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

2. Tim Hardaway Jr. (2013)

Tim Hardaway Jr. left a sour taste with New York Knicks fans, after a terrible end to his second stint with the team, along with a bloated contract that was never reached in on-court play.

The first run started in 2013 when the Knicks selected Hardaway in the first round of the draft. Before the injury woes began, he averaged a cool 10.2 points on 42.8 percent shooting and 36.3 percent on three-pointers. It happened in 81 games, and he seemed like a solid NBA player immediately.

Defensively, Hardaway had a 114 rating, which curtailed his value, but in an NBA that just wants players to jump-shoot today, he will have a place, pending full health.

1. Kristaps Porzingis (2015)

While his exit from the New York Knicks was anything but peaceful, Kristaps Porzingis still had the best rookie season of any first-round pick by a country mile. With 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds, the flashes of the NBA’s “Next Dirk Nowitzki” were apparent. He had 14 games of at least 20 points, along with 21 double-doubles.

A mobile, 7-foot-3 player that can shoot from anywhere on the court created a buzz and seemingly the next face of the franchise. A quick breakdown ruined this, but he brought excitement to a team without much of it in recent seasons, including making the All-Star Game in 2018.