in the conference semifinals in the 2024–25 season.

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets are the Knicks' closest rivals because both teams are in New York City. The Knicks play in Manhattan, and the Nets play in Brooklyn. This rivalry is sometimes called the "Clash of the Boroughs." They have met in the playoffs three times, with the Knicks winning two of those series.

Chicago Bulls

The Knicks have a big rivalry with the Chicago Bulls. This was especially true in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Back then, both teams had amazing players like Michael Jordan for the Bulls and Patrick Ewing for the Knicks. They often met in the playoffs, leading to many memorable games.

Indiana Pacers

The rivalry between the Knicks and the Indiana Pacers began in 1993. It became famous for the exciting matchups between Reggie Miller of the Pacers and Knicks fan Spike Lee. Miller was even nicknamed "The Knick-Killer" for his clutch plays against New York. They met in the playoffs many times, including in the 2024 playoffs.

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are another strong rival for the Knicks. These two teams had intense playoff battles from 1997 to 2000. All four of those series went down to the very last game. Pat Riley, who coached the Knicks to the 1994 Finals, later coached the Heat, adding more fuel to the rivalry.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: New York Knicks para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
New York Knicks Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.