New York Knicks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New York Knicks
Conference	Eastern
Division	Atlantic
Founded	1946
History	New York Knicks 1946–present
Arena	Madison Square Garden
Location	New York, New York
Team colors	Royal blue, orange, silver, black, white
Main sponsor	Sphere
President	Leon Rose
General manager	Gersson Rosas
Head coach	Tom Thibodeau
Ownership	Madison Square Garden Sports (James Dolan, Executive Chairman)
Affiliation(s)	Westchester Knicks
Championships	2 (1970, 1973)
Conference titles	4 (1972, 1973, 1994, 1999)
Division titles	8 (1953, 1954, 1970, 1971, 1989, 1993, 1994, 2013)
Retired numbers	8 (10, 12, 15, 15, 19, 22, 24, 33, 613)
Association Icon Statement City Classic

The New York Knicks, also known as the New York Knickerbockers, are a professional basketball team from Manhattan, New York City. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as part of the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. Their home games are held at Madison Square Garden, which they share with the New York Rangers hockey team. The Knicks are one of two NBA teams in New York City, the other being the Brooklyn Nets. They are also one of only two original NBA teams still playing in their founding city, the other being the Boston Celtics.

The team was started by Ned Irish in 1946. They were one of the first teams in the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which later became the NBA in 1949. The Knicks did well in their early years, often reaching the playoffs under coach Joe Lapchick. They even made it to the NBA Finals three times in a row starting in 1950, but they didn't win any championships then.

In the late 1960s, with Red Holzman as coach, the Knicks became a top team again. They won two NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. The 1980s were a mixed bag, with some playoff appearances but no Finals trips.

The 1990s Knicks, led by star player Patrick Ewing, were known for their tough defense. They had big rivalries with teams like the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Miami Heat. They reached the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999 but couldn't win the championship.

Since 2000, the Knicks have faced challenges. However, in 2012–13, led by Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, they won their first division title in 19 years. They made the playoffs again in 2020–21, led by Julius Randle and RJ Barrett.

The Knicks' Journey: A Look at Their History

The New York Knicks have a long and exciting history in professional basketball. Let's explore how they became one of the most famous teams in the NBA.

Starting the Team: The Early Years (1946–1967)

In 1946, basketball was becoming very popular in New York City. Max Kase, a sportswriter, thought a professional league for college players would be a great idea. He talked to Walter A. Brown, who owned the Boston Garden arena. Brown liked the idea because it meant more events for his arena.

On June 6, 1946, Kase, Brown, and 17 others met in New York City. They formed the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which gave teams to major cities. Ned Irish, a college basketball promoter and president of Madison Square Garden, was at the meeting. Irish wanted a unique name for his New York team. He asked his staff to write down their ideas, and the name "Knickerbockers" was chosen. This name comes from a character used by writer Washington Irving and refers to the descendants of the original Dutch settlers of New York.

Irish hired Joe Lapchick, a successful college coach, to lead the team. The Knicks played their first game ever on November 1, 1946, against the Toronto Huskies in Toronto. They won 68–66! The Knicks finished their first season with a good record and made the playoffs.

Under coach Lapchick, the Knicks made the playoffs nine times in a row starting in 1947. They had star players like Carl Braun, Harry Gallatin, and Dick McGuire. In the early 1950s, the Knicks reached the NBA Finals three times (1951, 1952, 1953) but lost each time. After Lapchick left in 1956, the team struggled for a while.

The Knicks drafted Willis Reed in 1964, who quickly became a star. However, the team still had trouble winning consistently.

Championship Glory: The Golden Years (1967–1975)

Things changed when Red Holzman became head coach in the middle of the 1967–68 season. He helped the team improve and reach the playoffs. The team also added key players like Walt Frazier and Dave DeBusschere.

In the 1969–70 season, the Knicks had an amazing year, winning 18 games in a row! They finished with a 60–22 record, which was their best ever at that time. They made it to the NBA Finals to face the Los Angeles Lakers. In Game 5, their captain, Willis Reed, injured his leg. Even without him, the Knicks won that game.

Then came Game 7, one of the most famous moments in NBA history. Reed bravely limped onto the court, inspiring his teammates. He scored the first two baskets, and even though he couldn't play much more, his courage pushed the Knicks to a 113–99 victory. They won their first NBA championship! Reed was named the league MVP and Finals MVP that season.

The Knicks continued their success. With new players like Jerry Lucas and Earl Monroe, they reached the Finals again in 1972, losing to the Lakers. But in 1973, they got their revenge, beating the Lakers in five games to win their second NBA title! After Willis Reed retired in 1974, the team's winning ways started to slow down.

The Patrick Ewing Era (1985–2000)

In 1985, the Knicks won the first-ever NBA draft lottery, which meant they got the first pick in the draft. They chose Patrick Ewing, a talented center from Georgetown University. Ewing was an instant star, leading all rookies in scoring and rebounds and winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

Under coach Rick Pitino, the Knicks started to improve. They traded for Charles Oakley and won their first division title in 18 years in 1989. They became a strong playoff team, known for their tough defense.

Pat Riley and Tough Defense

In 1991, Pat Riley became the head coach. Riley, who had won championships with the Lakers, made the Knicks a very physical and defensive team. Led by Ewing and guard John Starks, the team had a 51–31 record in 1992. They often faced the Chicago Bulls in the playoffs, who were led by Michael Jordan. The Knicks and Bulls had intense, hard-fought series.

In 1994, after Michael Jordan retired for the first time, many thought it was the Knicks' chance to win a championship. They won their division again and made it to the NBA Finals, where they played the Houston Rockets. It was a very close series, going to seven games. The Knicks lost Game 7, missing out on the championship.

Jeff Van Gundy Takes Over

After Riley left in 1995, longtime assistant Jeff Van Gundy became the head coach. The Knicks continued to be a strong team with players like Larry Johnson and Allan Houston. They had heated playoff series against the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers.

In the 1998–99 season, the Knicks barely made the playoffs with a 27–23 record. But they went on an amazing "Cinderella" run! As the #8 seed, they upset the #1 seeded Miami Heat. They then beat the Atlanta Hawks and, even without an injured Patrick Ewing, defeated the Indiana Pacers to become the first #8 seed to reach the NBA Finals. However, they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.

The 1999–2000 season was Patrick Ewing's last with the Knicks. They had another good season and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but lost to the Indiana Pacers. After the season, Ewing was traded, ending an important era for the team.

Challenges and Rebuilding (2000–2010)

After Ewing left, the Knicks struggled to find consistent success. They missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade in 2002. The team went through several coaches and players, trying to find the right mix.

Isiah Thomas became the team's president in 2003. He made many changes, including bringing in Stephon Marbury. The team made the playoffs in 2004 but were swept in the first round. The Knicks continued to have losing seasons, often signing players to expensive contracts that didn't work out.

In 2008, Donnie Walsh became the new team president. He aimed to rebuild the team and free up salary space to sign new stars. Mike D'Antoni was hired as head coach. The team traded many players to prepare for the 2010 off-season, hoping to attract top players.

New Stars Arrive: Carmelo Anthony and Linsanity (2010–2017)

In 2010, the Knicks signed star forward-center Amar'e Stoudemire. This signing brought excitement back to the team, and they started selling out their season tickets again. Stoudemire, along with young players like Raymond Felton and Danilo Gallinari, helped the Knicks have a winning record by the All-Star break in 2011.

Carmelo Anthony Joins the Team

In February 2011, the Knicks made a big trade to get Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets. Anthony, a scoring superstar, joined Stoudemire to form a powerful duo. The Knicks made the playoffs in 2011, ending an eight-year drought, but lost in the first round.

The Rise of "Linsanity"

During the 2011–12 season, the Knicks were struggling. Then, a surprise player named Jeremy Lin, who was a third-string point guard, got a chance to play. Lin played incredibly well, leading the Knicks to a seven-game winning streak. This amazing period was called "Linsanity" and captured national attention.

Coach D'Antoni resigned in March 2012, and assistant Mike Woodson took over. Under Woodson, the Knicks finished the season strong and made the playoffs for the second year in a row. They lost in the first round to the Miami Heat.

Winning the Division Title

In the 2012–13 season, the Knicks added veteran players like Tyson Chandler and Jason Kidd. They had a fantastic start to the season and went on a 13-game winning streak, one of the longest in franchise history. On April 9, 2013, the Knicks won the Atlantic Division title for the first time since 1994! They defeated the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, their first playoff series win since 2000. However, they lost in the second round to the Indiana Pacers.

The Phil Jackson Era

In 2014, legendary coach Phil Jackson, who won many championships with other teams, became the Knicks' president of basketball operations. He hired Derek Fisher as the new head coach. The team struggled, finishing with a disappointing record. Carmelo Anthony, however, set a new Madison Square Garden record by scoring 62 points in one game.

The Knicks had their worst season ever in 2014–15, winning only 17 games. In 2015, they drafted Kristaps Porziņģis, a promising young player. Fisher was later replaced by Jeff Hornacek as coach. Jackson's time as president ended in 2017 after three losing seasons.

Recent Years: Return to Relevance (2017–Present)

After Phil Jackson left, Steve Mills became president and Scott Perry became general manager. Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, making Kristaps Porziņģis the new main player. The team continued to struggle, leading to coach Hornacek being replaced by David Fizdale in 2018.

In 2019, Porziņģis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. The Knicks finished the 2018–19 season with the worst record in the league. They drafted RJ Barrett with the third overall pick. The team signed several new players for the 2019–20 season, including Julius Randle.

The Thibodeau Era and Jalen Brunson

In 2020, Leon Rose became the team president, and Tom Thibodeau was hired as head coach. Julius Randle had an amazing season in 2020–21, becoming an All-Star and winning the NBA Most Improved Player award. Thibodeau was named NBA Coach of the Year. The Knicks made the playoffs for the first time since 2013, ending an eight-year drought, but lost in the first round.

In 2022, the Knicks signed point guard Jalen Brunson. He brought much-needed stability to the team. In the 2022–23 season, the Knicks finished with a 47–35 record and won their first playoff series since 2013, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers. They lost in the second round to the Miami Heat.

In 2024, both Brunson and Randle were All-Stars. The Knicks finished with 50 wins and secured the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round but lost a tough seven-game series to the Indiana Pacers in the second round.

Knicks Season Records

Here's a quick look at how the Knicks have done in their last five seasons.

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

Knicks Team Logos and Uniforms

The Knicks have had several different looks over the years, but they always keep their classic blue and orange colors!

Early Designs: Father Knickerbocker (1946–1964)

The very first Knicks logo featured a character called "Father Knickerbocker" dribbling a basketball. Their home uniforms were white with blue and orange, and away uniforms were blue with orange and white.

The Classic Roundball Era (1964–1992)

A very famous logo was introduced in 1964, showing the word "Knicks" over a brown basketball. This is known as the "classic roundball logo."

Championship Uniforms (1968–1979; 1983–1997)

The uniforms worn during their 1970 and 1973 championship wins had an arched "NEW YORK" in orange letters. A unique feature was the player's name on the back, which was in a special "vertical arch" style.

Crimson Red Era (1979–1983)

For a short time, the Knicks changed their colors to navy and crimson red. The uniforms had a different, more flowing font for the team name.

Modern Look (1992–Present)

In 1992, the "roundball logo" was updated with a more modern font and a silver triangle. Black was also added as an accent color. New uniforms with black side stripes were introduced.

Since 2012, the Knicks have used uniforms inspired by their championship era. They have a bolder "New York" script. They even tried an orange alternate uniform in 2013, but it didn't last long.

With Nike becoming the NBA's uniform provider in 2017, the Knicks now have different uniform sets: "Association" (white), "Icon" (blue), "Statement" (alternate color), and "City" (special designs). The "City" uniforms often pay tribute to New York City's culture, like firefighters or the skyline.

Knicks Team Personnel

Current Roster

Draft Rights Held

The Knicks hold the rights to some players drafted who are currently playing outside the NBA. This means if those players decide to play in the NBA, the Knicks would have the first chance to sign them.

Draft	Round	Pick	Player	Pos.	Nationality	Current team	Note(s)	Ref
2023	2	31	Nnaji, JamesJames Nnaji	C	Nigeria	Girona (Spain)	Acquired from the Detroit Pistons (via Charlotte)
2021	2	34	Jokubaitis, RokasRokas Jokubaitis	G	Lithuania	Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (Israel)	Acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder
2017	2	50	Lessort, MathiasMathias Lessort	C	France	Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (Greece)	Acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers (via LA Clippers and Minnesota)
2017	2	58	Jaramaz, OgnjenOgnjen Jaramaz	G	Serbia	Saski Baskonia (Spain)
2016	2	57	Zhelin, WangWang Zhelin	C	China	Shanghai Sharks (China)	Acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies (via LA Lakers)
2015	2	39	Vaulet, Juan PabloJuan Pablo Vaulet	F	Argentina	Zunder Palencia (Spain)	Acquired from the Indiana Pacers (via Brooklyn and Charlotte)
2015	2	57	Radičević, NikolaNikola Radičević	G	Serbia	Cedevita Olimpija (Slovenia)	Acquired from the Denver Nuggets (via Detroit)
2013	2	59	Dubljević, BojanBojan Dubljević	F	Montenegro	Casademont Zaragoza (Spain)	Acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers (via Minnesota)
2009	2	34	Llull, SergioSergio Llull	G	Spain	Real Madrid (Spain)	Acquired from the Denver Nuggets (via Houston)
2009	2	57	Preldžić, EmirEmir Preldžić	G/F	Turkey	Orlovik Žepče (Bosnia and Herzegovina)	Acquired from the Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland, Washington, Dallas, Indiana, Toronto and Philadelphia)

Retired Jersey Numbers

The Knicks have honored many great players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team can wear that number.

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

Notes:

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

All-Star Game Selections

Many Knicks players have been chosen to play in the NBA All-Star Game, which features the league's best players.

Knicks Team Management

Team Presidents

Team Owners

Head Coaches

Knicks Player Records

Here are some of the all-time leaders for the New York Knicks in different categories.

Points scored (regular season) as of the end of the 2023–24 season

Other statistics (regular season) as of the end of the 2023–24 season

Individual Awards and Honors

Many Knicks players and coaches have won important awards for their great performances.

Knicks Team Rivalries

The New York Knicks have some exciting rivalries with other NBA teams, often because of their history or location.

Rivalry with the Boston Celtics

The Knicks and the Boston Celtics are two of the oldest teams in the NBA. Their rivalry is similar to other famous New York City vs. Boston sports rivalries, like the Yankees vs. Red Sox. The cities are close, which adds to the excitement.

They have played each other many times in the playoffs. In 2013, the Knicks, led by Carmelo Anthony, beat the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

Rivalry with the Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets are the Knicks' closest rivals because both teams are in New York City. The Knicks are in Manhattan, and the Nets are in Brooklyn. This rivalry is sometimes called the "Clash of the Boroughs," like the Subway Series in baseball between the Yankees and Mets.

The Knicks and Nets have met in the playoffs three times. The Knicks won in 1983 and 1994, while the Nets won their most recent playoff series in 2004.

Rivalry with the Chicago Bulls

The Knicks and Chicago Bulls had a very intense rivalry in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This was when both teams were strong playoff contenders, with stars like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen for the Bulls, and Patrick Ewing and John Starks for the Knicks. Their playoff games were always tough and exciting.

After both teams went through rebuilding, the rivalry started to heat up again in the 2010s with players like Derrick Rose for the Bulls and Carmelo Anthony for the Knicks.

Rivalry with the Indiana Pacers

The rivalry between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers began in 1993 and became one of the most famous in NBA history. They played each other in the playoffs six times between 1993 and 2000. This rivalry was known for the intense competition between Pacers star Reggie Miller and famous Knicks fan Spike Lee. Miller was even nicknamed "The Knick-Killer" because of his clutch plays against New York.

The rivalry was renewed in the 2013 and 2024 NBA playoffs, with the Pacers winning both series.

Rivalry with the Miami Heat

The Miami Heat were another strong rival for the Knicks. They met in the playoffs every year from 1997 to 2000, and all four series went to the maximum number of games. This rivalry was extra special because Pat Riley, who coached the Heat at the time, used to coach the Knicks and led them to the 1994 NBA Finals.

The two teams met again in the 2012 playoffs, with the Heat winning that series.

Images for kids

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

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  Willis Reed

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  Walt "Clyde" Frazier

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  Knicks coach Red Holzman

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

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  The current Madison Square Garden has been the home of the Knicks since 1968.

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  Isiah Thomas as coach of the Knicks in 2007. He stayed six years on the bench

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  Marbury, a Brooklyn native, played for the Knicks from 2004 to 2009.

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  The Knicks in action at Madison Square Garden in the 2008–09 season.

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  Mike D'Antoni, head coach of the Knicks from 2008 to 2012

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  Carmelo Anthony

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  Tyson Chandler

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  Amar'e Stoudemire

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  Jeremy Lin was a surprise player that came off the bench during the 2011–12 season.

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  Mike Woodson, head coach of the Knicks from 2012 to 2014

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  The Knicks observed their worst-ever regular season record under the stewardship of Phil Jackson, who acted as the president of the franchise from 2013 to 2017.

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  RJ Barrett

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  Jalen Brunson

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  Tom Thibodeau

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  Jalen Brunson signed with the Knicks in 2022.

See also

In Spanish: New York Knicks para niños