New York Knicks: A look back at the beginning of the fall from grace

Ron Artest is not drafted

It’s easy to understand by fans of the New York Knicks would be angry over the fact that Weis was picked in the draft when hometown talent Ron Artest, who would later change his name to Metta World Peace, was still up for grabs.

Artest had grown up in Queens no doubt dreaming of one day being able to call the Garden, one of the most iconic venues in sporting history his home. He was instead taken by the Chicago Bulls.

Artest went on to average 13.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 991 games in his career. Compare that the absolute zero the Knicks ended up with when they drafted Weis…

Oops.

Missing Artest, the beginning of a pattern

Artest would eventually suit up for the Knicks in the 2013- 14 season but this was almost 10 years after his most productive scoring in 2004-05. He would only play 29 games and averaged 4.8 points with Knicks before heading overseas to play in China and Italy the following year.

Bringing in guys that they had missed out on either by being unable to draft them or unable to trade for them, would become a something of a pattern for the Knicks. Dikembe Mutombo and Carmelo Anthony would also be names that, for one reason or the other, the Knicks didn’t get while the gettin’ was good but managed to bring in years later.

It’s almost like the New York executives couldn’t move on from their missed opportunities. They had to try out these players that they had missed in their prime, just to make sure. Or maybe, when the acquisitions didn’t work it allowed them to say to themselves, “See, it doesn’t matter that we didn’t get him back when. It didn’t work out anyway.” Who knows.

But I digress.