Editor's Note: The following is an author opinion-based article and does not necessarily reflect the the views of FittedHats.com

Many die-hard New York Knicks fans have had the misfortune of going through some awful seasons over the past two decades. The number of reasons for this continued ineptitude are too long to list and too painful for Knicks fans to recall.    However, there is one common reason why the Knicks continued to be in a prolonged period of stagnation. The New York Knicks have failed to build successfully through the NBA draft.    

There have been many examples throughout recent history in which the NY Knicks have simply come up short when it comes to the draft.  In this piece, I will go over two of the worst draft picks in Knicks history. `

Draft Pick #1: Frank Ntilikina, 2017 NBA Draft

In the 2017 NBA Draft, the Knicks decided to draft Frank Ntilikina despite of the solid talent that was available.  Frank Ntilikina was the eighth pick in the 1st round. I believe it can be safely said that his performance has been underwhelming. 

In his rookie season, Frank Ntilikina averaged only 5.9 points per game.   He would average 5.7 points and 6.3 ppg respectively during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons. By the 2020-2021 season, he was out of the rotation entirely.    The selection of Ntilikina at #8 looks even worse when one considers the amount of great players that the Knicks missed out on. 

For instance, the Knicks could have drafted Donovan Mitchell. This was a scenario that Stephen A Smith has screamed about many times in recent years.   It can be safely said that Donovan Mitchell is so much better than Frank Ntilikina and that is almost embarrassing to compare the two. 

In 5 seasons, Donovan Mitchell has averaged 23.9 points per game. He is a 3-time All Star. Other players that the Knicks could have drafted instead of Frank Ntilikina include Bam Adebayo, John Collins, Jarrett Allen and Derrick White. 

Draft Pick #2: Jordan Hill, 2009 NBA Draft

In the 2009 Draft, the Knicks drafted Jordan Hill with the eighth overall pick. Yet, Jordan Hill’s tenure as a New York Knick was very brief. He played in only 22 games and did not do very much while he was a Knicks baller. He averaged 4.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.   

Jordan Hill would be traded to the Houston Rockets as part of a three-team deal that would send Tracy McGrady to the Big Apple. It is safe to say that this was an absolute waste of a pick by the New York Knicks. Knicks fans will cringe at the fact that they could have drafted Demar Dorozan or Brandon Jennings. They could have also drafted Jrue Holiday. 

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