The 1974–75 New York Knicks featured a balanced veteran lineup built around Walt Frazier’s playmaking, perimeter defense, and all-around production. Earl Monroe and Spencer Haywood served as the primary scoring options, while Phil Jackson and John Gianelli contributed on the boards. The Knicks relied on experienced contributors across the rotation rather than a single dominant scorer, but inconsistent overall production and defensive play contributed to a losing record.
Roster
NO.
PLAYER
POS
HT
WT
DOB
COLLEGE
6
Tom Riker
C
6-10
225
February 28, 1950
South Carolina
7
Greg Jackson
SG
6-0
180
August 2, 1952
Guilford College
9
Dave Stallworth
SF
6-7
200
December 20, 1941
Wichita State
10
Walt Frazier
PG
6-4
200
March 29, 1945
Southern Illinois
11
Jesse Dark
SG
6-5
210
September 2, 1951
VCU
15
Earl Monroe
SG
6-3
185
November 21, 1944
Winston-Salem State
17
Henry Bibby
PG
6-1
185
November 24, 1949
UCLA
18
Phil Jackson
PF
6-8
220
September 17, 1945
University of North Dakota
24
Bill Bradley
SF
6-5
205
July 28, 1943
Princeton
25
Jim Barnett
SG
6-4
170
July 7, 1944
Oregon
31
Mel Davis
PF
6-6
220
November 9, 1950
St. John’s
40
John Gianelli
C
6-10
220
June 10, 1950
University of the Pacific
41
Neal Walk
C
6-10
220
July 29, 1948
Florida
43
Harthorne Wingo
PF
6-6
210
September 9, 1947
Friendship Junior College
46
Dennis Bell
SF
6-5
185
June 2, 1951
Drake University
54
Howard Porter
SF
6-8
220
August 31, 1948
Villanova
Note: Dave DeBusschere retired after the 1973–74 season, so he did not play in 1974–75, but he’s often listed due to historical context. Spencer Haywood joined midseason via trade from Seattle.
Led offense as primary ball‑handler and facilitator; elite on‑ball defense, quick hands creating turnovers; foundational to team identity. Knicks relied heavily on his two‑way play.
MVP‑15, All‑Star, All‑NBA1, All‑Def1
Earl Monroe
Secondary Scoring Creator
36.1
High
20.9
4.2
3.5
1.8
14.7
Dynamic off‑ball scorer and slasher with a creative one‑on‑one attack; his “Pearl” scoring complemented Frazier’s distribution and forced defenses to adjust.
MVP‑16, All‑Star
Bill Bradley
Two‑Way Wing Facilitator
35.3
Medium‑High
13.3
3.2
3.1
1.1
10.4
Versatile wing who mixed scoring with ball movement and perimeter defense; often a “third option” that could stretch defenses. Known for basketball IQ and consistent production.
—
John Gianelli
Inside Presence/Big Man
35.0
Medium
10.3
8.6
2.0
2.0
11.5
Provided stable interior rebounding and finishing around the rim; bullies smaller defenders and helped set screens that freed perimeter creators.
—
Phil Jackson
Big Lineup Glue
29.3
Medium
10.8
7.7
1.7
1.8
10.5
Skilled frontcourt role that balanced rebounding with smart passing and high basketball IQ; seldom a focal scorer but important spacing/rotations.
—
Harthorne Wingo
Role Forward/Bench Boost
20.6
Medium‑Low
7.4
5.6
1.0
1.0
7.5
Energetic frontcourt rotation player; effective rebounder and pick‑and‑roll big with hustle on both ends.
—
Henry Bibby
Backup Facilitator
18.6
Medium‑Low
9.1
1.9
2.2
0.7
6.9
Backup point guard facilitating second unit offense, capable distributor who improved bench ball movement.
—
Mel Davis
Small Lineup Forward
14.6
Low
5.7
5.2
0.9
0.4
5.1
Reserve forward offering physical rebounding and occasional scoring; depth piece that added minutes with moderate defensive activity.
—
Jim Barnett
Spot Scorer
19.2
Low
6.5
1.8
1.4
0.4
4.1
Journeyman shooting guard providing perimeter shooting in limited action; contributed instant offense when called up.
—
Tom Riker
Backup Center
9.5
Very Low
3.0
2.1
0.4
0.4
3.5
Limited minutes as backup big; occasional finishes around rim but minimal impact on broader game flow.
—
Neal Walk
Reserve Big
9.1
Very Low
3.9
2.6
0.7
0.3
3.7
Spot minutes providing size off the bench; rebounding strength offset by limited offensive role.
—
Dennis Bell
Defensive Wing
8.9
Very Low
3.0
2.0
0.5
0.6
3.1
Young wing with defensive focus; minutes mainly in mixed situations, showcasing hustle.
—
Jesse Dark
Reserve Wing
8.5
Very Low
3.6
0.8
0.6
0.1
2.5
Brief appearances off bench; low usage, depth rotation role.
—
Dave Stallworth
Fringe Rotation
8.1
Very Low
1.4
2.9
0.3
0.8
2.7
Veteran presence on minimal minutes; experience mediated usage over his scarce court time.
—
Howard Porter
Spot Forward
7.8
Very Low
1.9
2.2
0.1
0.3
2.3
Short stints as a forward; played limited rotation minutes.
—
Greg Jackson
Brief Reserve
5.4
Very Low
1.6
0.4
0.6
0.0
1.3
Very limited minutes; no regular role on offense or defense.
