At the Apex Part 5: Josh Hart

Playing in New York City often has its privileges. Players who might have been marginal stars in other places can ink lucrative deals as a Knick performing on the court. Julius Randle was proof of this, inking multiple brand deals after his breakout season.

Of the current batch of Knicks, Josh Hart has elevated his stature as a national figure more than anyone could have dreamed. Once a late first-round pick who seemed destined to be a fixture in the trade machine, Hart has established himself as a bedrock of the Knicks, an example of the type of player Knicks fans love to root for. He is the soul of this team, so his success can be seen as a mirror of the overall team's success. As he approaches his fourth postseason with New York, Hart can cement himself as a Knicks figure or be left as a comedic footnote in the history of the franchise.

Josh Hart wears number 3. For fans of a certain age, that number will always remind us of John Starks and an era of Knicks basketball that is the closest thing to a "golden age" that we have. Starks has been a vocal supporter of Hart, noting that he's proud that Hart is wearing his number.

When you wear John Starks' number, there is an expectation that comes with it: to exemplify the toughness and determination that Starks played with. Hart has that in spades. He is the definition of a hustle player, fighting for loose balls and playing tough defense. He is the best rebounding guard in the NBA, leading the league in total rebounds among players 6'5" or shorter dating back to the 2023-24 season by a wide margin.

Part of what makes Starks such a legend in New York is his playoff moments that are cemented in amber: the notorious dunk over Michael Jordan in 1993, Game 6 of the 1994 NBA Finals where he scored 27 points, and a somewhat infamous headbutt on Reggie Miller in the 1993 playoffs.

Hart has had some moments already as a Knick in the postseason, most notably in Game 1 against the 76ers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. But this postseason, when the expectations are at their highest, is where Hart can truly cement himself alongside the legend of Starks.

In 1993-94, the Knicks were the favorites to win the championship, and Starks delivered that season as an All-Star, posting his best season as a pro. He had great moments in both the Conference Finals against Indiana and in the Finals against Houston (despite a truly dreadful Game 7 that still haunts fans).

Hart, if he is impactful this postseason as a Swiss Army knife player, will vault himself into Knicks lore: the do-it-all utility guard who provided the intangibles that finally vanquished the demons of the past. While this team will go as far as Jalen Brunson carries them, there is no denying that Hart is the soul of the engine of this team. And if the team is successful, it will be because he has his fingerprints all over the game.

For Hart, what awaits is eternal adoration as an all-time Knick, a status that will have been earned and respected in the way players like Anthony Mason and John Starks wereg in the past.

There is a concern that this year's Knicks team lacks a certain level of seriousness in its operation to win a championship. A big contributor to that feeling is Josh Hart. Hart has long been a sort of comedic relief to the stoic determination that defines Jalen Brunson. He makes offhand comments in the locker room, performs occasional sideline antics, and is always good for a good quote in media scrums.

Everyone loves a funny NBA player... as long as the team is winning. When they are not, however, that affable personality turns from an asset to a liability in a hurry. What was once good for locker room culture quickly turns into not taking winning seriously. That’s the tension that surrounds Hart. If the team wins, he is the glue that keeps the operation afloat. But if they lose, Hart is the target of ridicule as someone too focused on having fun and recording his podcast than on winning basketball games.

On the court, Hart is in a bit of a paradoxical situation. The Knicks have a starting lineup filled with elite shooting threats. This has forced many defenses to sag off Hart and allow him to shoot open threes. Hart is the definition of a streaky shooter, but he has shot an impressive 40.9% from three on 3.7 attempts per game. It's likely that in the postseason, teams will be comfortable allowing him to shoot as many threes as possible.

If those shots aren't falling and the team falters, there will be calls for change. Some will look to move on from Karl-Anthony Towns or Mikal Bridges, but we have to live in a world where Hart is the subject of vitriol, the player whose shooting inconsistency is viewed as a roadblock to the team's success.

If that perception shifts, it becomes open to the possibility that Hart will be the wandering veteran player he seemed on track to be for so many years. He has made his name as a Knick, secured multiple brand deals from Mike & Ike, Tommy John, DoorDash, and others, and has become a star role player. But if the Knicks falter because of his inconsistent shooting, that all fades away.

In that world, he becomes reminiscent of Nate Robinson—a fun Knicks player who is mostly a footnote in history. Robinson is remembered for his dunk contest win and being a great team presence. What he is not considered is a player who defines Knicks history. The gap is wide between John Starks and Nate Robinson, and yet Josh Hart finds himself in the middle of the two paths, on the precipice of how we will remember him in the annals of Knicks history.