The New York Knicks are currently down 1–2 to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, but their playoff run has reignited the city’s passion. Their playoff run has also revived a conversation that’s been dormant for decades: could Jalen Brunson become the next Knicks legend, and maybe even the greatest Knick ever? If the Knicks go on to win it all this year, they will have won their first title in 52 years. This would also be their first title after the ABA merger.
When it comes to the greatest player in Knicks history, many give that title to Patrick Ewing. The Hall of Fame center was the face of the franchise throughout the 1990s, anchoring a physical team that consistently made deep playoff runs in the Eastern Conference. Though he never brought home a championship, Ewing led the Knicks to the 1994 NBA Finals and a Game 7 in the 1999 Finals, falling just short both times.
Ewing is the franchise leader in:
Ewing was an 11-time All-Star, a member of the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams, and a perennial force on both ends of the floor. His presence defined an era of Knicks basketball; gritty, defensive-minded, and always in the fight.
Willis Reed and Walt “Clyde” Frazier will always be immortalized for doing what no Knick has done since then, getting a ring. Reed, the 1970 league MVP, famously limped onto the court for Game 7 of the NBA Finals, sparking the Knicks to their first championship. He and Frazier helped deliver the franchise’s only two titles, in 1970 and 1973.
For many modern Knicks fans, those titles aren’t in their memory. The last time the Knicks won a championship Spike Lee was 16, Ben Stiller was seven, and Timothée Chalamet wasn’t even born yet. For generations of Knicks faithful, they’ve never seen their team hoist the trophy.
These titles also came before the NBA merged with the ABA. So, in both 1970 and 1973, when the Knicks last won titles, there were only 17 teams in the league. It simply isn’t the same sport now that it was then.
Enter Jalen Brunson, New York’s savior. Since signing with the Knicks in 2022, Brunson has blossomed into a superstar, shaking off early doubts and proving himself as a big-game player, a locker room leader, and the Knicks’ offensive heartbeat.
Over the past three seasons, Brunson has:
Brunson’s averaging over 30 points per game this postseason, with a string of clutch performances that feel like they were scripted for Madison Square Garden. Whether it’s isolation buckets or fourth-quarter daggers, Brunson is earning his place in Knicks lore, one big moment at a time.
Brunson’s leadership, toughness, and poise under pressure have made him the most beloved Knick since Ewing. If the Knicks can somehow claw back into this series and go on to win it all, doing what Ewing couldn’t, he might place himself as the greatest player in Knicks’ Franchise history.
Brunson’s not just putting up numbers, he’s resurrecting a franchise. If he ever delivers a title to New York, there will be a debate on whether Brunson is the greatest Knick of all time. I would argue that he would not be the franchise GOAT, but he would be over 90% of the way there. If he wins a ring, this will be what Knicks fans remember as their star who took them all the way.
Either way, the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals will have built a legacy for themselves. Whether that is Brunson and the Knicks or Haliburton and the Pacers, only time will tell.
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