When was the last time Knicks had No. 1 overall draft pick?
The 2022 NBA Draft Lottery takes place tonight. It’s the night when the worst teams in the league have a chance to get a high pick through the lottery. The Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and Detroit pistons each have a 14% chance of drafting No. 1 overall.
The remainder of the teams that did not make the playoffs will also have a chance to get a top pick. But before fans get too excited the odds of the New York Knicks getting the No. 1 pick is 2%.
The last time the Knicks had the No.1 overall pick in the NBA draft was in 1985 when they selected Patrick Ewing. Ewing is arguably one of the best players the franchise has ever had. He played 15 seasons with New York and led them to 13 straight playoff appearances and two finals. What a glorious time that was.
What if the New York Knicks get the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2022?
The Knicks this season were a complete 180 from the way they were last season. In 2020-21, they made it to the NBA playoffs and although they were bounced out of the first round by the Atlanta Hawks, fans were still proud of their team.
Julius Randle was playing at an all-time level and it seemed as if New York was finally moving in the right direction.
Sadly, this year was different. The Knicks didn’t even reach the play-in tournament. Receiving a top four pick in the draft could lessen the sting a little and add some more talent to the frontcourt.
Although New York’s chances of receiving the top pick in the draft are unlikely, it could still happen. If by some miracle the Knicks receive the No. 1 pick, Bleacher Report has New York selecting Jabari Smith Jr. It is hard to please Knicks fans but they would likely be satisfied with this selection.
Smith is a good 3-point shooter, solid rebounder, and a good defender. He would be a great addition to New York. There would have to be some changes to the roster but the front office can deal with that when the time comes.
