Who Wore it Best? Knicks #17

If you thought last week’s segment of Who Wore it Best? #16 was a fun debate between Steve Novak and Bo Kimble, then you’re in for a real treat this week. The fact of the matter is the player who wore the #17 best for the Knicks wore it best for just one season, and really for just a short period during that lone season. That short period though, known as “Linsanity” took not just New York, or the league by storm, but the entire world had become tuned into the New York Knicks with a level of excitement not seen since the ’90s.

The list of other recognizable names to have worn #17 for the Knicks is rather thin so without a doubt Lin is going to run away with this one, but in the spirit of competition let’s have at it.

Henry Bibby: Bibby was drafted by the Knicks in 1972 after leading the UCLA Bruins to three consecutive NCAA Championships. Although also chosen in the 1972 ABA draft by the Carolina Cougars, Bibby ultimately opted for the NBA. Wise Decision, as Bibby would reap the benefits of a championship ring as a Knicks rookie who contributed 4.2 points and 1.2 assists per game. Over the years, Bibby’s performance steadily improved, culminating in his third and final season with the Knicks, where he averaged 9.1 points and 2.2 assists per game The basketball legacy continued through the Bibby family, as Bibby’s son, Mike, emerged as a standout point guard in the early 2000s, eventually becoming a Knick himself. Notably, the father-son duo of Henry and Mike Bibby holds a unique place in history as one of only four pairs to both secure an NCAA Basketball Championship.

Jeremy Lin: Without turning this into a Jeremy Lin appreciation piece, the fact of the matter is, what Jeremy Lin did for New York in 2012 ranks right up there amongst the same levels of excitement brought to the Garden by other legendary Knicks players.

Throughout nine games, during which Jeremy Lin guided the Knicks to eight wins, seven of them consecutive, his extraordinary journey unfolded from an unexpected spot start, creating one of the most captivating stories in NBA history. Years later the phenomenon is still alive, which was most recently documented by HBO. For each one of those 12 games in which “Linsanity” occurred, a debate could be had over which one served as the most memorable.

Was it his remarkable 38-point performance against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, after Kobe spoke to reporters before the game expressing that had no idea who Jeremy Lin was?

Or was it the moment in which he displayed the sheer ice in his veins in Toronto in front of 20,000 people on their feet with the game tied at 87 and the clock winding down from 17? Lin had the ball with his eyes on the basket, with the world’s eyes on him. As Lin held the ball and called off any double teams at mid-court, he let the clock wind down to 5 seconds. He then proceeded to take 4 dribbles towards the top of the key and let the three go. As that moment unfolded, I don’t believe that anyone, Raptors fans alike, ever believed that show wasn’t going to go in. The Toronto game also etched another historical milestone for Lin, solidifying his place as the first NBA player to achieve the feat of scoring at least 20 points and recording 7 assists in each of his first five career starts.

Although all great things must come to an end, Lin’s historical run saved the Knicks’ season that year and propelled them to the NBA playoffs. The New York Times dubbed Lin the most popular Knicks player in a decade, and this was while he was on the same team as Carmelo Anthony and Amare’ Stoudemire. After the season ended, Lin was able to cash in on his newfound fame around the league and earned a 3-year, $25 million dollar deal from the Houston Rockets, a number that Carmelo stated was ridiculous, and one that the Knicks refused to match.

We’ll never know if “Linsanity” could’ve been replicated had he stayed a Knick. As he became a league journeyman after his stint in Houston, many speculate that it never would have and ultimately the Knicks made the right decision to let him go.

Regardless of the ending, one thing is for sure across the entire NBA. There has never been a period before “Linsanity”, or another period since that has unexpectedly captivated a National audience in the way that Jeremy Lin did during that short period forever known as “Linsanity”.

Notable Mentions: Lou Amundson, Cleanthony Early, Ignas Brazdeikas