Last Updated on September 18, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

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The 1961–62 New York Knicks were led by Richie Guerin, whose scoring and playmaking made him the clear focal point of the offense. Johnny Green provided a strong interior presence with scoring and rebounding, while Willie Naulls contributed additional frontcourt production. Although the Knicks received solid output from their leading players, inconsistent defense and limited overall depth prevented the team from sustaining success over the course of the season.

Roster

NO. PLAYER POS HT WT BIRTH DATE COLLEGE
3 Al Butler PG 6-2 175 July 9, 1938 Niagara University
5 Doug Kistler F 6-9 210 March 21, 1938 Duke
6 Willie Naulls SF 6-6 225 October 7, 1934 UCLA
7 Whitey Martin SG 6-2 185 April 11, 1939 St. Bonaventure
8 Phil Jordon C 6-10 205 September 12, 1933 Whitworth
9 Richie Guerin SG 6-4 195 May 29, 1932 Iona College
10 Dave Budd SF 6-6 205 October 28, 1938 Wake Forest
11 Johnny Green PF 6-5 200 December 8, 1933 Michigan State
12 Cleveland Buckner PF 6-9 210 August 17, 1938 Jackson State University
14 Ed Burton F 6-6 225 August 13, 1939 Michigan State
15 George Blaney PG 6-1 175 November 12, 1939 Holy Cross
16 Bill Smith G-F 6-5 190 April 26, 1939 Saint Peter’s College
17 Sam Stith SG 6-2 185 July 22, 1937 St. Bonaventure
18 Darrall Imhoff C 6-10 220 October 11, 1938 California
19 Donnie Butcher PG 6-2 200 February 8, 1936 Pikeville College

Regular Season Per Game

PLR POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Richie Guerin SG 29 78 78 42.9 29.5 6.4 6.9 – – – 24.3 10.8 .442 – – – 9.8 8.0 .820
Willie Naulls SF 27 75 75 39.7 25.0 11.6 2.6 – – – 24.0 10.0 .415 – – – 6.1 5.1 .842
Johnny Green PF 28 80 80 34.9 15.9 13.3 2.4 – – – 14.6 6.3 .436 – – – 5.4 3.3 .601
Al Butler PG 23 54 54 36.5 14.7 6.0 3.7 – – – 13.4 6.2 .463 – – – 3.3 2.3 .705
Phil Jordon C 28 76 76 28.9 11.9 6.3 2.1 – – – 13.5 5.3 .392 – – – 2.2 1.3 .571
Cleveland Buckner PF 23 62 62 11.2 6.4 3.8 0.6 – – – 5.9 2.5 .431 – – – 2.1 1.3 .624
Dave Budd SF 23 79 79 17.3 6.5 4.4 1.1 – – – 5.5 2.4 .436 – – – 2.9 1.7 .597
Darrall Imhoff C 23 76 76 19.5 5.9 6.2 1.1 – – – 6.3 2.4 .386 – – – 1.8 1.1 .576
Sam Stith SG 24 32 32 13.8 4.4 1.6 1.9 – – – 5.1 1.8 .364 – – – 1.2 0.7 .605
Whitey Martin SG 22 66 66 15.4 3.4 2.4 1.7 – – – 4.4 1.4 .325 – – – 0.8 0.6 .673
George Blaney PG 22 36 36 10.1 3.3 1.0 1.3 – – – 3.9 1.5 .380 – – – 0.5 0.3 .529
Donnie Butcher PG 25 47 47 10.2 2.9 1.7 1.1 – – – 3.3 1.0 .310 – – – 1.5 0.9 .609
Bill Smith – 22 9 9 9.2 2.6 1.8 0.8 – – – 3.7 0.9 .242 – – – 0.9 0.8 .875
Ed Burton – 22 8 8 3.5 1.9 0.6 0.1 – – – 1.8 0.9 .500 – – – 0.5 0.1 .250
Doug Kistler – 23 5 5 2.6 1.6 0.2 0.0 – – – 1.2 0.6 .500 – – – 0.8 0.4 .500
Totals – – 80 80 24.6 114.8 68.0 22.1 – – – 108.7 45.5 .418 – – – 33.7 23.9 .710

Regular Season Per 36 Minutes

PLR POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Richie Guerin SG 29 78 78 42.9 24.8 5.4 5.8 – – – 20.4 9.0 .442 – – – 8.2 6.7 .820
Willie Naulls SF 27 75 75 39.7 22.7 10.5 2.3 – – – 21.7 9.0 .415 – – – 5.5 4.6 .842
Doug Kistler – 23 5 5 2.6 22.2 2.8 0.0 – – – 16.6 8.3 .500 – – – 11.1 5.5 .500
Cleveland Buckner PF 23 62 62 11.2 20.6 12.2 2.0 – – – 19.0 8.2 .431 – – – 6.9 4.3 .624
Ed Burton – 22 8 8 3.5 19.3 6.4 1.3 – – – 18.0 9.0 .500 – – – 5.1 1.3 .250
Johnny Green PF 28 80 80 34.9 16.5 13.8 2.5 – – – 15.0 6.5 .436 – – – 5.6 3.4 .601
Phil Jordon C 28 76 76 28.9 14.8 7.9 2.6 – – – 16.9 6.6 .392 – – – 2.8 1.6 .571
Al Butler PG 23 54 54 36.5 14.6 5.9 3.7 – – – 13.3 6.1 .463 – – – 3.2 2.3 .705
Dave Budd SF 23 79 79 17.3 13.5 9.1 2.3 – – – 11.3 4.9 .436 – – – 6.1 3.6 .597
George Blaney PG 22 36 36 10.1 11.6 3.6 4.5 – – – 14.1 5.4 .380 – – – 1.7 0.9 .529
Sam Stith SG 24 32 32 13.8 11.5 4.2 4.9 – – – 13.3 4.8 .364 – – – 3.1 1.9 .605
Darrall Imhoff C 23 76 76 19.5 11.0 11.4 2.0 – – – 11.7 4.5 .386 – – – 3.4 1.9 .576
Donnie Butcher PG 25 47 47 10.2 10.4 5.9 3.8 – – – 11.6 3.6 .310 – – – 5.2 3.2 .609
Bill Smith – 22 9 9 9.2 10.0 6.9 3.0 – – – 14.3 3.5 .242 – – – 3.5 3.0 .875
Whitey Martin SG 22 66 66 15.4 8.0 5.6 4.1 – – – 10.3 3.4 .325 – – – 1.9 1.3 .673
Totals – – 80 80 24.6 248.0 113.8 44.0 – – – 243.9 100.5 .412 – – – 56.7 41.7 .734

Regular Season Totals

PLR POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Richie Guerin SG 29 78 78 3348 2303 501 539 – – – 1897 839 .442 – – – 762 625 .820
Willie Naulls SF 27 75 75 2978 1877 867 192 – – – 1798 747 .415 – – – 455 383 .842
Johnny Green PF 28 80 80 2789 1275 1066 191 – – – 1164 507 .436 – – – 434 261 .601
Phil Jordon C 28 76 76 2195 902 482 156 – – – 1028 403 .392 – – – 168 96 .571
Al Butler PG 23 54 54 1969 796 324 201 – – – 725 336 .463 – – – 176 124 .705
Dave Budd SF 23 79 79 1370 514 345 86 – – – 431 188 .436 – – – 231 138 .597
Darrall Imhoff C 23 76 76 1481 452 470 82 – – – 482 186 .386 – – – 139 80 .576
Cleveland Buckner PF 23 62 62 696 399 236 39 – – – 367 158 .431 – – – 133 83 .624
Whitey Martin SG 22 66 66 1018 227 158 115 – – – 292 95 .325 – – – 55 37 .673
Sam Stith SG 24 32 32 440 141 51 60 – – – 162 59 .364 – – – 38 23 .605
Donnie Butcher PG 25 47 47 479 138 79 51 – – – 155 48 .310 – – – 69 42 .609
George Blaney PG 22 36 36 363 117 36 45 – – – 142 54 .380 – – – 17 9 .529
Bill Smith – 22 9 9 83 23 16 7 – – – 33 8 .242 – – – 8 7 .875
Ed Burton – 22 8 8 28 15 5 1 – – – 14 7 .500 – – – 4 1 .250
Doug Kistler – 23 5 5 13 8 1 0 – – – 6 3 .500 – – – 4 2 .500
Totals – – 80 80 19250 9187 4637 1765 – – – 8696 3638 .418 – – – 2693 1911 .710

HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight

Player Name Role Tier MPG Usage Tier PPG RPG APG STK (SPG+BPG) Impact Index* Notes Awards
Richie Guerin Offensive Engine / Lead Guard 42.9 Very High 29.5 6.4 6.9 2.0 22.4 Carried one of the heaviest workloads in the league, leading the NBA in minutes while ranking among scoring and assist leaders; primary shot creator and late-game decision-maker for New York. Defensive activity estimated due to era (steals/blocks not officially tracked).  MVP-7, All-Star, All-NBA Second Team
Willie Naulls Scoring Wing / Power Finisher 39.7 High 25.0 11.6 2.6 1.8 20.5 Elite scoring forward who combined volume scoring with strong rebounding; functioned as the team’s primary interior scorer from the wing/forward spots. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  All-Star
Johnny Green Interior Anchor / Rebounding Hub 34.9 Medium-High 15.9 13.3 2.4 2.2 16.9 One of the league’s top rebounders; provided physical interior defense and second-chance offense, stabilizing a frontcourt built around effort and boards. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  All-Star
Al Butler Combo Guard / Secondary Creator 36.5 Medium 14.7 6.0 3.7 1.6 13.0 Played heavy minutes as a flexible backcourt piece; contributed across categories with reliable scoring efficiency and rebounding for a guard. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —
Phil Jordon Starting Center / Interior Scorer 28.9 Medium 11.9 6.3 2.1 1.8 11.1 Provided interior scoring and physical defense in a traditional center role; key rotation big before transitioning into a reserve role later in career. Defensive estimate applied due to era. —
Dave Budd Utility Forward / Energy Wing 17.3 Low-Medium 6.5 4.4 1.1 1.2 6.6 Versatile role player who filled minutes across forward spots; valued more for effort and positional flexibility than offensive output. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —
Cleveland Buckner Depth Forward / Spot Scorer 11.2 Low 6.4 3.8 0.6 1.0 5.9 Provided limited scoring punch in short stints; operated as a depth forward used to spell starters. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —
Darrall Imhoff Backup Center / Defensive Size 19.5 Low 5.9 6.2 1.1 1.5 7.4 Young center offering size and rebounding off the bench; later became a full-time starter elsewhere in the league. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —
Sam Stith Reserve Scoring Guard 13.8 Low 4.4 1.6 1.9 0.9 4.4 Limited-minutes guard used primarily for offensive relief; struggled to carve out a consistent rotation role. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —
Whitey Martin Bench Shooter 15.4 Low 3.4 2.4 1.7 0.8 4.2 Depth guard whose role centered on spacing and short offensive bursts; defensive contribution modest. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —
Donnie Butcher Backup Point Guard 10.2 Low 2.9 1.7 1.1 0.7 3.2 Low-usage reserve tasked with ball movement and maintaining tempo in short appearances. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —
George Blaney Developmental Guard 10.1 Low 3.3 1.0 1.3 0.6 3.1 Young guard evaluated in limited minutes; primarily a developmental piece rather than a rotation staple. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —
Bill Smith End-of-Bench Wing 9.2 Low 2.6 1.8 0.8 0.6 2.9 Very limited usage; appeared sparingly with minimal offensive responsibility. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —
Ed Burton Emergency Reserve 3.5 Very Low 1.9 0.6 0.1 0.4 1.5 Short-term depth piece with negligible on-court impact due to minimal minutes. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —
Doug Kistler Deep Bench Big 2.6 Very Low 1.6 0.2 0.0 0.3 1.1 Rarely used reserve big; functioned strictly as emergency depth. Defensive estimate applied due to era.  —