New York Knicks: 30 Greatest Players of All-Time

Mar 27, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Vocal group the Four Tops with former NBA player Earl Monroe (purple tie) and New York Knicks president Phil Jackson and Walt Frazier and former NBA player Dick Barnett (right) acknowledge Walt Frazier for his 70th birthday during the game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

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22.) C Willie Naulls

Naulls spent a majority of his 10-year career with the Knicks, playing parts of seven seasons with the team. He was acquired by the Knicks about a quarter of the way through his rookie season from the St. Louis Hawks in exchange for Slater Martin.

Naulls had some strong seasons with the Knicks, being named an All-Star four times between 1958-1962. Naulls put up the best stats of his career with the Knicks, averaging 19.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in 430 games, averaging 34.1 minutes per game.

While Naulls production was great with the Knicks, as he ranks sixth in franchise history in points per game and fifth in rebounds per game, the team didn’t have much success. The Knicks made the postseason only once with Naulls, losing to the Syracuse Nationals 2-0 in the 1959 Eastern Division Semifinals.

Naulls would find playoff success after leaving the Knicks, as he was traded to the San Francisco Warriors and then sold to the Boston Celtics. With the Celtics, Naulls won three consecutive championships to end his career. Naulls is just another one of the many talented, productive big men to wear the orange and blue of the Knicks. Had he had more playoff success, he could have found himself higher up on this list.

Next: 21. Carl Braun

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