On February 8^th, 2023, the Knicks made a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. The deal brought Josh Hart to New York and saw three bench players and a first-round pick (that turned into Kris Murray) sent to Portland. At the time, Hart felt like a meandering rotation player in the league, the sort of player doomed to be thrown into trade deadline deals, much like what happened to point guard Denis Schroeder this past deadline.

What started as adding Jalen Brunson’s college teammate to the rotation has morphed into an asset that glues this Knicks team together. In the two years since acquiring him, Hart has elevated himself as a scoring option, elite rebounder, and effective defender. Much like another former Knick who wore number three, Hart has captured the minds of Knick fans and embodies everything we want this team and its players to be.

Josh Hart had a decorated career at Villanova, where he played for four seasons. He was a 2016 National Champion, a two-time All-Big East selection, an All-American, and the 2017 Big East Player of the Year. Like most decorated college players who stay longer than one season, Hart was overlooked in the draft and selected with the 30^th overall pick.

The story of his career before arriving in New York was that he was always a trade piece. Hart was selected by Utah in the 2017 Draft and promptly traded to the Lakers. After a couple of seasons there, he went to New Orleans as part of the deal that brought Anthony Davis to LA. Then, he was sent to Portland in exchange for CJ McCollum. It seemed that he might never truly find a home.

Then he was traded to the Knicks, reuniting with his former college teammate Jalen Brunson. At first, Hart looked to be a good rotation piece, a player who could help orchestrate the bench unit for Thibodeau. He excelled in this role, initiating much of the offense and contributing as a relentless rebounder. But midway through the 2023-24 season, Hart was thrust into the starting lineup due to injuries, and his minutes and involvement saw a spike.

New York legends build their mythology in the playoffs. Since his arrival, Hart has done that. There were his clutch three-pointers in the two first-round series against Philadelphia and Cleveland. His relentless rebounding and hustle plays create additional possessions in high-leverage moments. And then there is the Ironman factor, where he played through injuries against Indiana last season.

The way Josh Hart plays endears him to Knick fans. He is cut from the same cloth as John Starks and Anthony Mason, a talented player who squeezes every ounce of what he has and leaves it on the floor. He’s a fiery player who embodies the rough edges of New York, replacing any deficiencies with toughness. And for a fan base that worships the teams of the 1990s, he is the perfect player to root for.

For all of his excellence as a Knick, perhaps the most enduring image we remember of Patric Ewing is him facing the Garden crowd with arms extended as he finally led the Knicks to a Finals appearance. It is worth noting that the play that preceded this iconic moment was not a designed post-up or buzzer beating fadeaway jumper.

It was Ewing wanting a rebound more than his opponent and tipping in a missed John Starks layup, a hustle play where Ewing did not quit. Plays like that resonate with fans— moments in time where you wanted something more than the opponent.

Josh Hart makes those sorts of plays nightly. Rebounding over players that tower over him, initiating one-man fast breaks, and diving for loose balls. In short, Josh Hart trades in winning plays. The numbers back up what we see with our eyes.

Hart is in the 100^th percentile for defensive rebound rate, the 90^th percentile for offensive rebounding rate, the 79^th percentile for steal rate, and the 93^rd percentile for shots at the rim. These numbers tell us that Hart is always attacking, a relentless competitor who does not shy away from contact or the moment.

Much like Anthony Mason before him, Hart is a secondary playmaker who can run the floor and find passing lanes to keep the offense flowing. He is in the 80^th percentile in the NBA in Playmaking Value and the 78^th percentile in good-to-bad pass ratio. Hart is a smart decision-maker who helps create opportunities for his teammates.

Josh Hart is, in many ways, the perfect New York story. He belongs on the stage because he is so talented. But there is also an edge to him that is only created when you are doubted. And he has had his fair share of doubt in his time in the NBA. It seems only right he has found himself in a city where so many other people have discovered who they truly are.

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are the headliners of this Knicks team, but Josh Hart is its soul. He has come a long way from the guy who was included as a filler in the Anthony Davis trade. The transition from afterthought to essential has been a tremendous sight, and two years later I would venture to say that it is one of the best trades that the Knicks have made in the last 25 years.