The 15 greatest bigs in New York Knicks history

David Lee

I remember as a kid watching the McDonalds All-American dunk contest, and flipping out at that white kid who threw the ball off the side of the backboard, took off his jersey, collected the ball and dunked in through his legs.

It was David Lee.

While he wasn’t exactly known for his athleticism as a Florida Gator or during his 10-year tenure as an NBA staple, his hustle and desire to grab rebounds was in the highest regard during that time.

The reason he is a special Knick is that he was fun and inspiring to watch during one of the most blah eras of New York Knick basketball.

When the Knicks drafted Lee and Nate Robinson in the summer of 2005, it gave fans something to root for (in case Stephon Marbury wasn’t your thing).

Truthfully, -avid Lee lost the D in his name for being a poor defender. He really was. But Lee-bounds was still a coveted piece of the puzzle during his 5-year tenure with the Knicks, playing the garbage man with putbacks and creating second opportunities for teammates by hitting the offensive glass relentlessly.

While David Lee might be best remembered in the NBA for treating his teammates to trips to Disney World after playing a minor role in the first championship for the dominant Golden State Warrior dynasty, anyone from New York will remember him as one of the only reasons to attend a game in Madison Square Garden for a good stretch of time.

He worked hard and left it all on the court, reminiscent of the gritty 1990s Ewing era.