15 stars you forgot played for the New York Knicks
14. Keith Van Horn
Keith Van Horn was one of those Andrew Wiggins-type of players that were incredibly overhyped, flourished instantly, only to be out of their prime by his third season.
Going into the 1997 NBA Draft, Tim Duncan was a clear pick for the first overall pick and was in a league of his own. We all know how that fairytale ended. Van Horn was selected with the second overall pick by the Knicks’ neighbors, the New Jersey Nets.
More from New York Knicks
- NBA Trades: This swing-for-the-fences deal is a must for the Knicks
- Ranking Leon Rose’s three best and worst moves as Knicks President
- New York Knicks: Why Julius Randle is essential for the Knicks
- Should the Knicks trade up into the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft?
- Knicks 2023 offseason primer: free agents, trades, draft needs and more
Keith was constantly compared to the great Larry Bird due to his style of play as a spot-up shooter and shot creator at either of the forward spots. His hype went completely out of the window when people started comparing him to Michael Jordan during his rookie season.
Van Horn would be the rookie leader in scoring up until the All-Star break, only to lose the crown to Timmy D who put up a historic end to the season for a rookie.
Six years later, he would get involved in a big four-team trade to send him to New York in exchange for Latrell Sprewell. Upon arriving, Van Horn instantly became the starting small forward, starting in all 47 games he appeared in.
He averaged 16.4 points per game but was ultimately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks during the middle of the season.