A longtime former Chicago Bulls nemesis has taken his Michael Jordan loathing to the next level at his home.
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One of the major highlights of former All-Star New York Knicks guard John Starks' NBA career was his 42-inch slam dunk against Jordan and eventual All-Star forward Horace Grant during the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals.
The moment was so memorable, and against such a hated foe, that Starks memorialized it with a commemorative painting that now hangs in his house, as he discussed with Matthew Priest of Esquire.
'Pure Adrenaline'
"It was pure adrenaline when I went for that dunk. I think they even measured it as 42 [inches] – which is probably my highest jump ever. I remember the game was on the line, and that play needed to happen. It became an iconic moment in Knicks Basketball, and I even have a big painting of it in my house."
Led by Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing, Starks' 1990s-era Knicks were one of the great also-rans in the East.
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The one-time All-Defensive Teamer played for New York from 1990-98, a stint full of deep playoff runs. New York won 10 playoff series, made two Conference Finals and the 1994 NBA Finals during Starks' time with the franchise.
The 2025-26 Knicks seem primed to help continue that legacy. Hot off making its first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000 in 2024-25, a healthy New York joins the Cleveland Cavaliers as the two deepest squads in the conference. The Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers have each lost an All-NBA superstar, quite possibly for the year, with an Achilles tendon tear incurred in the playoffs.
"I’m super excited about the Knicks chances this year," Starks said. "I think Mike Brown is going to bring a new offensive dynamic to the team, which we need in order to take a bit of the pressure off of Jalen. These guys should feel like they are favourite to win, there are some other great teams in the League and in the Eastern Conference, but I feel that we have the team to win it all."
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