The Knicks, maybe more than any other NBA franchise, embraces their former players.
With the exception of Charles Oakley (we won’t get into that right now), they routinely bring back their alumni to playoff games and their fans have made a tradition out of repeating the phrase, “Once A Knick, Always A Knick”, even if said player is not worth claiming for most franchises.
Because of that, when a former Knick makes headlines of any sort, fans tend to have some sort of reaction. When fan favorites like Immanuel Quickley or Donte DiVincenzo do well, even when it’s for other teams, fans rejoice. And when guys like Derrick Rose retire, they’re celebrated even if the Knicks aren’t the last team they played for.
That also applies to former Knick Danilo Gallinari, who last played for New York in 2011, and who [**announced**](https://x.com/gallinari8888/status/1995886881989620080?s=20) his retirement from professional basketball on Tuesday.
The Italy native, who was drafted by the Knicks with the sixth overall pick in 2008, was among a group of young players who were expected to be a part of a rare rebuild project in NYC. Gallinari, along with then-sophomore Wilson Chandler and fourth-year players including David Lee and Nate Robinson, made up a core surrounded by veterans Zach Randolph, Quentin Richardson, Jamal Crawford, Larry Hughes, Al Harington, Jerome James, and Tim Thomas.
Due to a lingering back injury during his rookie year, Gallinari appeared in only 28 games, but established himself as a promising player in his second year when he [**averaged**](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gallida01.html) 15.1 PPG, and 4.9 RPG while shooting 42% from the field, and 38% from three.
During a period where Knicks fans had very little to root for, especially on the youth movement front, Gallinari provided the franchise and it’s fanbase with a level of hope it had not seen or experienced in a very long time.
Gallinari would go on to have an incredibly solid and long NBA career, playing for eight teams over 16 seasons, and averaging 14.9 PPG, and 4.7 RPG over that span.
And just months prior to announcing his retirement, Gallinari finally won a championship and the Finals MVP in the top-flight division of a nation’s hoops pyramid,conquering the Baloncesto Superior Nacional League in Puerto Rico with Vaqueros de Bayamón.