John Starks

The undrafted Oklahoma native who became a New York icon through sheer grit and resilience.

John Levell Starks is an American former professional basketball player who served as a shooting guard in the NBA. Born on August 10, 1965, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he attended four colleges before going undrafted in the 1988 NBA draft. After brief stints with the Golden State Warriors and minor leagues, Starks joined the New York Knicks in 1990. He played eight seasons there until 1998, becoming a key figure known for his physical play alongside teammates Anthony Mason and Charles Oakley. Named an NBA All-Star in 1994, he is celebrated for his tenacity, clutch performances like "The Dunk" against the Bulls, and winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 1997.

Quick Facts

Born

10 August 1965

Birthplace

Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.

High school

Central (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

College

Northern Oklahoma (1985)
Oklahoma JC (1986–1987)
Oklahoma State (1987–1988)

Career position

Shooting guard

Career number

30, 3, 9

Coach start

2003

Position

Alumni Relations and Fan Development Advisor

Lore & Background

Starks' path to the Knicks was paved with setbacks. After one year at Tulsa Central High School, he faced expulsion from Rogers State College for stealing stereo equipment in retaliation for a dorm break-in, serving five days in jail during spring break. He bounced between Northern Oklahoma College, where he left after smoking cannabis, and Tulsa Junior College, before earning an opportunity at Oklahoma State University. In the NBA, his career began with limited minutes behind Mitch Richmond in Golden State. His defining moment came in 1990 when he tried to dunk on Patrick Ewing during a Knicks practice; Ewing threw him down, causing a knee injury that prevented the team from releasing him until it healed by December. Since it did not heal, Starks stayed, later calling Ewing his "saving grace." He executed "The Dunk" in Game 2 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals against the Chicago Bulls, driving along the baseline to dunk over Horace Grant and Michael Jordan.

Reader's Guide

Starks played for the New York Knicks from 1990 to 1998, serving as a starting shooting guard and later coming off the bench after Allan Houston took over the spot in 1996–97. He was part of the team's physical identity under Pat Riley and continued through Don Nelson's brief tenure until Jeff Van Gundy took over. In January 1999, he was traded to the Golden State Warriors along with Chris Mills and Terry Cummings for Latrell Sprewell. He remained there until February 2000, when a three-team trade sent him to the Chicago Bulls, where he played four games before being released without pay due to an arbitrator's ruling that barred him from playing in the playoffs elsewhere. He finished his career with the Utah Jazz from 2000 to 2002, retiring with 10,829 career points. Today, he works as a Knicks alumnus and fan development official and serves as an analyst on MSG Network.

Did You Know?

He is the Knicks' all-time leader in three-point field goals with 982.
In 1995, he became the first player to hit 200 three-pointers in a single season (217), breaking Louie Dampier's record.
Starks recorded Public Service Announcements on the MTA New York City Transit Authority's subway system in January 2026.