NY Knicks: Should Patrick Ewing really have been 1985’s 1st Overall Pick?

How does Karl Malone stack up against Patrick Ewing?

First of all, we have to be honest on this one as well: Karl Malone has one of the most iconic nicknames in NBA history.

With an equally iconic New York Post Office behind the Garden, his nickname might have been a better fit with the Knicks than Big Pat.

There is a basketball piece that must be discussed here as well, and that’s the fact that Patrick Ewing never had a teammate as talented as John Stockton.

In fact, I personally believe that Stockton is good enough that I think the Knicks win both of the Rockets titles from the 90s if they have him. He’s that good.

How good? Try nearly 4,000 career assists better than the guy in second place good.

How good? Try also the career leader in steals good.

How good? Good enough that it feels impossible to me to not factor his play into Malone’s career numbers.

As I’ve written before, Ewing’s career numbers and outcomes might have looked even better than Malone’s if he had gotten to play with a point guard of Stockton’s caliber.

I’ll close with this:

You know how Quentin Tarantino is on a kick of these revenge fantasy movies where he re-writes history? We only get joy from those because the good guy wins at the end.

Karl Malone is soooo unlikable. Even DDP (a legit great human…seriously…google his post-wresting career if you don’t know about him) couldn’t make him feel like a legitimate baby face.

For the good guy to win here–for all of us to get joy–the Knicks absolutely have to select Ewing again in the redraft.