Also, I'll admit, I only really started watching the Knicks when Ewing was drafted. I only really watched baseball before that until some kid in my math class was so excited about the Ewing draft that I became a Knicks fan on the spot. (my dad didn't watch sports)

Randle: the comparison I like for Randle is Anthony Mason, although Anthony Mason couldn't shoot the 3. Mason was built like a brick ****house and could still handle the ball, pass and was the original Knicks point-forward. But Randle is more fluid (athletic?) than Mason who was a little stiff. And Randle is heads and shoulders above him as a scorer inside and out. Frankly, I don't remember there ever being a Knicks forward that can shoot the ball like Randle can, also be an inside force, AND pass the ball. He is basically who we all wished Anthony Randolph and Tim Thomas would be if they were not complete pussies (and anyway, nowhere the physical specimens Randle is). I don't like Melo as a comp, though at the end of the day, they will both be top 10 all-time Knick scorers in a similar position. Maybe I should. Maybe McDyess if he didn't have the shelf-life of a carton of milk? Maybe at the end of the day, his impact is Amare-like. Pre-injury.

Bruson: this is hard. Really hard. I have never seen a Knick with just wily will to score the basketball. Footwork is astonishing. He's like a point guard Tim Duncan. Honestly, I can't think of any other Knick like him, but maybe there was a member of the 1970's champ squads like him? Clyde? Just don't know. I guess lacking any better comparison, the best I can come up with is Marbury, who was also a scoring machine inside and out. But they way they scored was very different. It is interesting to me how Knicks fans have erased Marbury from the history because he was a headcase and chemistry killer, but he was an incredible player

DDV: Latrell. This guy is intense and can do a bit of everything. He's a leaper. He's a shooter. He's a passer. He's a slasher and he's a defender. Sprewell reincarnated (without the chip on his shoulder). Welcome back.

OG: I feel like the Knicks SF position has been the position of historical weakness back to the Ewing years. Trying to think of a player that has the defensive impact that OG brings, but also can shoot the ball is tough. Again Mason comes to mind, but I really think of Mason as a second PF than a real SF. And again, Mason wasn't a 3pt shooter. I think the best I can come up with is Doug Christie, if he stuck around with the Knicks and allowed to flourish. Premium defender and shooter.

iHart: mobile center, defensive minded not afraid to mix it up, can pass, and hit the midrange. Not sure there is a purely good comp. I want to go with Kurt Thomas, though iHart is a lot more fluid athletically, they both reliable defensive bulwarks. I kind of want to say Kurt on the defense, with a little bit of David Lee sprinkled in. Other thoughts?

Mitch: I think this may be the easiest for me, in Tyson Chandler. Both Defensive specialists and rebounders extraordinaire. Though Tyson was a better scorer (who isn't)? Both will be DPOY before all said and done.

jHart: our wing microwave, does a little bit (a lot) of everything. He is our super-sub. I think moreso than IQ was. Last night had as many rebounds as iHart and Precious combined. Handles, passes, shoots (ok). He somehow reminds me of Nate Robinson in terms of energy, but without the Knuckleheadedness and less hops. Need some help here.

Deuce: Damyean Dotson? If he could shoot? I dunno. Maybe Charlie Ward. Deuce is a Tasmanian Devil, not sure who else I'd put at his level defensively at the PG.

Grimes: ??

Rokas: easy. Tony Wroten.

Brunson/ Ewing: the franchise player and everything starts there.

Randle/ Houston: like Randle, Houston was a bit under appreciated signing here as a younger player. He became an allstar but had a lot of disappearing acts and the contract clouded his tenure a bit. But still a star in his own right.

Mitch/ Camby: rim runner/ rebounder stud. Both struggle with injury

Hartenstein/ Kurt Thomas: under appreciated do-everything bigs who are tough and plug a lot of holes

Hart/ Starks: a bit undersized but it never mattered. Tough as nails on both ends. Makes big plays.

DDV/ Ward: sort of the glue that holds the lineup together. Knicks will always try to upgrade over DDV in the lineup just like they always tried to upgrade over ward. But the value is tough to top.

OG/ Larry Johnson: not exact but just in terms of how stats will never reflect their value to the team

Gibson/ herb Williams : goes without saying

Mitch as a Tyson makes sense. Not quite Camby, because while Camby was limited offensively from a skill perspective, at his early peak with the Knicks he was explosive on lobs and tip ins in a way that Mitch isn't. He could get 14-20 pts without really being involved in the offense.

Hart and Starks makes sense. Just a guy who is everywhere and doesn't back down from anything and does a little bit of everything.

Taj/Herb is obvious and just made it on another thread.

Hartenstein is a little bit like David Lee skill wise. Lee was a way better scorer, but Hartenstein is growing into it. The way he passes and rebounds reminds me of Lee. He is a far, far, better point of attack defender/rim protector.

Precious reminds me of a more athletic Othella Harrington. I don't quite no why. Anyone notice Othella behind the Knicks bench? I don't think I realized that!

Brunson is our Ewing not on play style but on value. I haven't felt this way about a player on our team since Ewing. Sometimes I ask myself, is he better? But I'm comparing what I'm watching as a 40 year old vs. what I was watching as a 10 year old and I don't think that's easy to do.

Grimes is turning into Shandon Anderson - I hope that stops.

McBride is turning into a way better Chris Childs.

DiVincenzo is harder to categorize. A little bit of Starks there too.

Panos wrote:VDesai: OG?

OG is tough as I feel like we always had a little bit of a gap at SF when we were good (with the obvious exception of the Melo days - and he was a totally different player). Maybe you could say OG is Ariza with a jumper or Wilson Chandler with way better defense? Wilson Chandler from an offense perspective I think is a good fit. Chandler was decent at creating turnovers and blocking shots, but the defensive IQ/positioning from OG is next level.

Derek Harper was a heckuva defender at the PG position that we got midseason that really brought a lot to a team that nearly won the title, but wasn't quite enough to get us over the top. Hopefully OG can take us that extra step.

Panos wrote:

Knixkik wrote:
DDV/ Ward: sort of the glue that holds the lineup together. Knicks will always try to upgrade over DDV in the lineup just like they always tried to upgrade over ward. But the value is tough to top. ]

OG/ Larry Johnson: not exact but just in terms of how stats will never reflect their value to the team

I think DDV does a lot more things than Ward did. He's super glue.

I didn't think of LJ! I like that you mentioned him! I also like VDesai using him (pre-injury) for Randle. Though that LJ was never actually a Knick, the comp fits.

DDV does way more than ward. I’m just thinking in terms of his role as the 5th guy in the starting lineup. DDV is much more appreciated because of the shooting but Ward was an excellent role player.

EwingsGlass wrote:
iHart - Andrea Bargnani

Sorry, but
What?! Bargnani was the softest player ever to play the middle. How on earth are these two players similar?

BigDaddyG wrote:

VDesai wrote:

Panos wrote:VDesai: OG?

OG is tough as I feel like we always had a little bit of a gap at SF when we were good (with the obvious exception of the Melo days - and he was a totally different player). Maybe you could say OG is Ariza with a jumper or Wilson Chandler with way better defense? Wilson Chandler from an offense perspective I think is a good fit. Chandler was decent at creating turnovers and blocking shots, but the defensive IQ/positioning from OG is next level.

Derek Harper was a heckuva defender at the PG position that we got midseason that really brought a lot to a team that nearly won the title, but wasn't quite enough to get us over the top. Hopefully OG can take us that extra step.

I'm gonna go with Xavier McDaniel with knees and little modesty in the locker room.

Oooh. I like.