New York basketball legend John Wallace, the Knicks’ first-round pick from the storied 1996 NBA Draft class and a member of the 1999 NBA Finals team, said he understood exactly what the current Knicks went through during their Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Indiana Pacers.
The defeat echoed the painful memories of the Knicks’ last NBA Finals appearance against the San Antonio Spurs, the franchise’s previous deep playoff run before this current team tried — and fell short — of repeating history.
“That’s how I know what they went through this summer in terms of the amount of work you can put in, because you don’t want to have that same feeling in the following summer,” Wallace told Heavy Sports in an exclusive interview. “So you work as hard as you possibly can. You’re trying to improve on certain things that you can improve on, so you can not only be a better player, but be able to be a better asset to your team at the same time.”
Winning Mindset
Getty New York Knicks‘ forward John Wallace (R) fouls Indiana Pacers forward Austin Croshere (L) during first half play 25 December 1999 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN.
Wallace praised the Knicks’ core of seasoned veterans, noting their focus has shifted fully to winning.
“The core group of guys on the Knicks are all seasoned vets. They all have their money. Now it’s all about winning and figuring out a way to win,” he said. “When you have someone like Jalen Brunson, who’s all about winning, and the rest of those guys — KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns), OG [Anunoby], Mikal [Bridges ] — they’ve all made the necessary sacrifices in terms of just trying to be a winner. They’re all winners.
Last year, Brunson signed a four-year, $156.5 million contract — $113 million less than he could have earned this offseason. That choice allowed the Knicks to maintain roster flexibility, a theme Bridges has now continued.
Now the next step is trying to create that formula to win in the NBA at the highest level,” Wallace said. “They fell a little short last year. Hopefully, they’re able to tweak a couple of things and get over that hump this year.”
Coaching Change Brings Fresh Energy
Getty The New York Knicks have fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after five seasons.
The Knicks made a notable offseason move by replacing Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown to revitalize their offense, which at times struggled in the playoffs despite the talent on the roster.
“Anytime you have a coaching change that pumps new life, a new voice, it’s a new energy,” Wallace said. “Coach Thibs was my rookie coach, someone I’ve known a very long time, and he did a great job in terms of creating a new culture — the hard work, carrying yourself the right way, playing hard all the time. That culture is in place. Now, if Mike Brown can bring the type of offensive ingenuity he applied to the Sacramento Kings in 2023 when they led the NBA in scoring, that’s going to be a huge asset. If the Knicks can flow and play like that, they’ll be headed in the right direction.”
Wallace emphasized that the team’s next step is putting that vision into practice to maximize the roster’s potential.
Giving Back Through Adaptive Sports
Outside of basketball, Wallace spent Saturday morning working with young parathletes through The Hartford and CUNY’s Inclusive and Adaptive Sports Program. Alongside five-time Paralympian Matt Scott, Wallace helped surprise 30 parathletes with custom-fit sport wheelchairs, while providing 20 additional chairs to local adaptive sports programs.
The effort was personal for Wallace, whose cousin was paralyzed in a childhood accident that ended his basketball dreams.
“And he was six-foot-six, and obviously he couldn’t play anymore,” Wallace said. “So the wheelchair program is near and dear to my heart.”
Speaking to the parathletes, Wallace emphasized determination over disability.
“I didn’t see anybody with a disability,” he said. “I saw a room full of people with determination, will, and grit. Back in the day, I shot basketballs from a chair to work on upper body strength. It’s really hard. To see these athletes move effortlessly and make layups, it’s just incredible.”
EXCLUSIVE: John Wallace on Knicks’ Coaching Change and Giving Back