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New York Knicks NBA Draft History: 1978

By Rob Wolkenbrod

WASHINGTON - 1980: Micheal Ray Richardson #20 of the New Knicks drives against the Washington Bullets during the NBA game circa 1980 in Washington, D.C. Copyright 1980 NBAE (Photo by NBA Photo Library/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - 1980: Micheal Ray Richardson #20 of the New Knicks drives against the Washington Bullets during the NBA game circa 1980 in Washington, D.C. Copyright 1980 NBAE (Photo by NBA Photo Library/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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In the first of a series looking back at New York Knicks draft picks, it starts with 1978.

The New York Knicks history at the NBA Draft varied by season, but they have found diamonds in the rough along the way. Much of them have arrived over the past 40 years, after Bill Bradley, Willis Reed and Henry Bibby were some of their picks.

In starting this series of draft look-backs, it opens with the 1978 selection show, which brought a high-upside talent to Manhattan.

4. player. 27. . G. Montana. Michael Ray Richardson

Slash Line (with Knicks): .460/.220/.650
Career Averages (with Knicks): 14.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 0.3 3PM

The 1978 NBA Draft will forever be the one that welcomed Larry Bird as five teams, including the New York Knicks, passed on him at the top of the first round. Michael Ray Richarson, instead, donned the blue and orange.

Richardson was a star at Montana, a school not known for producing top NBA talents in recent memory. He finished with 17.1 points and 6.3 assists per game in four seasons and only surged in the pros.

In Year Two, Richardson had 15.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 10.1 assists and 3.2 steals per game. He dished the basketball without hesitation and played terrific basketball at the other end of the court. The passing numbers never returned to that height, but he was consistently swiping the ball from opponents and working as a combo guard.

Richardson lasted four years with the Knicks, but only one of them was a winning season. He was sent to the Golden State Warriors as part of the package for Bernard King. That run lasted just 33 games, before a trade to New Jersey, where he peaked with 20.1 points per game as a 29 year old.

However, Richardson was out of the NBA at age 30. Then-commissioner David Stern banned him in 1986 after three drug violations. The indefinite suspension ended in 1988, but opted to stay overseas, where he spent the rest of his basketball career through the early 2000s.

McNeese State. John Rudd. 32. player. 27. . SF

. SF. California State-Fullerton. Greg Bunch. 34. player. 27

Rudd and Bunch only appeared in the 1978-79 season, combining for 70 games played. Neither averaged more than 3.0 points or 3.0 rebounds per game and were never seen in the NBA again.

27. . PF. Virginia. Marc Iavaroni. 55. player

A more familiar name, Marc Iavaroni played 531 NBA games across seven seasons. None were with the Knicks, however, as he was waived two years upon selection in 1980.

Iavaroni spent the previous seasons playing internationally, so he did not debut until the 1982-83 season, mostly carving out a reserve role in his NBA career. He finished with 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds.

Iavaroni was the head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies from 2007-09 and was an assistant coach for other NBA teams.

This draft happened when the process was still 10 rounds. None of their remaining seven picks played in the NBA:

  • Erving Giddings (Round 4, Pick 79)
  • Greg Green (Round 5, Pick 100)
  • Ed Warren (Round 6, Pick 121)
  • Gary Pember (Round 7, Pick 144)
  • Greg Sanders (Round 8, Pick 162)
  • Danny Fields (Round 9, Pick 178)
  • Ernest Simons (Round 10, Pick 195)

Next. 25 greatest players in NYK history. dark

The 1978 NBA Draft brought the New York Knicks a quality talent for a few seasons. It even turned into a franchise player for them down the line via trade. This was not their best class, but it had an impact after the Merger.

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