Who Wore it Best? Knicks #21 (2024)

It’s been a few weeks since our last Who Wore it Best Segment. Now that the Knicks playoff dust has settled, and before the craziness of the NBA Draft, and Free Agency kicks in, it’s time to debate the next number: 21.

Everyone has a favorite number, often inspired by a favorite athlete or a significant date like a birthday. For me, that number has always been 21. Growing up as a Knicks fan in the ‘90s, I never had the thrill of seeing my favorite number represented by a player who made it to SportsCenter on a nightly basis, unlike Bulls fans with #23 or Magic fans with #32. I chose it as a 7- or 8-year-old simply because one Sunday morning when my PAL soccer team received our jerseys, I asked my dad which number I should ask for. He told me to ask for 21, and it has stuck with me ever since as my favorite number.

Truth be told from P.A.L. soccer through high school and adult leagues, I never actually got to wear the number 21 on any of my own uniforms until my adult softball league four years ago. However, about 10 years ago, I did treat myself to a custom pro-cut Knicks jersey with my favorite number from Gerry Cosby’s across from the Garden.

Although the Knicks never had a megastar to wear my favorite number, there has been a total of 17 players to do so. When the Knicks drafted Charlie Ward in 1994, I was excited just for that reason, but even though he became a mainstay through 2004, Ward was never more than a role player. I was again excited to see the number taken new ownership by Wilson Chandler, and then again by Iman Shumpert, but alas 9 years since Shumpert last played for the team, a Knicks #21 uniform is still yet to appear in an All-Star game.

Fun fact and random trivia: Although the #21 isn’t up in the MSG rafters, one of its previous owners is. Want to guess who that player might be? If you guessed Willis Reed, you’re wrong. But, if you guessed Earl Monroe, then you are correct. If you are unfamiliar with the story, Monroe wore #21 for just one game in 1973. One night after a Knicks home game, Monroe took his #15 jersey home with him, and it was stolen from his apartment after he washed it and hung it out to dry.

Now with your newfound knowledge, it’s’ time to let the debate begin, and no, you can’t vote for Monroe.

Gerald Wilkins: Gerald Wilkins, the younger brother of NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, played for the Knicks from 1985 to 1992. In his seven seasons with the team, Wilkins averaged 14.9 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game. He had the best year of his career during his sophom*ore season, averaging just under 20 points per game and finishing 7th in the voting for the 1986-87 NBA Most Improved Player award. Throughout his Knicks tenure, Wilkins was often the second-highest scorer behind Patrick Ewing. His role on the roster remained steady until the arrival of John Starks in 1990. When Xavier McDaniel joined the team in 1992, it became clear that Wilkins’ time with the Knicks was coming to an end. After the 1992 season, Wilkins signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

Charlie Ward: In 1994, the New York Knicks drafted Charlie Ward, a two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner from Florida State University. During a period in which Knicks fans and critics believed the Knicks had been lacking a true point guard since the departure of Mark Jackson, Ward was drafted with high hopes of being the Knicks’ floor general for a long time to come.

During his rookie season, Ward saw limited action, appearing in just 10 games under coach Pat Riley. However, Riley’s departure in 1995 and Jeff Van Gundy’s promotion to head coach marked a turning point for Ward. He transitioned from benchwarmer to primary backup for Derek Harper.

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Following Harper’s exit in 1996, the Knicks signed point guard Chris Childs away from the New Jersey Nets. Childs and Ward would split point guard duties during the 1996-97 season. Ward started in 21 of the 79 games he appeared in, which set new career highs in games started and games played. The following season of 1997-98, Ward played and started in all 82 games posting career highs in points and assists per game. During the Knicks 1999 run to the Finals, During the Knicks’ 1999 run to the NBA Finals, Ward started all 50 regular season games and all 20 playoff games. Although Ward would never experience the same level of success on the hardwood as he once achieved on the gridiron, Ward enjoyed a solid decade-long career with the Knicks.

Wilson Chandler: Wilson Chandler was drafted 23rd overall by the New York Knicks in 2007. Under head coach Isiah Thomas, Chandler saw limited minutes during his rookie year. But, like Ward, Chandler saw his production significantly rise during his sophom*ore year under the Knicks’ new head coach Mike D’Antoni. Chandler appeared in all 82 games that year, starting 70, and saw his points per game average double to 14. His rebounds and assists per game nearly doubled as well.

Chandler continued to improve, increasing his points per game to over 16 by 2010. As Chandler was emerging as a team leader, the organization decided to capitalize on his rising value. He became a key component of the package deal that brought Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks. Over his four-year career with the Knicks, Chandler averaged 14 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Iman Shumpert: The Knicks drafted Iman Shumpert with the 17th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, igniting excitement among fans eager to see his electrifying dunks and tenacious defense at Madison Square Garden. Shumpert did not disappoint during his rookie year. Appearing in 59 games, and starting 35, Shumpert averaged just under 10 points and nearly 2 steals per game. Shump’s efforts on both ends of the court were good enough for him to finish 5th place for Rookie of the Year Votes. Shumpert was also the only rookie that year to earn a Defensive Player of the Year Award. However, Shumpert’s promising rookie season was cut short when he tore his ACL and meniscus during the Knicks’ first-round matchup against the Miami Heat in April 2012. The injury sidelined him until January 2013. Upon his return, Shumpert unveiled a new look, a la Kid “N” Play, that instantly made him one of the most recognizable players in the league. His new look high-top became his trademark throughout his career, as well as his logo, and design for a full back tattoo. Shump brought to the team a new level of swag that had gone missing since the early ’90s, and Shump grew into a fan favorite.

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Shumpert maintained his stellar level of play on both ends of the court until he was traded in 2015 to the Cleveland Cavs alongside J.R. Smith. Shumpert would go on to win a championship with the Cavs the following season and fulfilled a 12-year career in the NBA upon his retirement in 2021 as a member of the Brooklyn Nets.

Honorable Mention: Trevor Ariza