The Knicks have had some great passers across their history, but none of them were more prolific than Walt Frazier, who has the franchise’s all-time assist record.
The Knicks’ all-time assist leaders list is littered with Hall-of-Famers from across multiple eras. One man tops the list by a healthy number of assists, though, and that’s none other than Walt “Clyde” Frazier.
1. Walt Frazier – 4,791 Assists
Mr. Cool himself was a terrific all-around player who had multiple appearances on the NBA’s All-Defensive 1st Team throughout his career, but he was also a gifted passer who dropped the most dimes of anyone to ever wear a Knicks uniform. Frazier could also score the basketball with six seasons averaging 20 or more points per game. His career-high for assists in a game was 16, which was something he accomplished on five different occasions. He was also a key member of the Knicks’ two championship teams.
2. Mark Jackson – 4,005 Assists
Jackson is well-known for his work on the sidelines as a head coach as well as his broadcasting career. In his playing days, though, Jackson was a floor general. Jackson spent seven of his 17 seasons with the Knicks and led the NBA in assists per game in 1996-97 while with the Pacers and Nuggets. Action Jackson averaged 10.6 assists per game as a rookie to win Rookie of the Year honors in 1988 and that ended up being his best mark while with the team.
3. Dick McGuire – 2,950 Assists
McGuire was one of the first real franchise players for the Knicks as he joined the team in just their fourth year in existence. Dick the Knick was a five-time All-Star in New York and was named 2nd Team All-NBA in his second season. He was a selfless player who set up the offense and distributed the ball with aplomb. McGuire averaged 5.6 assists per game during his eight years in New York.
4. Carl Braun – 2,821 Assists
Braun is one of the greatest players in Knicks history from his 12-year tenure with the club dating back to 1947, the team’s second year in existence. He ranks in the top five in Knicks history in both assists and points. On the assists front, Braun averaged 3.6 assists per game during his five-year run of consecutive All-Star appearances after returning from military service in the U.S. Army. He recorded 10 or more assists on eight different occasions and topped out with 12 dimes against the Warriors in October of 1958.
5. Richie Guerin – 2,725 Assists
Guerin played alongside some of the other Knicks greats like Dick McGuire and Carl Braun and elevated his game in concert with them. Nicknamed Leatherneck, Guerin spent eight seasons with the Knicks and was an All-Star for six of them. Guerin was always a prolific scorer but he developed into a great passer as well and averaged 5.7 assists per game to go with 21.8 PPG during that run of All-Star appearances in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Here is the best of the rest when it comes to Knicks’ All-Time Assists Leaders
- Bill Bradley (2,533 Assists)
- Charlie Ward (2,451 Assists)
- John Starks (2,394 Assists
- Ray Williams (2,660 Assists)
- Michael Ray Richardson (2,244 Assists)