New York Knicks: Ranking the top 15 Hall of Fame Players
By Teresa Powe
15. Tom Gola (Hall-of-Fame induction (1976)
Tom Gola played the last four seasons of his career in New York, averaging 7.8 points, and 5.2 rebounds in 277 games with the team. Gola earned his nickname, “Mr. All Around,” because he could play every position on the team.
14. Dick McGuire (1993)
Dick McGuire played eight seasons in New York. Although he only averaged 8.0 points per game, he also averaged 5.7 assists, because he always knew exactly where to pass the ball, making him invaluable to the team. McGuire was a seven-time All-Star and made the 1950-51 All-NBA team.
13. Harry Gallatin (1991)
In his nine seasons with the New York Knicks, Harry Gallatin‘s physical presence and desire to win led him to seven All-Star Games and two All-NBA selections. Gallatin averaged 12.7 points, 12.1 rebounds in 610 games with the Knicks. He is ranked 34th all-time in win-shares.
12. Spencer Haywood (2015)
It was a big deal when the New York Knicks acquired Spencer Haywood from the Seattle Supersonics for Gene Short and a first-round pick. He was expected to be the catalyst of another Knicks run to a championship. It never happened as the team struggled to reach .500 during his tenure in New York.
Out of his 14 seasons in the NBA, Haywood played four seasons with the New York Knicks. From 1975-79, he appeared in 210 games averaging 17.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
Haywood may be most famous for his legal battle with the NBA over the four-year college rule. It ended with a Supreme Court decision in his favor. The NBA instituted the “hardship rule,” which allowed college undergraduates and high school players to enter the NBA.
11. Carl Braun (2019)
A Brooklyn native, Carl Braun played 12 seasons with the New York Knicks averaging 14.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Braun led the team in scoring for seven straight seasons (which may have been longer had he not spent the 1950-51 and 1951-52 seasons in the army) and was a five-time All-Star.
Braun played the final season of his professional basketball career in Boston as a role player. He was finally able to earn his championship ring as the Celtics won the 1962 NBA title.