Review Fix chats with “The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All” author Paul Knepper about the book and the team that inspired it.
About the Book:
The Knicks of the 1990s competed like champions but fell short of their goal. An eclectic group who took divergent, in many cases fascinating paths to New York, they forged an identity as a rugged, relentless squad. Led by a superstar center Patrick Ewing and two captivating coaches–Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy–they played David to the Chicago Bulls’ Goliath. Despite not winning a championship, they were embraced as champions by New Yorkers and their rivalries with the Bulls, Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat defined NBA basketball for a decade. Drawing on original interviews with players, coaches and others, this narrative rediscovers the brilliance of the Knicks, Ewing and his colorful supporting cast–Charles Oakley, John Starks, Larry Johnson and Latrell Sprewell–in the glory days of Madison Square Garden.
About the Author:
Attorney Paul Knepper was born and raised in New York and was previously a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He lives in Austin, Texas.
Review Fix: What’s inspired this book?
Paul Knepper: The Knicks teams of the nineties were the teams of my youth. Before I had a job, a mortgage, and a wife and kid, they were the most important thing in the world to me. Due to decades of ineptitude by the franchise, I still thought about those teams often. I figured I wasn’t the only one and assumed other Knicks fans would be interested in learning more about the characters and moments from the 90s that drove us to ecstasy and broke our hearts.
Review Fix: Away from Ewing and Starks- who was the heartbeat of the Knicks then?
Knepper: Definitely Charles Oakley. Oak was a co-captain along with Ewing and his toughness was the backbone and identity of that team. It breaks my heart that he’s estranged from the franchise.
Review Fix: Why do you think they lost in 94?
Knepper: That series could have gone either way. The two teams were evenly matched and very similar in style of play, defense-minded clubs built around Hall of Fame centers. Starks took a shot at the buzzer at the end of Game 6 that would have won the series for the Knicks if it had gone in, and there was every reason to believe it would because he was on fire. Hakeem Olajuwon made one of the greatest plays I’ve ever seen by getting his finger on that shot, which forced a Game 7. Starks famously shot 2-for-18 in Game 7, which highlighted that team’s weakness, the lack of a consistent second scorer to go along with Ewing. The Knicks were missing a shooter at the 2 or 3 spot who could consistently score 20 points a game, like a Mitch Richmond type.
Review Fix: What was the writing process like?
Knepper: It was challenging. As you know, writing is a solitary profession and you get lost in your own world with your story. I find it lonely at times. Also, it’s difficult to take the massive amount of information you’ve acquired through research and mold it into a book. I think the Knicks book was extra challenging because it was my first. With my second book, I felt a little more comfortable with the process, was more organized with my information, and developed a better writing routine.
Review Fix: Any fun stories that didn’t make the book?
Knepper: It’s difficult to do this justice in writing without using the language that this person used, but I’ll do my best. I called a former employee of the Knicks with the intention of asking him to do an interview for the book. He answered the phone and before I could speak he immediately started cursing me out. You f-ing scumbag, you motherf’er. I’m sick of this sh*t. You’ve been calling me all day and I’m f-ing fed up with it. This went on and on. I’ve never been cursed out like that in my life. He finally got to the end of this tirade and said, “So, are you a mother-fing scumbag prank calling me again or is this a real call?” I was stunned but didn’t miss a beat. I said who I was and why I was calling. He was suddenly extremely apologetic and explained that he’d been getting prank calls all day and just snapped. Then he proceeded to give me a very good interview.
Review Fix: What made this journey a special one for you?
Knepper: As I noted, the subject of the book was such an important part of my childhood so it was special for me to interview many of childhood heroes and discuss in depth the games, moments, and players that brought me so much joy and sadness. It felt cathartic in a way to put some of the losses in context and learn the stories of those behind them.
Review Fix: Who do you think will enjoy this book the most?
Knepper: I think Knicks fans who lived through that era and loved those teams will enjoy reminiscing about those moments and learning more about the people involved. Younger generations of Knicks fans who haven’t experienced that level of success will enjoy learning about the teams their fathers or uncles or grandfathers watched.
Review Fix: What else can you say about this book to entice readers?
Knepper: When I first came up with the idea of writing the book I had to consider whether there was enough there for a book as opposed to an article or a series of articles and concluded there was for three main reasons. 1) There were great characters (Pat Riley, Patrick Ewing, Jeff Van Gundy, John Starks, Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, Larry Johnson, Latrell Sprewell, etc.), 2) Great rivalries with the Bulls, Pacers, and Heat, which included fascinating villains, such as Michael Jordan, Reggie Miller, and Riley after he left for the Heat. 3) Memorable moments: Charles Smith getting rejected four times in a matter of seconds in 1993, John Starks’s dunk, Breathtaking Jordan performances, Reggie’s 8 points in 8 seconds, Allan Houston’s shot against the Heat in ’99, Larry Johnson’s four-point play, the fights with the Heat and the image of Jeff Van Gundy dangling from Alonzo Mourning’s leg. So I think those qualities, the characters, rivalries, and unforgettable moments, make for a fun read.
Review Fix: What’s next for you?
Knepper: My second book called Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet will be out November 1. Moses was the first modern-day basketball player to go directly from high school to the pros and is one of the most underrated, least discussed all-time great players. I’m excited to share his life and legacy with readers. I interviewed over 250 people for the book and uncovered some great stories about the Chairman of the Boards.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Knepper: Tom Thibodeau was fired as the Knicks’ coach a few hours ago after coaching the team to the conference finals for the first time in 25 years. It’s a tough business. I interviewed Thibs for my Knicks book because he was an assistant coach under Jeff Van Gundy with the Knicks in the late 1990s. He couldn’t be more different than his public persona. Thibs appears intense and gruff on TV. When I spoke to him for my book he was downright jovial. He was very personable, laughed a lot, and told me some great stories.
Review Fix: Where can people go to find out more about you?
Knepper: My website. https://pauljknepper.com/
They can also follow me on X at https://x.com/paulieknep
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