Renaldo Balkman

The Knicks later selected Mardy Collins with the 29th pick.

It has also been speculated that Thomas and the Knicks selected Balkman because his agent, Andre Buck, who worked with Leon Rose, who was the agent of the then soon-to-be free agent LeBron James.

Renaldo Miguel Balkman (born July 14, 1984) is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player for Mets de Guaynabo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN).

Balkman was a little known player in high school at the Laurinburg Institute, but he was discovered in 2002 by University of South Carolina head coach Dave Odom, who instantly saw his potential.

According to Odom, "I remember the first time I saw Renaldo Balkman. I was sitting in Orlando in a gym with (South Carolina assistant coach) Barry Sanderson and I asked him 'who is That Kid with the dreadlocks? That's the guy we need'. He came back and said nobody knows his name."

Balkman was recruited and signed by Carolina, having received little to no interest from any other major basketball programs.

Balkman played an integral role in South Carolina's two wins over eventual national champion Florida during the 2005–06 college basketball season.

He played college basketball for the University of South Carolina before being selected with the 20th overall pick of the 2006 NBA draft by the New York Knicks.

He was also the 2006 NIT Most Valuable Player, averaging 9.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.

Balkman's highlight for the season was a team-leading 28-point, 16-rebound, 4-steal performance in a 67–56 win over Alabama on February 14, 2006.

He was 11 of 15 from the field and also had a team-high 2 blocks.

For Balkman, a defensive banger whose style Knicks general manager Isiah Thomas had likened to Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest, the 2006 NIT MVP award was a fitting capper to a three-year college career that produced 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and a .553 shooting average.

The Knicks' choice of Balkman in the first round surprised many, notably ESPN's Jay Bilas, who noted that projected lottery pick Marcus Williams was still available as well as future All-Star guard Rajon Rondo.

ESPN columnist Bill Simmons, among others, joked that perhaps Isiah Thomas thought he was drafting Rolando Blackman, a former Knicks player and NBA All-Star.

However, other analysts praised Balkman's work ethic and attitude, as he had transformed himself from a relatively unknown player into a first-round NBA draft pick over the course of a few months.

There was further controversy when Thomas claimed that the Phoenix Suns were prepared to take him; the Suns claimed that he was not even "on [their] radar".

In the NBA's official draft guide, which was released to all reporters covering the draft, Balkman was not included in the list of the 300 top players eligible to be drafted in the 2006–07 rookie class.

However, the Knicks selected Balkman with their first of two draft picks, which was 20th overall.

In the Las Vegas Summer League before the 2006–07 season, Balkman averaged 7.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 1 block and 2.4 turnovers during the span of 5 games.

He played along Knick teammates Channing Frye, David Lee, Nate Robinson and Mardy Collins, also represented by Buck.

During his first season, Balkman played in 68 games, averaging 15.6 minutes, 4.9 points, and 4.3 rebounds.

He logged four double-doubles and showed promise, particularly on the defensive end where he was called upon to guard multiple positions, from shooting guard to center.

The press praised Balkman, describing him as a "sparkplug off the bench" and a "crowd favorite for his hustle and enthusiastic defense," though he was criticized for his poor outside shooting.

Balkman also led the league's rookies in steals plus blocks per 48 minutes.

The 2007–08 season saw a decline in most of Balkman's stats.

He played in 65 games, averaging 14.6 minutes, 3.4 points, and 3.3 rebounds per game.

On July 28, 2008, Balkman was traded to the Denver Nuggets along with cash considerations in exchange for Taurean Green, Bobby Jones, and a second-round pick in the 2010 draft.

The Knicks quickly waived both Green and Jones, solidifying the fact that the deal was a salary dump.

Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni stated, "Renaldo really had no role after we drafted (Danilo) Gallinari, and with the emergence of Wilson Chandler his minutes would be nonexistent, so it really wasn’t fair to him to keep him in a spot that he wouldn’t play and also gives us an opportunity to clear up a roster spot and move on."

Said Balkman, "I'm going to make the best of my opportunity. New York was great, but that's in my past now. Denver is my future."

During the 2008–09 season, Balkman played in 53 games, averaging 5.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

He also started 10 games, after Kenyon Martin was injured.

His best game was on March 14, 2009, against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Balkman scored a double-double, with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Balkman barely played during the 2009–10 season, averaging 1.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 7 minutes per game.

He only played in 13 games, never scoring in double figures.

After spending six seasons with the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association (NBA), since the 2012–13 season, he has been playing internationally.

He has represented the Puerto Rican national team.

Balkman was born in Staten Island, New York, and prior to attending Laurinburg Institute, he was at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

At Laurinburg, he led his team to 40–2 record and No. 1 national prep school ranking.