New York Knicks: Ranking every NBA Draft Lottery pick
The New York Knicks have a top lottery pick ahead, but who is their best over the past 34 years?
On Tuesday, May 14, the New York Knicks will learn where their lottery pick for the 2019 NBA Draft lands. They had the NBA’s worst record for the 2018-19 season, but under the new rules, they must share 14 percent odds with the second and third-worst records.
New York’s lottery history extends to the first pre-draft selection show in 1985, with historic results that followed and shaped their next 15 years.
However, the follow-up has proven inconsistent over the past 34 years, as seen with a handful of recent lottery picks.
The Knicks have had lottery picks beyond the following nine players, but they also traded some of these picks, including their 2010 pick to the Utah Jazz, who selected Gordon Hayward.
For the picks that conveyed to the Knicks on draft night, including draft night trades, how do they all stack up against each other? Let’s take a look:
9. Michael Sweetney (2003)
There was plenty of disappointing New York Knicks draft picks over the past 34 years. Michael Sweetney, however, tops the list for lottery picks after four underwhelming seasons in the NBA.
The Knicks chose Sweetney ninth overall in the 2003 NBA Draft. Yes, that same class with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony. Granted they received Anthony eight years later, and the Sweetney selection was four behind Wade, the fifth pick, but this was still the lottery’s most underwhelming player.
The three-year man from Georgetown played sparingly as a rookie, but started 28 games on a bad 2004-05 Knicks team, averaging 8.4 points and 5.4 rebounds. That summed up his impact, before a 2005 trade to the Chicago Bulls — the same one that sent two lottery picks (LaMarcus Aldridge and Joakim Noah) for Eddy Curry — became the first and last time he changed destinations.
Sweetney played 119 games across two seasons in Chicago but was a little-used reserve in 2006-07, which became his last NBA campaign. He has played internationally ever since.
New York produced a disparaging lottery pick amid a historic class. While others in the top 15 did not pan out, Sweetney stood out for his short career and as part of an embarrassing trade for the Isiah Thomas regime.