New York Knicks NBA Draft History: 1979
In a year with three first-round picks for the New York Knicks, how did their 1979 selection show play out?
The New York Knicks were just 31-51 in the 1978-79 season, so they landed the third overall pick of the 1979 NBA Draft, which was pick-rich for an organization without much winning since the early ’70s, when Walt Frazier and Willis Reed led the team.
This was another year of 10 rounds, but five of these players suited up in the NBA, leading to a semi-successful draft process for the Knicks 40 years ago.
player. 27. . C. San Francisco. Bill Cartwright. 3
Slash Line (with Knicks): .552/.000/.784
Career Averages (with Knicks): 16.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Long before winning championships with the Chicago Bulls, Bill Cartwright suited up for the New York Knicks for eight seasons — nine if the year he missed with an injury matters. He was otherwise a good offensive player and not a starter playing a particular role with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
Until the foot injury in 1984-85, Cartwright averaged nearly 18 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. He was the man in the middle, until Patrick Ewing arrived in the 1985 NBA Draft.
The San Francisco product remained for three seasons, playing 142 games, before the 1988 trade that sent him to Chicago and brought Charles Oakley to New York, where he contributed on the star teams of the ’90s.
Cartwright stayed in Chicago through 1994, winning three titles and eventually playing out the 1994-95 campaign with the Seattle SuperSonics. While greater overall success happened elsewhere, he was still a quality top pick in a class of Magic Johnson, Sidney Moncrief and Cliff Robinson.
. PF. Arizona. Larry Demic. 9. player. 27
Slash Line: .459/.000/.580
Career Averages: 4.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
While Cartwright’s rights were acquired via trade, Larry Demic was the Knicks’ own first-round pick. He went ninth overall from Arizona, and it was the rare situation for a team to have two top-10 picks.
Demic flashed upside in his rookie year with 7.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in 82 games. His role fell afterward, however, and he was out of the NBA after three seasons, the last of which was just 48 games with 7.4 minutes per contest.
Sly Williams. 21. player. 27. . F. Rhode Island
Slash Line (with Knicks): .496/.150/.696
Career Averages (with Knicks): 11.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG
The last of New York’s draft picks, Sly Williams was the 21st overall pick. The Knicks acquired this selection in a January 1979 trade with Seattle for Dennis Awtrey.
Williams lasted four seasons in Manhattan, three of which were double-digit point campaigns. He contributed across the board statistically, having a productive, 252-game run.
The Knicks eventually traded Williams to the Hawks before the 1983-84 season. He played just 47 games for them across two years, before playing just six games with Boston and calling it a career.
Reggie Carter. 27. player. 27. . SG. St. John's
27. . PG. Texas Tech. Geoff Huston. 50. player
The Knicks found value in the second round in Reggie Carter. He played 135 games across two seasons.
Huston went in the third round but found a seven-year career. Just 71 games of it lasted with the Knicks, as he succeeded in a starting role with Cleveland and Dallas. He finished with 8.8 points and 5.1 assists.
The other draft picks never played in the NBA, but were the following:
- Kim Goetz (Round 2, Pick 34)
- Larry Rogers (Round 4, Pick 71)
- Johnny Green (Round 5, Pick 94)
- Phil Abney (Round 6, Pick 113)
- Marc Coleman (Round 7, Pick 134)
- Billy Tucker (Round 8, Pick 152)
- Brett Wyatt (Round 9, Pick 172)
- Gordon Thomas (Round 10, Pick 189)
25 greatest players in NYK history. dark. Next
The New York Knicks Draft History will continue with the 1980 NBA Draft.