Anunoby: Knicks' Game Changer
OG Anunoby: The Mystery Prospect Who Became a Crucial X-Factor for the New York Knicks
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The entire NBA now knows the name OG Anunoby. But it wasn't always that way. When Indiana coach Tom Crean first spotted him at an AAU tournament, the roster just listed "Anunoby" with no first name. "We go see the book, it just says 'Anunoby,'" Crean recalled, according to USA Today. "We had to find out his name." That mystery prospect is now the X-factor in the New York Knicks' 2026 NBA Finals run against the San Antonio Spurs.
Anunoby is averaging 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game this season, according to SNY. The Knicks play at a +9.2 net rating with him on the floor. Without him, that number drops to +3.5. Coach Tom Thibodeau calls him "pretty unique" — a defender who can guard positions 1 through 5, including San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama.
From Unranked Recruit to NBA Draft Pick
Anunoby grew up in Jefferson City, Missouri, and went largely unnoticed by major recruiting services in high school. Indiana's Tom Crean saw something others missed. Anunoby signed with the Hoosiers in 2015 and spent two seasons there. He made scouts take notice in the 2016 NCAA Tournament, when he shut down Kentucky's Jamal Murray, according to NBADraft.net.
The Toronto Raptors selected him 23rd overall in the 2017 NBA Draft — even though he had torn his ACL in January of that year. He became a starter in his rookie season. He won an NBA Championship with Toronto in 2019, though an emergency appendectomy forced him to miss the playoff run, according to Wikipedia.
The Knicks Trade That Changed Everything
On December 30, 2023, New York acquired Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn from Toronto. The Knicks gave up RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a draft pick, according to SNY. It was a bold bet by Knicks president Leon Rose, who wanted to build around defense instead of chasing big-name stars.
The bet paid off fast. New York went 26-6 in the first 32 games Anunoby played after the trade. That run convinced the front office to lock him up. In June 2024, Anunoby signed a five-year, $212.5 million extension — the richest contract in Knicks history at the time — according to ESPN.
Thibodeau's Defensive Anchor Silences the Critics
Not everyone loved the deal at first. Critics said Anunoby was too passive on offense and too injury-prone for a max contract. The Knicks went just 30-29 without him in 2024, according to StatMuse. Some questioned whether a player averaging fewer than 18 points per game could justify a $42.5 million annual salary.
Those doubts have faded. Anunoby posted a season-high 34 points against Denver in March 2026, according to Sports Illustrated. He also won his second NBA All-Defensive Second Team honor this season. ESPN's Kendrick Perkins said Anunoby's defense has "exposed" even Wembanyama during the 2026 Finals, according to Yahoo Sports.
New York's 'Wing Stop' Duo Reshaping How Contenders Are Built
Anunoby and teammate Mikal Bridges have formed what analysts call the "Wing Stop" — one of the most disruptive defensive pairs in the league. Their combination is expected to change how other NBA front offices think about roster building, according to Empire Sports Media. The focus is shifting toward stopping ball-handlers like Wembanyama, not just scoring on them.
The Knicks also won the inaugural NBA Cup in December 2025, giving the city its first major basketball hardware in decades, according to Wikipedia. Now, with the 2026 Finals underway, New York is fully gripped by Finals fever — from MSG to Central Park to Rikers Island, according to USA Today. The prospect nobody knew has become the player New York can't live without.
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