John Starks: unknown, undrafted … Knicks Legend
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- čas přidán 5. 12. 2023
- Whether you know and love John Starks for The Dunk in the '93 playoffs, or know and hate John Starks for going cold in game 7 of the '94 finals, you at least know him as a famous professional basketball player.
And that basically wasn't suppose to happen. Odds-wise, logic-wise, expectations-wise, there was no way Starks was making it to the NBA, let alone thriving there. Ask any of the coaches who saw him in high school, or Jr college, or even his first NBA coach Don Nelson. (okay technically, yes, Nelson thought Starks could make the NBA because he did give him a roster spot, but Nelson took that roster spot away as soon as he possibly could).
To see John Starks before he was the New York Knicks' John Starks, let's look through the prism.
Written and Produced by: Clara Morris
Directed and Edited by: Jiazhen Zhang
Motion graphics by: Michael Das
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Starks' story makes me wonder just how many others like him are out there that never got the chances he did
Any decent guard under 6"5' could claim this.
@@petermitchell2729 Filipino pro-ballers banging their heads in the wall right now.
@@leetorryNo need to be doing that. The NCAA route is wide open, plus Chinese, Japanese and Australian leagues are well scouted by NBA if the player talent is there.
Tons of them. Killed, prison, just otherwise bad decisions.
For every NBA player, there's hundreds of people out there that can do 95% of the same thing. That 5% and some luck/opportunity, especially in the injury department, is really the difference between who makes it and who doesn't.
He was the first NBA player to break 200 3-pointers in a season. Doesn't seem like much these days, but back then that was insane.
Absolutely. Especially in the eastern conference, on those Knicks teams that played at a snails pace. Even more impressive that he did that in that era.
Back then, hearing Marv Albert yell “STARKS FOR 3…YES!” was one of my favorite sounds in the world.
John Starks will always be one of the all time greatest New York Knicks. His drive, his swagger, his fearlessness, his passion, his heart…he WAS and IS everything that is the spirit of New York.
💯
As a fan Starks is everything that is right about sports.
And he liteskins
we da best 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
@@___Anakin.Skywalker 🤣🤣
@@rodprops wachu laffin for doe? bet ya a s s darkskins erybody know yall jelouse of us all the tam
Starks still has that fire inside & loves the Knicks so much, that he was courtside for every Knicks Home Playoff Game in 2023, cheering just as much as us fans!
John Starks may not have been the greatest player, but as a Knicks fan, you knew that he gave you everything he had, and that is why we love him so.
John Starks, besides Patrick Ewing, is what I think when I hear a Knick. The Knicks and their fans are underdogs, gritty, tough, no-nonsense, and gives 100% effort 100% of the time. And he wouldn’t back down from anyone. He is a player every NBA star should strive to have the heart of! 🔥
The Riley way... He brought that to Miami
And Antohny Mason, Charles Oakley,
@@MCFrutek Oof! Those guys were killer. When they stepped on the court, the opponent was nervous. 😨
TOTALLY agree
As a Bulls fan, I loved when we played New York. Starks played with intensity and respect. He guarded Jordan better than Detroit, and was always a threat.
I’m with ya on this one. I always felt that Starks (more than most) consistently made Jordan have to bring his A Game. I didn’t like him much back then, but I respect the heck out of him today!
Jordan said Dumars made him-WORK-for his points and guarded him the best.
@@user-be7tc2bd6e His own words, yes, but my eyes tell me a different story 😊 The Detroit Pistons played MJ hard, yes, but I’m not sure anyone else in the world would say Joe Dumars was an elite defender 😅
I’ve had the pleasure to meet Starks, and he is the nicest guy in the world. This video does him so much justice.
As a Rockets fan, it sucks that he’s only known for going cold in game 7 of the finals.
Especially when he almost single-handedly brought them back in game 6 and almost won them the series.
But alas, it's a make or miss league and boy in that game 7 he was clanking....
Die hard Bulls fan here and I totally agree! Knicks don’t get to a game 7 without Starks. He went on to have a solid role with the Knicks up to 1998.
Not as bad as Ewing who choked 6 out of 7 games, of that series.
At least Starks had two good games.
As a New Yorker we all got respect for John starks, that’s not all he’s known for
@@steph_566 yeah in New York. But other fans know him in an infamous way
Beautiful. I loved Starks as a 90s kid because he had that DOG in him. How can you not love that?
exactly. he was gritty and hard working on the court. he represented that hustling and bustling spirit of the New York area
Same here, all the way from here in Britain, watching blurry highlights. I always liked his Oklahoma drawl the odd time I'd see him do an interview as well!
Amazing how sports work. He was great in game six. If Hakeem doesn't get a fingertip on the last shot in game six, he probably scores there, Knicks win the championship and he's an absolute legend.
John starks is the sole reason i became a Knicks fan. The only player i know that stood up to Jordan. It didn't work, ever, but still...
Ewing, Starks and McDaniel were the key players to me. Took the Bulls to 7 games with McDaniel but it didn’t feel the same ever since. I think a knee injury and letting that Olajuwon block bother him (which wasn’t his fault to me) is what affected him the rest of his career. Still could play but wasn’t the same.
Starks was great. Dude had a huge heart and bro just wouldnt quit.
John Starks epitomizes the 90s Knicks. Dude was, and always will be, a legend in NYC!
I'm waaay to young to have ever seen John Starks play live, but I know had I been a Knicks, or even just Basketball Fan, 30 years ago I would've loved him. I'm glad we got a new, hard working, hustling #3 on the Team today
One of my favorites ever
Here’s the thing: Knicks fans tend to know the game. And we know that shooters shoot. We know that character lasts forever. And we love people who bust their back to win. Most of us don’t care about 2-18. That’s a testament to the man.
Well said. Starks is beloved by all true Knicks fans to this day, faults and all
1.Starks and 2.Jamal Crawford were my favorite 2knicks of all time.
All heart. Love John Starks!
Starks could shoot you in and out of games but he played good defense and had a huge heart. Loved the player and the 90's Knicks.
At guard, at 6-5, from Oklahoma State, #3, John Starks!
Got heart to old folk means clobbering your opponents in mid air hahahah
John Starks was closer to 6’2” than 6’5” son 🤦♀️
lol I was about to say@@justineebourgeois3420
@@akamaptv2504coming out of junior college and then playing in the CBA to NBA starter takes heart. And then when he became a starter he wouldn’t back down to anyone. Even MJ.
That’s heart.
@@justineebourgeois3420he was 6’3 and a half
John Starks is an absolute weapon, huge fan
The video clip of him choking up when he got a ring of Honor for the Knicks hall of fame after he got a standing ovation shows hpw much he loved the Knicks and the fans
My favorite player growing up. The swag the attitude on the court the way he carried himself. It was an absolute animal in the basketball court, so underrated his story is also amazing from where he came from to make it to the league.
Yes! Thanks for making this! I’m 36 & Starks was my fav player growing up in the 90’s. New Yorkers LOVE guys that bust their a$$, will do anything to win & want to be here. Even more than talent/skill. (Prob why we haven’t won in 50 years lol).. Starks is known for the awful Game 7 in the 94 Finals, but he had so many big games getting us to that point. Like Game 6 in Indiana in the ECF!
& in NBA Jam, it was Ewing & Starks! lol
The power of the dunk
My favorite Knick
John Starks was my favorite player when I was a kid. I liked him because he always took the fight to Jordan. I also liked the fact that he had a regular job before making it into the NBA. I still have his Knicks OG Champion Jersey from 94. Thank you Secret Base for telling his story!!
Love it, love it, love it. Starks is the kind of player every team needs. He may not be the most talented or gifted, but doesn't have a mode other than "going all out".
Starks was absolutely talented , he had limitless range , handles , shot creating abilities, he could out rebound bigs and dunk over anyone , his biggest flaw was his hot headed temper and streaky shooting
@@andresdelportillo9917 💯
@@andresdelportillo9917 in NBA terms those are skills, not talents. Talent is things like height, long arms, ridiculous verticals, large hands, extreme sprinting ability, and so on. For example, Giannis is not more skilled than Kyrie, but he doesn't need to be because his potential (talent) is not defined only by skill but by his combination of size, strength, and explosiveness which Kyrie cannot compete with.
I'm not saying Starks was not skilled - but he was no physical outlier in NBA terms.
I had the honor of meeting John 2x. Absolute NY Legend and great guy.
The John Starks I saw was an absolute fighter with the heart of a champion. Love this guy!
Derek Harper, John Starks, Charles Smith, Charles Oakley and Patrick Ewing. Great defense.
Towards the end of his career, Starks actually played a few games for the Bulls. John Starks in a Bulls jersey looks surreal.
One of my fav players of the 90’s. Loved his heart and intensity. I really wish him and Ewing got a title
No one said a pipeline dream wouldn't have it's limits, John Starks is definetely a success story.
My favorite player of all time
Starks, for 3, YES!!!
I grew up a Reggie Miller fan in NYC in the 90's. Loved the Knicks/Pacers rivalry because of Guys like John Starks. The Knicks of the last 20 years isn't the Knicks I remember. It's great to see Mr. Starks receiving his flowers.
My mom is a huge Knicks fan especially in the 90s she hated Reggie so much they were some great games
Living in Pittsburgh I never really had a team I just rooted for players and Starks was amazing big fan!! He caused havoc out there
Big starks fan I had his jersey as a kid
Man my childhood was awesome, 80s baby- 90s kid, every a time to be alive, basketball was so good back then
As a Pacers fan and a teen when the Pacers-Nicks rivalry was at its height, I remember being more scared of Starks than anyone else the Nicks had. Yes, including Ewing. Ewing had this range of skill that you could account for; Starks could be literally anything and it always freaked me out.
Interesting. As a Knicks fan, I guess your fear for Starks was akin to my fear of Reggie Miller. Anytime Reggie got the ball and was behind the three-point line, I felt my heart freeze in my chest. 😂 Those were some fun battles over the years. Basketball hasn’t been that much fun since.
See, Ive got heart like John Starks, Hitting mad sparks, Pass me the mic and I'll be rockin' the whole park!! If Beastie Boys name checked you in a song, you are legit.
so true. Beasties were big Knick fans. "going to get it together / and see what's happening"
Thank you for this!!
Clara, you are such a good writer. Excellent episode.
Scored like 9k points in a Knicks uniform and he is a franchise legend.
Thats a franchise that has been around almost 70 years, and John Starks is one of their best.
I will always remember him for getting MSG fired up with his passion. Whether it was arguing a call or celebrating and gloating, he was the heart and soul of the Knicks. So many players these days only care about their brand, they're like Instagram influencers who play ball part-time.
I miss that man. I miss that team. The Knicks are doing decently now, but I’d watch those seasons again even knowing the outcomes.
Another banger from Clara.
He should be in the hall of fame.
John starks was ahead of his time with his shooting and athleticism
He's the blueprint of a 3 and D guy, but he could get to the hoop too. He'd be a superstar in the modern league
Why is anybody that played pre - 2000s that was good considered "ahead of his time"?
John Starks is that guy you need on every Championship winning team. A player every other team absolutely despises.....but you LOVE when hes on your team. Hes the type of guy that fights for every ball, the first guy to run in defense of his teammates, plays damn good defense, does the dirty work and isnt selfish on offense. Hes never really a star, but you can go back to almost every Championship team and I guarantee theres a player that embodies that John Starks mentality and role. Hugely underrated, great player and hell be remembered.
i thought the Prism series was over, what a nice surprise. this has become one of my favorite Secret Base series
I remember being heartbroken when they lost game 7. Thankfully I had people remind me that if Starks didn’t play his heart out in game 6 there never would have been a game 7.
I loved the late 80's & 90's Knicks. John Starks is a New York City legend and always will be!
Beautiful story
This was an EXCELLENT video. I knew Starks played Juco but i had no idea his path to the league was THIS hard
shocked this isn’t a seth video. but really well done y’all
I know and love John Starks for being my 2k13 myteam’s sharpshooter
Gratitude for sharing.
The dynamic between a coach and a player influences a lot.
Peace to Wayman Tisdale.
I know and love John Starks! Knicks fan from France 🇨🇵
thank you..he was an awesome player, part of my core memory of 90s basketball...you can't talk about 90s basketball without John stark 😊
"We're celebrating him right now, don't think about it" Had me in tears💀💀💀
My favorite player ever .
Great defender, great shooter, i loved him!
My pops had a John Starks jersey in his closet and I was like who’s this growing up he’s a laker fan I seen it in his garage recently it’s signed that’s why he has it😂
I’ll take it off his hands for him. Haha!
Thank you for this his story is rarely told
Great Video. So many people can relate and have this resonate - thanks
I love John Starks with all my heart, my absolute favorite player as a kid and definition of a DAWG.... one of New York's greatest.
growing up in the 90s in nyc, i was a knicks fan because of john starks
my all time favorite hooper, so glad you did this vid
Maybe it's me being a 90s Knicks fan, but his number should be up there with Pat's
Glad to see this series return. I enjoyed it.
Also, I can’t help but notice but the intro music is different. I liked Spectral Shift better personally.
Edit: The music at 1:24 is excellent, anyone know what it is?
First time looking into this channel and I love it. Please bring more of these kind of stories to life❤
Even tho I'm a Heat fan, one thing I absolutely love and respect is John Starks cause he has the heart and will to give his body 100% to try to win for his team, I'll take that anyday. You can have all the talent in the world, but one thing you definitely need and that is heart and will. I'm 100% believe that's whats missing in today's era in the NBA, hell you can also throw in the NFL as well with certain athletes, what's the main reason why the NBA is doing a In Season Tournament? Its to motivate todays players to play, thats pure laziness on both sides.
As a Bulls fan I hated Starks for so many damn reasons - but I admire his competitiveness and toughness. He’s also one of the few players of that era who would flourish in today’s NBA.
He also worked out HARD to rebuild his whole body - just like Rodman.
Me and my sons were waiting at the gate at Madison Sq . Garden 34th Street waiting for the players to drive in for a game; w music blasting, leaning outside dah car window, in coming, rolling in, the utimate ego, John Starks, rolled up, awesome!
Superb! What a player and story.
Nice. I put off watching this video for a bit because as much as I love Starks and pretty much anything 90s NBA, I’ve seen way too many shorts and documentaries covering what I thought was this exact topic. I’m glad I ended up watching though because this was a bit of a different perspective and had some info I never knew about. Very good video.
John Starks was the man.
That's a great story about perseverance loved it
One of the toughest players of all times. As a lifelong Bulls guy, i LOVED Starks
Great video thanks again SB!
This is a great video. Felt excitement watching it
The 90s knicks were awesome because a lot of them had unique personality and character. Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, Xaviet Mcdaniels, and John Starks, that little guy who was never afraid to stand up to MJ. He may not have won title, but left a whole lot of memories.
Sure MJ may have gotten 55 points in the garden, but it was John's relentless pestering that pushed MJ to one of his greatest performances in his post-comeback career. John was a fighter. He never got intimidated by the magnitude of his opponents' greatness, and he often showed flashes of excellence himself. He may have not been a superstar, but John is one of the most memorable Knicks of all time.
Mad Love for Johnny Starks over here. 💯
Great voice kept me listening
Great video. Always here for Clara.
My favoite player growing up
"See I got heart like John Starks, Hitting mad sparks
Pass me the mic and I'm rocking the whole park." -
Mike D - Beastie Boys
[Get it together]
Thank you for this!
As a Pacers fan..,he was a great heel!
Great episode.
Favorite player
Great heart.
Thank you for that!
Starks is everything I love about sports.
My fav Knick.
Great video!!!!
I'm not a fan of Starks, since I was a huge Bulls and MJ fan...but I have a ton of respect for this man. He never backed down from anyone.
Lowkey started the trend for
Us down in Miami , with Pat getting undrafted and second round players…. Respect to John Starks for sure!
Inspiring
LEGEND
My favorite guy!
Thanks for Clara-fying this unlikely success story 4 us. I guess he was just destined to be special from the Stark. sez MSD
Absolutely love John Starks!
Great voice over work! Made a great story phenomenal!