New York Knicks all-time draft bust starting 5

New York Knicks all-time draft bust starting power forward: Jordan Hill

In the 2009 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks were picking eighth and had their eyes set on Davidson guard Stephen Curry. His game, based on elite shooting from outside, was sure to be a perfect fit to play in basketball’s best arena. Other teams knew the Knicks were locked in on Curry, prompting them to discuss potential trade-up scenarios to get ahead of the Knicks.

Then the Golden State Warriors elected not to trade the pick, pivoting at the last moment and taking Curry with the seventh pick. Suddenly, the Knicks were scrambling to find a second option. They ultimately went with Arizona big Jordan Hill, a decision that will live on in infamy in Knicks lore.

Hill was supposed to be a hyper-athletic power forward who could score in bunches. Instead, he averaged just 4.0 points per game as a rookie before the Knicks shipped him off to Houston. His career never materialized after that, with stops on five total teams never yielding more than a minor role.

Meanwhile, Curry has put together one of the top 15 careers in NBA history, adding insult to injury. There were plenty of talented players available to be chosen when Curry went off the board, but the Knicks took Jordan Hill instead. DeMar DeRozan went ninth to the Toronto Raptors, Jrue Holiday went a few picks later, and even solid players like Jeff Teague, Darren Collison, and Taj Gibson were available. Instead, the Knicks went with Hill, leading to a whole lot of nothing.