David Lee Draws Blood

Since time immemorial David Lee has been a fan favorite. My personal admiration of Lee began in 2001, during the McDonald's High School All American All Star Weekend. What I learned then was that he was a prospect on his way to Billy Donovan's resurgent, once again relevant Florida Gators and that he was also the only white dude to enter the Dunk Contest. Going against future college stars, among them Julius Hodge and Jawad Williams, a goofy and wily Lee outshone them all.

He possessed a mixture of pure athleticism (see where he catches the ball mid-air for the now classic through the legs one handed jam), old school creativity (see his standing at the foul line, bounce passing it to himself off the board for a reverse jam) , and affecting, perhaps unintentional humor (see the dunk where he passes the ball to himself, briefly struggles to take off his jersey, revealing straight up boxers--not compression shorts, not even briefs--with his shorts sagging almost below his ass, as was the style at the time). Kid looked like the teenager that he was and celebrated like one, with unbridled enthusiasm. It was a sporting moment that probably only a handful of people saw, but I'm sure no one who did forgot it. Something made it memorable.


Not an admirer of the slick-haired maven (Pat Riley associations...) who helmed the Florida ship, I lost track of Lee during his college years, though I was aware that he was developing into a solid role player, the type of sixth or seventh man every winning team could use, and ultimately needs. I was accordingly enamored with his selection by the Knicks, late in the first round of the 2005 draft. Immensely critical of their past choices, here was one most learned fans could get behind--dude would hustle, he'd rebound, and he'd shoot a pretty high percentage. His first few years as a Knick displayed exactly those quality characteristics. Nonetheless, nothing noticeable belied the sort of player Lee would become. By last year, he was boasting an ethereal court sense, a knack for getting timely, important rebounds, and the deadly mid-range jumper to make him a threat both inside the paint and out.

Lee transformed himself from the type of essential bench player needed to make a big run, to one of the game's premier power forwards. He had some special moments: the tip in to win with a meager .1 on the clock; his demolition-job triple-double against Golden State, his current team, this previous April. He was also, believe it or not, the first Knick All-Star since 2001, when Spree and Allan Houston made the team. Lee, however, was special to Knicks fans, not because of these impressive singular achievements, but because during their period of seemingly interminable desolation, he exemplified everything that they weren't: consistency, perseverance, and grit. We loved him for it.

So it was in that spirit that he was welcomed back to the Garden last night. Not too many players that never played for a winning team get video tributes, let alone earnest and sincere ones. But Lee did. Waiving to the crowd he looked misty eyed. Kelly Tripucka straight up sounded like he was crying. Normally not one to give way to sentiment, I can say affirmatively that all of these reactions were more than understandable. They were genuine. Lee, over the past few years, was our only shining star. To say he earned the moment and the plaudits would be an understatement.

The game itself afforded fans the opportunity to see Lee at his superlative best, and why his departure, despite the signing of Amar'e, will be a tough one to get over. His post moves look improved, he finished with authority, and he continued to show that the development of his jump-shot was no fluke. On top of that, he managed to elbow away one of Wilson Chandler's front teeth (leaving Willy C looking more like a hobo than ever), grab the final rebound, and sink the clinching foul shots. That elbow to Chandler's tooth cut Lee. By game's end his bandage had bled through, crimson where it once was white, and apparently, he could see his bone. Lee grimaced a few times, and while I'm sure it hurt, us fans were hurting too. The Knicks were losing, while David Lee played to win. And for the first time, they weren't doing it together.