2011 NBA Draft Results See Donnie Walsh Select Iman Shumpert as Door Closes in New York
Donnie Walsh was fired by the New York Knicks as team president shortly before the 2011 NBA Draft, but he was allowed to remain with the team through draft day.
But when he selected Georgia Tech point guard Iman Shumpert with the 17th overall selection in the draft, some Knicks fans must have been thinking if he did it out of spite.
It wasn't that Shumpert went that early in the draft; he was one of the best perimeter defenders in the class and he had risen in many teams' eyes, not just the Knicks'.
But what made the pick so peculiar was that the Knicks passed up probably the best perimeter defender in the draft, Florida State forward Chris Singleton, and a player who could have significantly helped them on the boards, Morehead State forward Kenneth Faried (who was being compared to a young Dennis Rodman, by the way).
You could make the argument that the Knicks needed a point guard to succeed the aging Chauncey Billups, and that's why they selected Shumpert, but Shumpert wasn't considered a prospect that was going to be an NBA starter, just because he didn't have the offense.
At least with Singleton, you have the possibility that his offense could come around and he could become an NBA starter.
Walsh has actually been successful in recent drafts-with such players as Landry Fields, Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler- but you've got to wonder if Walsh even cared in this draft.
One thing's for sure: longtime fan Spike Lee didn't appear particularly excited.
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