New York Knicks: Can Zion Williamson save New York City basketball?

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Zion Williamson, Duke Blue Devils. New York Knicks. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Zion to the Rescue

Even though the Nets have been better of late, the New York Knicks are the marquis team. MSG President and team owner James Dolan has led the Knicks through a downward spiral. High profile careers now die in the Big Apple. Famous name executives such as Isiah Thomas and Phil Jackson have been colossal failures. Star players fizzled. Look no further than Carmelo Anthony. It seems whatever NYK did over the last 20 years they couldn’t make it work.

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The biggest way to capture the city’s imagination is star power. The impact of Shamorie Ponds was clearly visible to St. John’s attendance-wise. He was an exciting scorer and a draw for the Red Storm.

As good as Kristaps Porzingas was when he played for the Knicks and will become in the future, New York fans never really took to him. Maybe it was due to his young age or that he was from Latvia. Either way, he wasn’t going to put rear ends in seats.

A Knicks lottery win and the arrival of basketball’s “Next Big Thing” Zion Williamson may be the spark needed. He’s a huge talent and a likable kid. Most importantly can put butts in seats. Kids will walk around the city wearing his jersey and fighting for who gets to be Zion on the playground.

This town needs a star, correction, a superstar. Williamson doesn’t have to be the reincarnation of Michael Jordan or Larry Bird. For the Knicks to kickstart their dead engine he will, however, need to be one of the top 10 to 15 players in the game. At this point, he appears to be that good.

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A packed MSG makes for good television and is the key to reviving basketball in New York City.

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