Bianchi Was Right About Starks, Quinnett

NEW YORK —  Al Bianchi got run out of New York last month because, among other reasons, he was unable to bring new talent to a team that needed help. Bianchi left behind a group of players whose skills many thought Bianchi overestimated.

His contention was that the New York Knicks were better than their record, that his buddy and coach, John MacLeod, would whip the team into shape by the end of the regular season to challenge in the playoffs. Still, to the dismay of Bianchi’s numerous and vocal critics, the former general manager was not wrong about everything. It just seemed that way.

John Starks and Brian Quinnett, two players who earlier in the season many observers believed did not even belong in NBA uniforms, have done Bianchi justice and shown that perhaps he wasn’t such a bad judge of talent after all.

With extended playing time because of injuries to various players and Mark Jackson’s demotion to the doghouse, Starks, a 6-foot-3 hustler, has shown that he is a capable NBA backup guard. And Quinnett, once so nervous he had trouble running up the court, has improved to the point where he gets plays called for him.

“Al was right about those guys. They can play,” MacLeod said. “They are players. They work their tails off. They aren’t afraid to work.”

Starks at one time was just an active player who used lots of energy to accomplish virtually nothing. But he said playing time has helped him to learn to use that energy effectively on the court. As a result, when others might relax for a second, the aggressive Starks makes a steal or a deflection or just gets in the way to bother opponents.

And on offense, while Starks’ ball-handling skills are questionable, he’s quick and not afraid to drive to the basket, and recently has shown a respectable jump shot from 18 feet and in.

“I’m not surprised at what I’ve done,” Starks said. “I’ve always believed in myself, that if I played enough I could contribute to the team. And it’s just that I’m getting a chance to play. That makes a difference.”

For Quinnett, it made all the difference. Former Knicks’ Coach Stu Jackson often mentioned Quinnett’s ability to defend. And in practice, Quinnett displayed a nice shooting touch from the perimeter.

“I shot the ball OK in practice,” the 6-8 Quinnett said. “But I was running on nervous energy in the games. Plus, I was just getting a couple of shots here and there without a chance to really get my legs.”

Against the Chicago Bulls last week at Madison Square Garden, Quinnett hit seven straight shots in the second quarter, which shocked some, but not him.

“I’ve had games like that before -- in college,” Quinnett said. “I felt I belonged (in the NBA), but I didn’t prove it to anyone or myself. Now, I feel I belong.”

Indeed, Quinnett and Starks are in the right profession. And they have Bianchi, one of the most criticized Knicks’ general managers in recent years, to thank for their jobs. Bianchi drafted Quinnett prior to last season in the second round (No. 50) and somehow saw enough in him to sign him to a two-year deal before this season, despite the fact that Quinnett shot just 32 percent last season.

Bianchi, now a talent consultant for the Milwaukee Bucks, liked what he saw in Starks in the Los Angeles Summer League last year, and kept Starks on the injured list with a bad knee for more than a month to keep him Knicks’ property.

“They are two young players who, if they keep working hard, are going to be a part of the future of the Knicks,” MacLeod said. “And Al could see it before anyone else could. He’s a good judge of talent.”

Perhaps. Forget for a moment all of what Bianchi was wrong on in his 3 1/2 years with the Knicks. It may be late in coming, but at least in the case of Starks and Quinnett, Bianchi was right.