The New York Knicks struck gold when they took a chance on unorthodox wing Josh Hart in 2023. Hart was by no means a slam-dunk acquisition at the time, as he lacked a reliable three-point shot and often looked like a power forward trapped in a shooting guard's body.
With the three-point revolution giving way to a new and more balanced approach to offensive execution, however, Hart has solidified his place as the ultimate glue guy—and the X-Factor of the Knicks' dream of winning an elusive championship.
Hart, 31, has made concessions and improvements en route to his status as the Knicks' X-Factor. He shot at a clip of .434/.310/.791 during his first full season with the Knicks in 2023-24, but improved his efficiency at .525/.333/.776 while leading the NBA in minutes per game in 2024-25.
Fast forward to 2025-26 and Hart has surprisingly become an efficient three-point shooter, shooting at a clip of .505/.395/.710 while playing 7.6 fewer minutes per game than a season ago.
Still at 30.0 minutes per contest, Hart's evolution as a shooter has played a key role in his success overall this season. The simple fact remains, however, that his outside shot is only a fraction of what Hart offers to make himself indispensable.
The Knicks have grand dreams of ending a depressing 53-year championship drought and it's Hart's well-rounded game that operates as the connective tissue they need.
Josh Hart ties the loose pieces together for the Knicks
New York has put all of its proverbial eggs in the OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart basket. It's invested minimal resources in wings who are ready to play consistent NBA minutes and has instead gone all-in on small and offensive-minded guards to flood the perimeter with.
That makes Hart uniquely valuable as a player who ranks in the 87th percentile in defensive positional versatility, per Basketball Index. It's icing on the cake that he can space the floor, score from midrange, and even run the offense as a playmaker.
The latter skill is what separates Hart from Anunoby and Bridges, although they're capable in their own right. Hart is averaging 5.1 assists per game in 2025-26, ranking second on the Knicks behind franchise player Jalen Brunson at 6.6.
For those who like the mystery of magic numbers, New York is 17-5 when Hart exceeds his average of 5.1 with at least six assists in a single game this season.
Josh Hart has the uncanny ability to step up when Knicks need him most
New York is also 7-0 when Hart scores at least 20 points, 12-5 when he grabs at least 10 rebounds, and 11-1 when he buries at least three three-point field goals. In other words: When Hart has a great statistical game, the Knicks tend to win far more often than they lose.
Compounded by his baseline value as a player who has the Knicks in the 80th percentile in net rating when he's on the court, Hart is the epitome of an X-Factor.
The good news for the Knicks is that Hart tends to step up against high-level competition. 12 of his 15 highest-scoring games were against teams on pace to make the playoffs or Play-In Tournament, and the same can be said for 15 of his 22 appearances with at least six assists.
When the playoffs roll around and the Knicks' dream of finally winning another title comes into focus, expect Hart to be the player who unlocks their full potential.