John Starks
New York Knicks Contributing Reporter

One of the most popular, tenacious and electrifying players in Knicks history, John Starks returned to the organization in 2004 with a new role – alumni and fan development advisor.

In his current position, Starks, 41, oversees the continued growth and development of the Knicks Alumni Relations program, and assists in many areas of community and sponsor relations. He also plays an important role on MSG Network’s Knicks coverage.

“New York is my home away from home and when the opportunity arose to join the Knicks again on a non-playing level in the front office I had to take it” Starks said. “I have a great relationship with New York fans, as well as our current and former players. I am looking forward to gaining experience and learning this business."

During his eight-year career in New York (1990-91 through 1997-98), Starks’ all-out style of play stamped him as a Garden favorite, the heart and soul of a Knicks team that became one of the NBA’s elite squads of the decade.

An NBA All-Star in 1994, Starks was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team in 1992-93 and was the League’s Sixth Man of the Year in 1996-97. In 602 career games as a Knick, Starks averaged 14.1 points and 4.0 assists on .423 shooting. The Knicks’ career leader in three-point field goals (982), John is also 11th in total points (8,489), eighth in assists (2,394) and seventh in steals (711) on the all-time franchise lists.

In 1994, Starks scored a career-high 19.0 points in helping to lead the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Championship. The year before, he authored one of the most famous plays in team history: “The Dunk”, a driving, left-handed tomahawk slam in the final minute of New York’s 96-91 win over Chicago in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals (May 25, 1993).

Starks enjoyed a standout 13-year NBA career with Golden State (1988-89, and 1998-99 through 1999-2000), the Knicks (1990-91 through 1997-98), Chicago (1999-2000) and Utah (2000-01 through 2001-02). In 866 career games, he averaged 12.5 points, 3.6 assists and shot .412 from the floor, going 1,222-3,591 (.340) from Downtown to rank among the League’s all-time Top 20 in three-pointers made. In nine Playoff seasons (eight with the Knicks, one with Utah), John averaged 14.2 points in 96 games, and is fifth on the all-time NBA Playoff list in three-point field goals (176).

Starks originally signed with the Warriors as an undrafted free agent on Sep. 29, 1988. After a year in Golden State and a season in the CBA, he signed with the Knicks as a free agent on Oct. 1, 1990. After a memorable tenure in New York, he was traded to Golden State with Terry Cummings and Chris Mills for Latrell Sprewell on Jan. 21, 1999.

During the 2003-04 season, John served as the head coach of the Westchester Wildfire of the United States Basketball League and as a guest analyst on MSG Network’s Knicks telecasts.

One of the Knicks’ most community-minded players during his stint in New York, Starks was the male winner of the 1997 Hank Iba Citizen Athlete Award and was also cited that year with the coveted “Good Guy” Award by the New York Press Photographers Association. Since 1993, he has overseen the efforts of the John Starks Foundation, which is based in his native Tulsa and is involved in a myriad of youth-oriented activities.

Starks’ NBA tenure followed a varied college career during which he played at Northern Oklahoma College (1984-85), Rogers State College (1985-86), Oklahoma Junior College (1986-87) and finally at Oklahoma State (1987-88).

John is married to his wife Jacque and have three children, John Jr., Chelsea and Tiara. The Starks family makes its off-season home in Tulsa.