David Lee deplanes with NBA trophy.

David Lee Returns To Garden In Better Shape Than Former Team Who Let Him Walk Away

In General by Samori Benjamin

WBAI Sports Archive: March 2, 2014.
In 24 minutes David Lee scored 10 points to go along with six rebounds, two steals, and one blocked shot on Friday night in his return to the Garden after missing the chance to play back where his career started last season in what was his only All-Star appearance since the Knicks let him leave in the summer of 2010.
In 24 minutes David Lee scored 10 points to go along with six rebounds, two steals, and one blocked shot on Friday night in his return to the Garden after missing the chance to play back where his career started last season in what was his only All-Star appearance since the Knicks let him leave in the summer of 2010.

David Lee was one of three Knicks drafted by Isiah Thomas and the New York in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft along with Nate Robinson and Channing Fyre. Lee was taken with the final pick of the first round. From his first season when he played under head coach Larry Brown in his only season as Knicks head coach with a very talented cast of teammates like Stephon Marbury, Eddy Curry, Nate the Great, Jamal Crawford, Trevor Ariza, and Steve Francis D. Lee impressed and was always a fan favorite.
There was the night in his second season when Lee went a perfect 14-14 scoring 30 points in the rookie -sophmore game during NBA all-star weekend in his second season as a Knick and in his 5th and final season in New York in 2009-2010 Lee made his first all-star team before making it again last season as a member of the Golden State Warriors who the Knicks let him walk away too in the summer of 2010. Before Friday night’s game against his former team on Friday night in the Big Apple Lee spoke about his time with the Knicks during the Isiah Thomas years when times were not good on the court, Lee compares the losing situation that it was during his years at the Garden in relation to what is going on this season for these current group of Knicks.

During David Lee's five years with the Knicks he was never on a team that came close to finishing over .500 even though they were very talented constructed with hall of fame champion point guard Isiah Thomas' vision.
During David Lee’s five years with the Knicks he was never on a team that came close to finishing over .500 even though they were very talented constructed with hall of fame champion point guard Isiah Thomas’ vision.

He also speaks on the way he left the Knicks and whether he harbors any ill will towards the organization, the fine line between winning and losing in the NBA, how difficult it was to not play in the Knicks-Warriors game at the Garden last season, what it’s like playing in New York with losing and negativity, and what the familiar faces in the building said to him in his return.

In the summer of 2010 the Knicks replaced David Lee with Amare Stoudamire who turned the franchise around on his shoulders the following season but has been plagued by injuries ever since and is now in year four of a 5 year $100 million dollar contract.
In the summer of 2010 the Knicks replaced David Lee with Amare Stoudamire who turned the franchise around on his shoulders the following season but has been plagued by injuries ever since and is now in year four of a 5 year $100 million dollar contract.