Mike "Rags" Riordan was drafted 128th in the 1967 draft. Walt Frazier was taken 5th and NCAA leading scorer was drafted by the knicks.
If you ever think we never get a good draft, look at this one! https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1967.html
Phil had Willis in front of him at power forward and then Debusschere. He had back surgery (in 1970 a big freaking deal!!) and his career trajectory changed. He had some good years in his late 20's!

Back to "Rags", this guy was a great energy "Super Sub" for us and in his mid 20's was the best player we moved in the earl Monroe trade. He started for the Bullets and was Bradley's nemesis in what was then a very heated rivalry. He peaked at 18pts a game! My point is back then guys got stuck behind better players and needed an opportunity. This was before free agency. Today, like then guys developed can become trade assets. We don't go that deep in the draft and back then the 17th pick was in the second round!
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/riordmi01.html

So in that draft we got "Clyde" who went after no. 1 Jimmy Walker (Jalen Rose Dad BTW), Earl, Clem Haskins, and St.Johns star Sonny Dove. If you look at that draft the value we got at 5, 17 and 128 proved massive!!
Phil was never a star, but there was a longer line of players that went before him that did not play as much.
As we all know Red was his mentor and the tree branched with Phil!!! Willis was our starphuch coach but he never transitioned to be a good one. We had a culture but we starphuched it!!!