6. Earl ‘The Pearl’ Monroe, SG
- 1971-80
- 16.2 PPG, 3.5 APG
- 7th in franchise history with 9,679 career points
- Member of 1973 Championship Team
- No. 15 jersey retired, Basketball Hall of Famer
When Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington) described Earl “The Pearl” Monroe in the 1998 motion picture He’s Got Game, it was enough to give any old-school Knicks fan chills from head to toe.
Pearl’s game was often described as poetry in motion. His shot, his flow, his handles – they were all ahead of his time.
What ranks him high in Knicks history, however, was his willingness to come to New York and share the big stage with his point guard. He gave up individual accolades for a chance to win, and that’s just what he did in 1973 with the Knicks.
