Selecting a young prospect in the NBA Draft is always a bit of guesswork, speculation, and, most importantly, hope. Sometimes, players just don’t pan out the way teams hoped or believed they would. It happens to everyone, but the New York Knicks are notorious for not drafting well at times or letting their developmental youth go too soon.
In the process, they have missed out on several All-Stars in recent draft years. So, let’s have a look at six of the most notable All-Stars the Knicks painfully passed on in the Draft.
6 NBA All-Stars the New York Knicks passed on in the NBA Draft
6. Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler is one of the best two-way wings and playoff performers in the game today. He has been a six-time All-Star, the 2015 Most Improved Player, and made five All-Defensive Second Teams so far. When he entered the 2011 NBA Draft, few envisioned this type of career for Butler, though.
Among those who doubted Butler’s future stardom was the Knicks’ front office. They had the 17th pick and evidently wanted a shooting guard. Butler has since moved on to the small forward position, but back then he was classified as a shooting guard.
The Knicks, however, loved Iman Shumpert and selected him with their pick. Shumpert never averaged more than 10 points over his career but eventually found his way to the Cleveland Cavaliers where he was a role player on their championship squad. He didn’t have a bad career at all, but Butler is clearly the more talented player.
By now, Shumpert is retired. Butler, however, is still balling, averaging 22.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals for the Miami Heat. At this point, it is difficult to imagine that the Knicks would draft Shumpert 13 picks ahead of where Butler eventually was selected, believing that he had more potential. That was not just a misjudgment by the Knicks, though. As Butler was drafted 30th, it is safe to say that plenty of teams slept on the All-Star.