John Starks #3 New York Knicks

Passed over in the draft, Starks worked his way into the NBA after stints in the Continental Basketball Association and the World Basketball League. He was eventually signed by Golden State Warriors in 1988 but disliked his coach, Don Nelson, because of Nelson's coaching style and tendency to hold grudges against certain players. In 1990 he tried out for the New York Knicks. Trying to impress the coaching staff, he tried to dunk on Knicks center Patrick Ewing. Ewing threw him down and Starks broke his arm. The team was not allowed to release him unless it healed by the end of December. When it didn't heal by that time, the Knicks could not release Starks, and thus kept him. Starks became a key player on the team and spent eight seasons in New York from 1990 to 1998.

Starks was at the center of one of the most famous plays in Knicks history. During the 1993 playoffs series against the Chicago Bulls. Starks was in the right corner of the court being closely guarded by B.J. Armstrong. Patrick Ewing came to set a screen for Starks, who faked to the left like he was going to use the pick and then fiercely drove baseline and dunked over Michael Jordan and Horace Grant. In that same series with the Bulls, John was noted for his defense while guarding Jordan.