Knicks rookie talks hustle, dunks, and basketball cards.
by Jon Robinson

http://sports.ign.com/articles/678/678535p1.html

January 3, 2006 - Channing Frye points to David Lee and has one thing to say, "This guy sucks at videogames."

Lee laughs and shakes his head. "This guy talks smack for a living," he says. "He doesn't want to see me on any sports videogame. I play College Football all the time, that's my favorite. There's no way he can beat me at that or College Basketball. It's funny, I remember the first time I saw myself in the college basketball game (March Madness), I was playing one of my friends and he used me to beat me. It was just strange."

These days, Lee is starting for the Knicks, playing 52 minutes in the triple overtime stunner against the Suns, scoring 23 points, grabbing 15 boards, and even adding three steals and a crucial three point play in the third overtime period to help the Knicks do something they're not very used to these days…win.

You see, David Lee is the type of hustle player teams need. He's not looking to light up the scoreboard. He's not after highlights. He's diving on the floor for loose balls, banging down low for rebounds, and making the effort plays every NBA team needs on a nightly basis in order to win.

Together with smack talking Frye and Nate Robinson, the Knicks have a trio of rookies to help build a franchise around.

I caught up with Lee recently to talk about everything from his style of play to collecting basketball cards.

He used to buy packs looking for his favorite players. Now kids are buying packs looking for him.



IGN Sports: Back in the day, you won the McDonalds High School All-American Dunk Contest. Are you interested in competing in the NBA Dunk Contest this year?

David Lee: It's too early to tell, but I definitely enjoy that stuff right there.

IGN Sports: What were some of the best dunks you remember from the event? I remember you took off your shirt while the ball was in the air for one jam.

David Lee: That was the dunk that won it. Another one was when I threw the ball, caught it in the air, then went between my legs. That was the hardest one. I also threw the ball up behind my back and caught it for a double clutch. A lot of my stuff was just off of different tosses…that was back when I used to have hops. [laughs]

IGN Sports: Did they disappear in college?

David Lee: [laughs] I'm just playing, I still have a little here and there, but I'm getting old.

IGN Sports: Did you know going into the draft that the Knicks were going to take you?

David Lee: I knew there were a lot of teams who were interested in me between 20-30 in the first round. It was nerve-racking, though, being the last pick in the first round. It was getting down to it, and I didn't want to slip into the second round. I'm just happy I ended up in New York. It's funny because growing up, I used to play NBA Jam all the time, and I would play as the Knicks. I was a huge Michael Jordan fan, and I would always be mad because he wasn't in the game. I would play as Charles Oakley and Patrick Ewing and just rough everybody up.

IGN Sports: Is that the kind of game you want to bring to the Knicks, the old school banging down low?

David Lee: To me, it's all blue collar, hard working attitude. I'm going to play harder than the guy going against me, that's how I've always felt. That's the way I go out and try to play every game.



IGN Sports: Is it a trip now to see yourself in videogames and on trading cards and everything else that comes with playing in the NBA?

David Lee: I'm sure there will be some other things this year that will be crazy to see, but being on cards and being in videogames, those are the two things that I never thought I'd see and it's a real honor to be included. I used to collect basketball cards and baseball cards growing up. I always had bad luck with collecting cards. I never got the ones I was after. I would open the pack looking for Michael Jordan and end up with some guy I already had off the end of the bench. I just hope kids don't open their pack looking for LeBron and get disappointed if they get one of me. [laughs]

i like this kid....he just belongs on this team, really good that we didt give him up in that curry deal

It's funny because growing up, I used to play NBA Jam all the time, and I would play as the Knicks. I was a huge Michael Jordan fan, and I would always be mad because he wasn't in the game. I would play as Charles Oakley and Patrick Ewing and just rough everybody up.

i picked Starks and Ewing growing up. we still play that game in the dorms Starks is the man in NBA Jam 3 pointers in the corner all day.

Posted by YoungSpike:

It's funny because growing up, I used to play NBA Jam all the time, and I would play as the Knicks. I was a huge Michael Jordan fan, and I would always be mad because he wasn't in the game. I would play as Charles Oakley and Patrick Ewing and just rough everybody up.

i picked Starks and Ewing growing up. we still play that game in the dorms Starks is the man in NBA Jam 3 pointers in the corner all day.

i remember playing that game too...it was a very good game, could play it all day. they need to make a new verison...

Posted by TymeLessKnicks:


i remember playing that game too...it was a very good game, could play it all day. they need to make a new verison...

You could probably buy the right to NBA Jam because Acclaim went bankrupt. If you want to see a new version buy it and have it developed

Man I usually played with Ewing and Starks and lit them up from 3 with Starks...HE'S ON FIRE!!!!

But playing as Ewing and Oakley was fun too.they were so psychical! lol

damn Lee now I wanna play that game again!

Me too, I like both of these kids and Nate as well, they bring alot energy to this team, and nothing seems to bother them, well expect maybe the losing and the referees!. (Nate)