Off the Dribble: Knicks and Fans Honor Lee on His Return

In five years as a Knick, David Lee became an elite rebounder, a skilled scorer, an All-Star and a fan favorite. But points came more easily than victories, so when Lee was asked, upon his return, to share his best moments, he was stumped.

“That’s a great question,” he said Wednesday, before playing his first game as a visitor at Madison Square Garden. “I don’t know that I can put my finger on one. We had a couple good come-from-behind victories, last-second tip-ins, things like that.”

Like a lot of players who lived through the mayhem of the last six years in New York, Lee did not get the chance to be part of an eventual Knicks renaissance. The Knicks let him leave last summer when they decided to invest $100 million in Amar’e Stoudemire. Lee joined the Golden State Warriors in a sign-and-trade deal for $80 million.

Barton Silverman/The New York Times The former Knick David Lee was honored with a video tribute in his return to the Garden.

In a generally miserable Knicks era, Lee was one of the few bright spots, and his efforts were recognized Wednesday night. During a first-quarter timeout, the Knicks played a video packed with Lee dunks and rebounds, along with one bloody nose and many hugs with children. When it was over, the public-address announcer Mike Walczewski gave the traditional, “Once a Knick, always a Knick” introduction as fans rose for a standing ovation. Lee acknowledged them with a raised hand and a bowed head.

“I know it’s going to be an emotional night,” he said earlier in the day. “One of the greatest things that I was privileged to be a part of here is interacting with the fans. You never know, New York could all boo tonight. Stranger things have happened. But I think I should get a warm reception.”

After all the years of chaos and controversy, coach firings and feuds, Lee earned his moment.

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