Knicks player finally breaks team’s infamous curse
Jan 4, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Executive Chairman and CEO of Madison Square Garden, James Dolan, walks off the court after the New York Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers 104-94 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
It is not quite the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series in 2016, but one of sports’ more infamous curses is officially over.
The New York Knicks agreed to terms on a new contract with 24-year-old center Mitchell Robinson on Friday. Robinson is reportedly re-signing with the team on a four-year, $60 million deal.
Robinson’s new deal also breaks the Knicks’ notorious curse known as “The Charlie Ward Curse.” Since Charlie Ward was drafted in 1994, no Knicks draft pick had gotten a second contract from the team … until Robinson.
Mitchell Robinson breaks "The Charlie Ward Curse."
He's the first Knicks draft pick to get a second contract with the team since 1994 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ISl9D9cCys
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 1, 2022
The Knicks’ “curse” had covered over a dozen different draft selections by the team in the last 28 years, all of whom were traded away or otherwise left the Knicks before they could secure a second contract. You can read the full (and rather extensive) list of names here.
Sticklers will point to the fact that Robinson was drafted by the Knicks in the second round (No. 36 overall), so “The Charlie Ward Curse” is still active for the Knicks’ first-round picks. But there is one current Knick who will likely break that subsection of the “curse” as well before long.
