New York Knicks: Reshaping the future by learning from the past
By Eric Snyder
A diamond who was rough
There is a big difference between drafting the right player and developing that player into something special. What may be even more difficult than drafting correctly is finding NBA gold in the wasteland of discarded players.
The Knicks did just that in the summer of 1991 by signing one of the most beloved players in recent memory: Anthony Mason.
Mason bounced around the globe playing in Turkey and Venezuela for a few years before reentering the NBA radar. The Portland Trail Blazers, New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets all cut Mason at some point after only a short time on each team. After a successful season in the USBL, Pat Riley brought Mason in and the rest is Knicks history.
Finding a player who understands the brevity of NBA opportunity in a world of mixtape divas is no easy feat. The 2017 version of the New York Knicks needs a few players like Anthony Mason. Furthermore, Phil Jackson and his staff need to develop marginal players into steady role players.
Defense has been a major issue for the Knicks the last decade. The grit and determination of under-appreciated players is often revealed on the defensive end of the floor.
It is those gritty role players who appreciate their NBA dream that makes defense a priority. Yet, without a coach the players can respect, growth and development will not happen.