New York Knicks: Ranking rookie seasons of the last 10 first-round picks

Which New York Knicks first-round picks of the past 10 years had the best rookie seasons?

The New York Knicks have found inconsistent success at the NBA Draft. Partially attribute that to lost first-round picks via trade, but their track record of the past 20 years is nothing to gloat about, besides the occasional long-term player.

Those first-rounders are, of course, the focus of the draft. In the past 13 years, not counting 2019, the Knicks have made 10 of these picks. Some succeeded. Others did not.

Along the way, these players’ rookie seasons told the earliest stories of their respective careers. How do they stack against each other? Let’s take a look:

10. Mardy Collins (2006)

Mardy Collins had two-plus, forgettable seasons with the New York Knicks as one of Isiah Thomas‘ final draft picks. This “era” never found success, with 107 games played and shooting percentages below 40 overall and at 25.6 from behind the arc.

His rookie year was just 4.5 points and 1.6 assists per game on 38.2 percent shooting in 15 minutes. It was nothing to note, as the Knicks struggled to find relevance in 2006-07.

Afterward, Collins jumped to the Los Angeles Clippers via trade, and he played in parts of two seasons. He has not appeared in an NBA game since 2009-10.

9. Renaldo Balkman (2006)

Collins was strike one in 2006. Renaldo Balkman was the second strike.

The South Carolina product had 4.9 points and 4.3 rebounds on 50.5 percent shooting, which was fine. It happened in a small dose, at 15.6 minutes per game, but his impact was limited otherwise. It led to one unremarkable follow-up season, before bouncing between the Denver Nuggets and the Knicks for a second stint, with the Carmelo Anthony trade as the route.

Consecutive first-round picks flopped for the Knicks in the same draft, but the team found higher upside in the ensuing picks.