Karl-Anthony Towns is still rocked by his trade to the New York Knicks last year.

The center, who played nine consecutive seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, was traded to the Knicks one day before the start of Minnesota’s training camp in 2024. New York acquired Towns in exchange for Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle.

Towns faced his former side on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, where he logged 15 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the Knicks’ 137-114 victory.

After the win, the center still couldn’t wrap his head around the trade.

“I’m still stunned, I mean, I’m still stunned,” Towns said. “It’s weird.”

Towns admitted he still talks to many of his former teammates on a daily basis, including star shooting guard Anthony Edwards.

“I talk to a lot of them, almost every day, if not every other day,” Towns said. “Me and Ant, like I said those are my brothers. Ant, Jaden [McDaniels], Rudy [Gobert], Mike [Conley], all of them down the list.

“It’s deeper than basketball. It’s always great when you get to see family.”

While the Timberwolves made the Western Conference Final for the second straight season in 2025 and in their first year after the trade, Towns led the Knicks to an appearance in the Eastern Conference Final before losing to the Indiana Pacers.

“Built something special there,” Towns said. “It’s different when you’re in process, and now you’re going against the process. They’re a great team. To see what they’re doing right now, special, and I expect nothing less than greatness from them.”

The Knicks occupy third place in the Eastern Conference in the early stages of the season. Towns’ side returns to the court on Sunday night against the Brooklyn Nets.

The New York Knicks are set to acquire veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon on a one-year contract, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The 32-year-old free agent last played for the Washington Wizards where he averaged 12.7 points and 4.1 assists in 24 games. It was the lowest amount of matches played for the 2023 NBA Sixth Man of the Year during his professional career.

Brogdon’s addition to the Knicks could add much-needed depth for the newly appointed Mike Brown. Point guard Landry Shamet also re-signed for the franchise on Thursday on a one-year deal.

The Knicks will be Brogdon’s fourth different team in the last four seasons. After spending three years each with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers, the former Virginia guard had one-year spells at the Boston Celtics and the Portland Trailblazers, before settling with the Wizards for the 2024-25 season.

Brown’s team will play its first preseason game on Oct. 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The New York Knicks are the only team with a current vacancy in their head coaching spot after deciding to fire Tom Thibodeau earlier this week.

There is likely high interest in the position, given the success the Knicks’ roster achieved this season.

Knicks Coaching Rumors

“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,” the team said in a statement following Thibodeau’s departure.

Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori interviewed for the role this week.

Many other names have been in the mix.

Former Villanova head coach Jay Wright has been frequently mentioned. Wright has been retired from coaching basketball following his decision to leave Villanova in 2022.

However, analyst Seth Davis, who works with Wright on CBS, posted on social media that Wright is unlikely to leap to the NBA.

Former Nuggets head coach Michael Malone has been another name floating around. Just two seasons ago, Malone helped lead the Denver Nuggets to the franchise’s first NBA championship.

The New York Times also reported that Luke Walton and Mike Brown are two names floating around.

The team is reportedly “comfortable” not having a coach until the start of the Summer League, so there is time for the front office to pick the right candidate.

As it stands, Malone is the betting favorite at +125 to be the next head coach for the Knicks.

The Dallas Mavericks have become the latest team to halt the New York Knicks in their search for a new head coach.

The Mavericks firmly rejected the Knicks’ request to speak with head coach Jason Kidd, sources told ESPN.

When reports initially surfaced that the Knicks were interested in Kidd, Dallas didn’t immediately shut down his availability, which raised some questions about Kidd’s future in Dallas.

It makes sense for the Mavericks not to let their coach interview for another job, given that they have the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, which they are expected to use on Cooper Flagg. Additionally, Kidd has strong relationships with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, as well as general manager Nico Harrison.

Kidd joins the likes of Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka and Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch as those teams have denied permission to interview with the Knicks, sources confirmed.

The Knicks are searching for a new coach after firing Tom Thibodeau last week in a surprising move after he led the team to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years.

Udoka and Finch are both coming off successful seasons with their respective teams, as the Rockets ended a four-year playoff drought as the West’s No. 2 seed and the Wolves made their second straight Western Conference finals appearance.

Jay Wright, who coached three current Knicks starters when he was at Villanova, reportedly informed the Knicks last week that he wouldn’t be interested in the position.

The Knicks are said to want a coach with experience, and while that rules out assistants like Johnnie Bryant of the Cavaliers, that doesn’t mean the Knicks won’t explore that option. The Knicks are expected to do an exhaustive search for the next coach.

Massive changes could be coming to the New York Knicks following the team’s Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Indiana Pacers in six games.

The team fired head coach Tom Thibodeau and rumors have been rampant regarding a trade for the team’s star center Karl Anthony-Towns. Reports following the series loss were released regarding Towns’ struggles on defense that were apparent throughout the season.

As of now, multiple teams make sense in a potential trade for Towns.

According to betting markers, the current favorite to be the All-Stars’ next team if the Knicks do decide to trade him is the Phoenix Suns at +160 odds. This is likely due to the team’s eagerness to make a trade around star Kevin Durant.

The Orlando Magic have the second-highest odds in the betting market, sitting at +200. The Magic would likely be adding Towns to their already existing core instead of exchanging him for one of their current stars, Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner.

As of now, the Suns look to be the most likely destination for Towns.

In 2019, Durant was linked to the New York Knicks, with many believing a deal was soon to be made. Instead, Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets.

Six years later, it’s possible Durant to the Knicks could come true after all.

Whether Towns is traded or not is still a decision to be made. The Knicks did find success with him this season. However, as of now, it seems Towns staying in New York isn’t a likely outcome.

The New York Knicks’ decision to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau after the team’s most successful playoff run in 25 years came as a shock to people outside the organization, but according to a new report from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, that might not have been the case inside the organization, where concerns regarding Thibodeau and his future leading the team had been allegedly percolating for some time.

One source told ESPN that the choice to replace Thibodeau “had been trending in that direction for months,” Shelburne wrote. “The team simply wasn’t maximizing its talent, despite having two All-NBA players in [Jalen] Brunson and [Karl-Anthony] Towns. And after meeting with the select group of players and coaches this week, sources said, it was clear to [Leon] Rose that the organization needed a new voice.”

“He got outcoached,” a source said. “The Game 1 collapse was insane. If they don’t have that collapse, who knows what happens.”

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon described members of the Knicks’ front office who wanted Thibodeau gone “a while ago” on a Thursday appearance on the Dan Patrick Show.

“There was a pretty large function within that front office that wanted to get him fired a while ago, and finally got its way,” MacMahon said.

One source told Shelburne that Knicks players “hadn’t turned on Thibodeau,” but the Eastern Conference finals loss had caused doubt that he could lead the team as far as the NBA Finals.

Some of the concern and critique surrounding Thibodeau centered on his reluctance to rely on his bench with star forward Mikal Bridges publicly stating as much back in March, though Thibodeau denied the pair even spoke about it.

It would seem that his decision-making both during and outside of the Eastern Conference finals, as well as doubts regarding his ability to produce a title, have caught up to him.

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns has undergone treatment on his bruised left knee and to repair ligament damage on his finger, according to sources.

Both injuries were sustained during the Knicks’ playoff run. The finger injury occurred in the series against the Boston Celtics, while the knee injury occurred in the series against the Indiana Pacers.

Following the Knicks’ game six loss to the Pacers, Towns decided to undergo treatment as quickly as possible, so that he is ready for next season.

Despite the injuries, Towns scored 20 or more points in eight of the team’s last nine playoff games, including a 35-point, 12-rebound performance in game one of the Eastern Conference finals.

Towns has been in the news frequently following the Knicks’ exit from the playoffs. Reports that Towns was struggling mightily on defense were released, followed by trade rumors around the center.

Whether Towns is playing for the Knicks or a different team when his injuries heal is yet to be decided.

The Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, despite the franchise making their first ECF in over 20 years.

In addition to a new coach, a trade centered around Towns could be another decision made by New York. Towns earned All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honors this season.

An Indiana Pacers fan has been charged after allegedly stabbing a New York Knicks fan at a game two watch party in Indianapolis.

Jarrett Funke, 24, has been charged with battery by means of a deadly weapon, criminal recklessness and battery by the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, according to court documents.

The incident reportedly started when Funke was harassing two Knicks fans, challenging them to a fight. Police at the bar, Danny Boy Beer Works, told Funke and his family to leave.

After Funke was escorted out, the two Knicks fans stepped onto the patio to smoke. Funke allegedly returned and continued harassing them, to which one of the Knicks fans briefly pulled out his pocket knife.

Funke lunged at the man and stabbed him in the back with his own knife, according to court documents. Funke attempted to flee but was stopped in the parking lot by police.

Following interviews with witnesses, investigators concluded that Funke was the aggressor in the situation. Patrons feared the man who was stabbed might die.

Funke is being held at the Hamilton County Jail and was denied bond last week.

The victim reportedly is suffering from a torn lung.

After a hard-fought series, Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton got the last laugh against the New York Knicks. Their fans, as the Pacers won the playoff series in six games and are now going to the NBA Finals to face the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Knicks fans have shown their disdain for the Pacers and their star point guard to the point where celebrity fans are getting in the middle of this back-and-forth rivalry between the Knicks and the Pacers.

Before Saturday’s Game 6 matchup, there was a clip of Haliburton arriving at Gainbridge Fieldhouse circulating online. In the clip, Haliburton was walking down a corridor dressed all in black, which references the Knicks doing the same before last year’s Game 6 playoff matchup.

Actor and comedian Ben Stiller was focusing on one thing in the Haliburton arrival video, and it was the black duffel bag that the two-time All-Star was carrying.

“Good thing he brought his duffel for the flight to NY,” Stiller tweeted.

Stiller was implying that the Knicks were going to win Game 6 and send the series back to New York for a Game 7.

The statement did not look good for Stiller in retrospect, as the Pacers went on to win Game 6 in a 125-108 victory over the Knicks and eliminated them from the NBA playoffs for the second year in a row.

Pascal Siakam was efficient as he accounted for 31 points, five rebounds and three blocks as he shot 10-of-18 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range while also winning Eastern Conference finals MVP. Haliburton accounted for 21 points, six rebounds, 13 assists and three steals while Andrew Nembhard accounted for 14 points, eight assists and six steals.

After celebrating the Pacers’ victory, Haliburton responded to Stiller on X.

“Nah, was to pack y’all up,” Haliburton replied.

Stiller tweeted back with no hard feelings on the star point guard, wishing him and the Pacers well in their upcoming NBA Finals matchup with the Thunder.

“Congrats,” Stiller said. “All the best in OKC.”

Turning the ball over is something that can’t be done against any playoff team, but against a team that thrives in transition like the Indiana Pacers is something that the New York Knicks can’t do if they want to bring the series back.

The Knicks’ turnovers were the biggest determinants of their 130-121 Game 4 loss to the Pacers Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Knicks turned the ball over a total of 17 times, which is the same number of assists they had in their Game 4 loss. Knicks guard Josh Hart was most at fault for the turnovers on the team, as he led the team with five turnovers, with four of them coming in the first half.

The Pacers capitalized on Hart’s turnovers as they got out in transition and turned those turnovers into eight points on the other end.

“It’s tough to win against a team like that who turns those turnovers into points,” Hart said postgame. “I had like four or five. Just stupid turnovers that you can’t have. That leads to easy baskets, that leads to momentum. We gotta be more careful with the ball, starting with myself.”

The Pacers like to play fast and force opponents into uncharacteristic mistakes. The Pacers had a whopping 22-9 advantage in fast-break points. They also converted the Knicks’ 17 turnovers into 20 points. Hart fouled out of the game as well, which the Pacers scored nine points either as a result of or directly after those fouls.

The Pacers only committed 11 turnovers, which led to the Knicks scoring nine points off them. Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton had no turnovers and produced a 30-point, 15-assist and 12-rebound triple-double.

“I think it was probably a compilation of things,” coach Tom Thibodeau said postgame. “You turn it over against them, particularly the live-ball turnovers, you’re fueling their transition game.”

The New York Knicks were entering the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000. This team was confident after beating the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals in six games. At the start of the game, the team was self-assured. The Knicks had as big as a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers. As the lead dwindled and the team missed shots, all the Knicks thought about was the bounce.

The Pacers came back from a 14-point deficit with three minutes left in the game to force the Knicks into overtime. Star guard Tyrese Haliburton hit the game-tying shot that bounced up in the air and went in. Haliburton uses a choking signal after the shot, indicating the collapse.

This celebration was a callback to Hall of Famer Reggie Miller’s famous gesture to Spike Lee while leading a Pacers comeback over the Knicks in a playoff game in 1994.

“I wasn’t plotting on it or anything,” Haliburton said postgame. “Everybody wanted me to do it last year at some point, but it’s got to feel right. It felt right at the time – well, if I would’ve known it was a 2, I would not have done it. So I think I might’ve wasted it.”

The Pacers did not waste the callback as they went on to win Game 1 with a score of 138-135.

They finished with six players in double figures, with Haliburton leading the team with 31 points and 11 assists. Huge contributions from forward Aaron Nesmith and the Knicks, who turned the ball over eight more times than the Pacers did, allowed the Pacers to take Game 1.

In the loss, the Knicks had four players scoring double figures with impressive offensive outings from star guard Jalen Brunson and center Karl-Anthony Towns, and some impressive defensive outings from star forwards OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.

Brunson finished the game with 43 points, five assists and shot 60% from the field while Towns finished with 35 points and 12 rebounds. The defensive duo of Anunoby and Bridges accounted for five blocks and four steals.

“In the playoffs, when you win, it’s the best thing ever,” Brunson said postgame. “When you lose, it’s the worst thing ever.”

The Knicks have a chance to tie the series at home on Friday, as Game 2 of the series is on Friday, May 23.

For the first time in 25 years, the New York Knicks have gotten one step closer to reaching the mountain top.

The Knicks dominated the Boston Celtics, winning 119-81 in a game that was never competitive to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

“The fact that we haven’t been there [the Eastern Conference finals] since my dad was on the team,” Jalen Brunson said in his post-game interview. “It means a lot for this organization and this city.”

Four players for the Knicks finished with 20 or more points – Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns. As a team, the Knicks shot 46.2% from the field and 34.8% from three.

The one-sided beat down was fueled by a dominant third quarter where the Knicks outscored the Celtics 38-17.

Boston was never able to recover.

Only three Celtics finished with double-digit points, and Jaylen Brown was the only player for Boston to score 20 points. Brown also finished with six assists and seven turnovers.

Derrick White, who finished with 34 points in game five, finished with just eight points on 3-11 shooting. It was only White’s second game of the playoffs, finishing with under 10 points.

The Celtics played this game without Jayson Tatum, who recently underwent surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in game four of the series.

Both teams emptied their bench in the second half because of the wide score. The Celtics played 14 different players while the Knicks played 12.

The Knicks entered the series as +900 underdogs and will now advance to play the Indiana Pacers in the second round. The Pacers are coming off a 4-1 series win over the one-seed Cleveland Cavaliers.

If one 20-point road comeback win wasn’t wild enough, two in a row is unheard of.

The New York Knicks beat the Boston Celtics 91-90, going up 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. With 3:12 left in the third quarter, the Knicks trailed 73-52. From there, they outscored the Celtics 39-17, marking their second 20-point comeback in a row.

“Always have the belief in each other,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You get to the playoffs and it’s about your mental toughness, your defense and your teamwork.”

Jalen Brunson was fouled with 12.1 seconds left and the Knicks down by one point. He made both free throws, giving the Knicks a 91-90 lead.

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla called an isolation for Jayson Tatum. Mikal Bridges stole the ball from him, ending the game.

Brunson had an off night for his standards for the Knicks, finishing with 17 points on 6-19 shooting.

Josh Hart was the leading scorer for the Knicks, finishing with 23 points and six rebounds. Half of his rebounds were offensive rebounds.

Two games into the series, the Celtics’ star duo of Tatum and Jaylen Brown has been struggling. After a lackluster shooting performance in game one, the two combined to shoot 3-12 from three and 13-42 from the field.

Kristaps Porzingis only played 14 minutes after leaving game one with an illness. It is unknown whether his minutes will increase as the series goes on.

The Celtics opened the series as much as -900 favorites on some sportsbooks. Being down 2-0, the odds are closer to even for either team to win the series.

“In a way, it kinda takes the pressure off of us,” Porzingis said. “If you check the odds, maybe the Knicks are the favorites now to win.”

There’s an old saying that “the series doesn’t start until a road team wins.” The series between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks has officially begun.

The Knicks shocked the Celtics, winning 108-105 in OT to steal game one in Boston. The Knicks were down 20 at one point and were down nine entering the fourth quarter.

The Celtics, who make more three-pointers than any other team in the NBA, shot 15-60. Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined to shoot 5-25 from three.

“In those spots where they have momentum, we can’t just fire up 3s,” Brown said. “I felt like we just settled in the second half a lot.”

Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby for the Knicks both finished with 29 points. Brunson hit multiple threes late in the fourth quarter to help send the game to OT.

Karl Anthony-Towns and Josh Hart also finished with double-doubles.

“We told each other just keep believing. Just keep fighting and sticking together, and keep chipping away. There wasn’t going to be a 20-point shot,” Brunson said.

The fourth quarter was filled with runs. The Knicks went on an 8-0 run to take a 97-91. From that point, the Celtics went on a 7-0 run to take a 98-97 lead.

Eventually, the Knicks closed the game in OT, holding the Celtics to just five points in five minutes.

The Celtics entered the game as a -8.5 favorite and have opened for game two on Wednesday as a -10.5 favorite. Oddsmakers had the Celtics as -900 to win the series before game one.

The NBA’s 2025 clutch player of the year showed exactly why he has the title.

The New York Knicks are advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals after beating the Detroit Pistons 116-113 in game six. Knicks star Jalen Brunson made a three-pointer with 4.3 seconds left in the game, sending the Knicks to the next round.

The Knicks held the lead for most of the game, leading by as much as 15 points. A Pistons rally brought Detroit back in the game, giving them a 112-105 lead with 2:35 remaining.

Brunson took over, making three shots, including the dagger to end the game. He finished the game with 40 points.

“I stay poised and I rely on the trust and composure my teammates give me,” Brunson said.

OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges also had big nights, finishing with 22 points and 25 points, respectively, for the Knicks.

The series was highly competitive, with the last four games being decided by three points or fewer. The Knicks will go on to play the Boston Celtics.

The Pistons will head home, but with a future filled with young talent and potential. Pistons star Cade Cunningham was just as dominant as Brunson throughout the series. He finished game six with 23 points and eight assists.

“We proved to ourselves and to the rest of the league that what we have in our room can be very successful,” Cunningham said.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson has been named the 2024-25 NBA Clutch Player of the Year, earning the Jerry West Trophy.

Brunson dominated clutch time this season—final five minutes of regulation or overtime with the score within five—averaging a league-best 5.6 points in the 2024-25 season. He led the NBA with 52 made field goals in those situations, was second in total clutch points with 156, and had 28 assists—third most in the league.

In 28 clutch games this season, Brunson shot 51.5% from the field and hit 84.0% of his free throws, leading the Knicks to a 17-11 record in those matchups.

In 65 games, Brunson averaged 26.0 points and 7.3 assists over 35.4 minutes—finishing eighth in the league in both categories. He was named an All-Star for a second consecutive year.

The New York Knicks fell to the Detroit Pistons 100-94 on Monday. Following the loss, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was not shy about expressing his thoughts on the officiating.

The game, which saw the Pistons take 34 free throws compared to 19 for the Knicks, was controlled by Detroit throughout. Three players on the Knicks finished with four or more fouls by the end of the game.

“Huge discrepancy in free throws, huge,” Thibodeau said during the post-game press conference. “I don’t understand how on one side, the guy’s getting fouled and it’s not getting called.”

Only three players on the Knicks shot free throws. Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart. Brunson made nine of the team’s 16 free throws.

While the free-throw difference was largely in the Pistons’ favor, they had more fouls called on them than the Knicks, with 24 and 22, respectively.

Brunson finished the game with 37 points and seven assists. He also shot 11 free throws, the second most of any player in the game.

He was the only Knicks player to eclipse 20 points or six assists.

The series is now tied 1-1 and headed to Detroit. Game three will be played on Thursday, and the Knicks have opened as a slight one-and-a-half-point favorite.

For the Knicks and Thibodeau to take a game on the road, they’re going to need better free-throw luck than on Monday.

Blunt and unfiltered, former NBA head coach and current TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy always says exactly what he thinks.

Van Gundy — brother of ex-New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy — questioned the supposed “love affair” between Knicks fans and their team ahead of their first-round playoff matchup with the Detroit Pistons.

“Well, they’re passionate [but] love affair? I don’t know,” Van Gundy said. “Love affair when they’re playing well, and hate affair when they’re not playing well. The Knicks fans and the [Philadelphia] fans… they’re front-running fans. They’re in love with their team when things are going well, but they’ll boo their team off the floor when they’re not playing well. That’s not a crowd that’s focused on lifting you up.”

Knicks fans have pushed back against Van Gundy’s take, and the numbers seem to be on their side. Not only do they consistently fill opposing arenas — including Detroit’s move to restrict outside ticket purchases — but historical attendance trends suggest their support never faded, even in the rough years.

Even in 2021-22, when the Knicks missed the playoffs, they still ranked eighth in league attendance. Three years earlier, during their 17-65 season, which tied for the worst in team history, they still finished in the top 10.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau acknowledged the traveling Knicks faithful after a January win against the Brooklyn Nets in Brooklyn, where fans practically turned Barclays Center into a second home-court advantage. It wasn’t the first time — just last postseason, they took over Wells Fargo Center and helped their team to two clutch road wins against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jalen Brunson went exactly one month without playing due to an ankle injury. He looked like it on Sunday night.

The New York Knicks beat the Phoenix Suns 112-98, fueled by 32 points from OG Anunoby. More importantly, Brunson returned to the Knicks lineup for the first time since March 6.

In 34 minutes, Brunson finished 3-9 with 15 points and 6 assists. He finished 3-9 from the field. Brunson didn’t have much to say about his performance.

“Could be better, could be worse,” Brunson told reporters. “A lot of room for improvement on my end.”

Despite a rusty performance, Brunson still showed up when it mattered, scoring six of his 15 in the last two minutes. He hit his only three of the game at the 1:45 mark of the fourth quarter when the teams were only separated by seven points.

Regardless, Knicks fans are just happy to see their star back in the lineup.

For the Phoenix Suns, this loss marks their sixth in a row. The Suns are barely alive for the play-in race, and need to win out and receive some help to stay alive.

Devin Booker finished with 40 points. Over the past three games, Booker has averaged just under 39 points per game.

With the win, the Knicks moved to 50-28. As long as they don’t lose out, they will be a three seed in the Eastern Conference. If the standings hold, they will play the Detroit Pistons in the first round.

New York Knicks’ OG Anunoby has seen it time and time again.

When he’s the one guarding, opponents look to pass the ball or call for a screen.

The last thing they want is facing him in isolation on the perimeter.

“I’ve always known it,” Anunoby said. “I’ve always known people do that.” 

As much as Anunoby wants recognition — “that’s pretty important to me,” he said Friday — the way players avoid him doesn’t show up in ways voters can track.

It’s often the players with the highest steal or block totals who get the defensive awards.

Out of the last 33 Defensive Player of the Year recipients, 27 have been either centers or power forwards.

“There’s no stats for [the offensive player calling a screen to avoid you]. There’s no stat for picking up a dribble to pass. Or shot attempts — like holding the other player to no shot attempts, there’s no stat for that,” Anunoby said. “So [voters] can’t really tell. They just always give it to the big men.” 

Anunoby’s lone All-Defense selection came in 2023, when he earned Second Team honors with the Toronto Raptors.

He’s already set a career-high in minutes played this season.

Anunoby is the Knicks’ leader in blocks.

Tied with Josh Hart for the most steals, no starter on the team has a better defensive rating than Anunoby.

“I think I should be on First Team All-Defense,” Anunoby said. “I think I should win Defensive Player of the Year. 

“I’ve always felt that way.”

Tyson Chandler’s 2013 selection is the last time a Knick made the All-Defense team.

Only two Knicks, Chandler and Charles Oakley, have earned the honor in the last 44 years.