Who Wore it Best? Knicks #18?

While this week’s installment of “Who Wore it Best” promises to be more engaging than the previous ones, the debate over #18 may be better served by picking which player wore #18 for the Knicks and went on to have a better career off the court, as it was worn by both Phil Jackson and Ernie Grunfeld. That debate obviously isn’t close, but you see where I’m going with this. Of the 19 players to have worn #18, Phil undoubtedly would take that one, but there were still several notable names to have worn it over the years. I honestly think the most interesting tidbit of info around the #18 is the fact that it was completely vacant of ownership from 1988 through 2009, a full 21 years. Making the options of notable names even thinner, of the 18 to have worn #18, eleven of those players wore it for one season or less. Maybe Alec Burks or Sasha Vujačić will one day go on to highly successful front-office positions down the road.

Phil Jackson: For some Knicks fans born after the year 2000, they may be unaware that one of the greatest coaches in the NBA who led the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to a combined eleven championships, also earned two rings as a player for the Knicks from 1967 to 1978. Of the 19 players to wear #18 for the Knicks, no other player wore it longer than Phil. Known more for his defensive and enforcer prowess, Phil led the league in a category that not many aspire to, as he was tied for leading the league with the most personal fouls in 1974-75.

During his early years with the Knicks, Jackson’s role was somewhat limited. The new role to be more of a team leader was presented to him after several key players from the 1973 championship team retired. Jackson made the most of this new opportunity in 1973-74, in which he saw his minutes per game increase from 17 to 25 minutes per game. He achieved a career-high of 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He topped the 1973-74 campaign with an even better season the following year. Playing a career-high 29 minutes per game, he averaged just under 11 points per game and upped his rebounding to just under 8 per game.

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Phil’s success as a head coach is undeniable. While fans may argue that his achievements are solely credited to the presence of Michael Jordan, Shaq, and Kobe, and while that may be a viable debate, in my opinion it’s an unfair one as he turned both of those franchises and their superstars into champions after who coached who proceeded him were unable to.

While some Knicks fans may still hold a grudge against Phil for how he managed the Knicks as an exec from 2014-2017. Many were hopeful he would be able to bring the same level of winning he experienced in Chicago and LA by way of his name alone, but that experiment never panned out and ultimately the Knicks and Jackson mutually parted ways after the 2017 season.

Ernie Grunfeld: Although Grunfeld’s time with the Knicks spanned over just 3 seasons, and his numbers were less than stellar never averaging more than 6.6 points per game, Grunfeld earns his spot here simply due to his role as Vice President and General Manager of the Knicks during the beloved ‘90s era. Except for Patrick Ewing, Grunfeld was responsible for bringing in every one of the Knicks’ big-name players through 1999 including Charles Oakley, John Starks, Anthony Mason, Allan Houston, Larry Johnson, Marcus Camby, and Latrell Sprewell. Although Grunfeld was let go during the 1998-99 season wrongfully being blamed for the team’s poor play, that roster that he built ultimately went on to the 1999 NBA Finals. After the season the Knicks attempted to bring him back, but he chose to take the role of Milwaukee Bucks GM. The Knicks have never been back to the Finals since.

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Alec Burks: Alright, the list of notable names may be dwindling, but Knicks fans were beyond thrilled that the Knicks brought Burks back right before the trade deadline this season. Now in his second stint with the team, Burks is currently navigating through his 14th season in the league. During his first stint, and second season with the Knicks, Burks experienced one of his best seasons in the league playing a career-high game, in which he started in another career-high 44 of them. As Burks approaches the twilight of his extensive career, the Knicks are relying on his seasoned leadership and sharpshooting skills from beyond the three-point line to guide them through the challenges of this playoff run.

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Notable Mentions: Roger Mason, Sasha Vujačić