The Hornets had to dig themselves out of a hole Saturday night against the Knicks, but in using the three-ball to do so, they were able to escape Madison Square Garden with a big victory.

It was impressive to see how many three-point shots the Hornets attempted in this game, let alone how many they hit. Once it was all said and done, the Hornets finished 17-of-48 from three-point range. 

No three was more important than the final one, a Devonte Graham dagger with 2.1 seconds left to play. The go-ahead shot was Graham's ninth three-pointer of the game.

You would think that after a team picks up a win, let alone a huge moral victory that had a lot of background noise to it, that they'd figure a way to keep that momentum going in your next game, right? Well, the Knicks just did the opposite of that Saturday night against the Hornets.

The Knicks, who were coming off their third win of the season and the second one over Kristaps Porzingis and the possible playoff-bound Mavericks, seemed to pick up right where they left off, holding multiple double-digit leads from the first quarter and on till the middle of the third.

But then the team imploded and watched their 13 point lead midway through the third turn into a one-point deficit with 30 seconds left in the quarter. The two sides would go back and forth down the stretch, but a three-point dagger from Most Improved Player of the Year candidate, Devonte Graham, with 2.1 seconds left all but sealed the game. 

The Knicks (3-10) couldn't hold on again Saturday night, as they blew a double-digit third quarter lead and ultimately fell 103-102 to the Hornets (6-7) on a go-ahead three-pointer. >> Box Score

Five things to know from Saturday's game...

1) Once again, the Knicks allowed one player--this time Devonte Graham--go off on them and crush their spirits. Graham, a 2018 second round pick out of Kanas, hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 2.1 second left to send the Knicks packing. Graham scored 26 points and hit a stunning nine three-pointers to shut the Knicks down on their home floor.

The Knicks have reshaped their roster over the last year and change, saying goodbye to some familiar faces (some beloved, some not) in the process. We'll take a look at how some of those former Knicks are performing with their new teams as the 2019-20 NBA season is underway...

Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas Mavericks

All eyes were on The Garden on Thursday, when Porzingis made his much-anticipated return to New York after requesting a trade from the Knicks in January. He was booed throughout the game, but finished with a double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Porzingis is averaging 18.5 points per game along with 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in his first season with the Mavericks.

Since 2014, the New York Knicks have been in search of a center. Since Tyson Chandler manned the position for years, the team has struggled to find a quality starter at center and it-along with many other problems-has greatly affected New York in the win column. 

After an attempt to sign superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving went awry, the Knicks ended up adding several veteran free agents who have spent time at the center position, including Julius Randle, Taj Gibson and Bobby Portis in free agency. The Knicks invested $57.8 million this year alone in those players and forward Marcus Morris. 

These decisions immediately received backlash for creating a lack of positional balance on the roster. As the Knicks look to right the ship after a 3-9 start, the crowded center position comes with many questions and very few solutions.

The Knicks earned their third win of the season on Thursday night, beating the Mavs 106-103, as two of their wins have come against Dallas.

Head coach David Fizdale talked about the team's struggles at home earlier this week, and also mentioned what went wrong after beating the Mavs on Nov. 11.

"I don't think it was complacency. I really don't," Fizdale said on Friday. "I really felt like this team is just trying to do so well for the city. I really do. Their intentions are right. They're trying to carry the weight of the city on their shoulders. I just told them you can't do that. I said it's an impossible task. You've got to focus on who's around you in the locker room and put forth effort for the people in the locker room and the city will appreciate that kind of effort. So hopefully we learned that lesson from last night."

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

After the Knicks' win over the Mavericks on Thursday, Dennis Smith Jr. spent some time reflecting at his locker. 

"It was kind of bittersweet for me, beating the team that traded me but my stepmom wasn't here to see it," Smith Jr. said. "…. I had to take some time out to myself and really digest something like that. She watched every game. Every single game. Even when I was in college.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

A couple weeks ago, Frank Ntilikina walked into David Fizdale's office, unannounced, and delivered a message: 

"He just said, 'Coach, I've been through a lot in my two years. I feel like I finally understand what the NBA is about. I know I haven't shown it yet, but I'm a dog, too,'" Fizdale said. "It was so cool to hear him say that. And (Thursday against Dallas) he showed that he is really a junkyard dog when it comes to competition."

Kristaps Porzingis returned to the Garden on Thursday night, was mercilessly booed, started slow and finished slow, and watched his new team lose to his old team in front of a raucous crowd.

Here's how the back pages in New York reacted, with two of them going full-Porzingis and another not...

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Marcus Morris thought the boos and 'KP sucks!' chants at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night affected Kristaps Porzingis' performance in the Knicks' win over the Mavs. 

"It was just at another level. It looked like he was a little rattled, too. So it kind of helped us," Morris said after hitting a game-sealing 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter of New York's win. 

Porzingis heard boos during warmups, player introductions and throughout the game in his first night back at Madison Square Garden since being traded to Dallas last January. 

Dennis Smith Jr. has been through his share of adversity this season. After an injury during training camp, a death in the family took the guard away from the team for two weeks.

On Thursday night, Smith Jr. shined for the Knicks as the team topped the Mavs 106-103 for their second win against Kristaps Porzingis this season. 

In just his second game back with the team, Smith Jr. scored 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, and also had a team-high eight assists to go along with six rebounds in 29 minutes.

The Knicks (3-9) faced the Dallas Mavs (6-5) for the second time this season, winning again, this time 106-103 as former Knick Kristaps Porzingis made his return to Madison Square Garden >> Box Score

Here are Five Takeaway's from Thursday's game...

1) Marcus Morris led the way for the Knicks in scoring with 20 points, including a go-ahead three pointer with 13.4 seconds left in the game. He was 5-for-7 from three in the game, and had five rebounds in 34 minutes.

Carmelo Anthony is back on an NBA roster.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the former Knick is signing a non-guaranteed deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The 10-time All-Star last played for the Rockets last season, though he played just 10 games with Houston. Prior to that, he spent the 2017-18 season with the Thunder.

Kristaps Porzingis said last week that he expected 'a lot of noise' in his first return to Madison Square Garden.

And that was exactly the case during player intros, as the former Knicks' lottery pick heard plenty of boos from Knicks fans on Thursday night.

Kristaps Porzingis hears the boos as he's introduced at MSG: pic.twitter.com/EPxq9xrnQJ

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Kristaps Porzingis is making his return to Madison Square Garden on Thursday night for the first time since he was traded away last February. 

And Knicks fans will certainly let him hear it. 

We decided to hit the streets right outside The Garden to see just how those fans will welcome back the man they once cheered for...

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

The Knicks are 1-3 at home and have lost their last two games at Madison Square Garden by a combined 42 points. David Fizdale thinks he knows at least one reason why the club has struggled at home. 

"Honestly I think they want to do so well for the fanbase I think they get tight. I really do," he said. "I've looked at all of the different things that have happened and I just feel like sometimes -- they really want to do well for the city. 

"With everything that's happened over the course of the last year, these guys want to play hard for the city, they want to win for the city. I just think sometimes when it starts to go the other way, they play not to lose instead of playing to win."

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Kristaps Porzingis isn't sure what to expect from the home crowd when he returns to Madison Square Garden on Thursday. But based on what he's seen from Knicks fans on Instagram and Twitter, he's bracing for a cold reception (which he's sure to get).

"Social media is mostly negative. But we'll see. It's going to be a lot of emotion," Porzingis said Wednesday after Mavs practice at the National Basketball Players Association offices in Manhattan.

Porzingis was back in New York City on Wednesday for the first time since he was traded -- at his request -- to Dallas last January.

Dennis Smith Jr. was back in the Knicks lineup on Tuesday night against the Bulls, but it wasn't the return he hoped for. 

Though it was his first game back since Oct. 26 after the passing of his stepmother, Smith saw 14 minutes of playing time by head coach David Fizdale. And that time on the court, it was apparent Smith hadn't played in a game recently. 

He went 0-for-3 from the field while committing two turnovers. Smith did, however, dish out two assists and collected two steals on the night. 

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Knicks owner James Dolan spoke with team president Steve Mills and others in management on Monday, the day after Mills and GM Scott Perry held an impromptu press conference to express their frustration with the Knicks. 

Dolan speaks with Mills and other top decision-makers regularly, just as most NBA owners do, but this conversation seemed to carry a little more weight. Sources familiar with the conversation told SNY that management came away with the impression that their jobs would be secure as long as the Knicks 'showed progress' this season. 

On a night when Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams was in attendance, one of his former players, Coby White, absolutely went off against the Knicks in the fourth quarter.

And while White's ridiculous fourth quarter - complete with seven made three pointers in the frame - was the biggest storyline of the game, the play of RJ Barrett was one of the few bright spots for the Knicks.

White was simply phenomenal in the final 12 minutes, and despite the fact that he entered the night shooting just 21% from three, he went 7-for-11 from distance, including 7-for-8 in the fourth.

The Knicks (2-9) faced the Bulls (4-7) for a second time in the early season, but weren't able to get the win this time around, as Chicago pulled away in the fourth quarter to take a 120-102 victory>> Box Score

Here are Five Takeaway's from Tuesday's game...

1) Just as they did in their first matchup with the Bulls, the Knicks came back from a double-digit first half deficit to make things interesting by the end of the third with things tied at 85 heading into the fourth quarter. But rookie PG Coby White just exploded in the fourth quarter, hitting seven 3-pointers to break the Bulls back out to a double-digit lead, as the Knicks just had no answer for them in the last 12 minutes of play. White set a Bulls franchise record for 3-pointers in a quarter with seven and scored a career-high 27 points.

Dennis Smith Jr. will make his return to the Knicks' lineup on Tuesday night, per The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov. 

Smith has been out since Oct. 26, as he has been with his family grieving the loss of his stepmother. The Knicks were giving him all the time he needed before making his return to the team. 

Smith has been back with the Knicks since last week, and it was believed that he may be able to play against the Mavericks on Friday night. However, the team wanted to make sure he was game-ready, and decided to wait until Tuesday against the Bulls. 

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

A few notes about where things stand with the Knicks after an awkward, uncomfortable 24 hours for the organization: 

IS FIZDALE THE FALL GUY?

Yes, the impromptu press conference from team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry on Sunday night made it clear that David Fizdale's job is under scrutiny amid New York's 2-8 start. If the Knicks continue to struggle, no one would be surprised if Fizdale were let go in the near future. 

ESPN reported on Monday that Mills was laying the groundwork internally to fire Fizdale. This could lead you to believe that Mills will not be held responsible if New York fails to meet expectations. That's not accurate though. 
 

After a report Monday suggested that Knicks head coach David Fizdale is being set up by team president Steve Mills as the "fall guy" for the team's struggles, the coach spoke highly of team executives. 

Talking to the media at Monday's practice, Fizdale said he feels is comfortable with Mills and the front office. 

"I haven't seen anything like that," Fizdale said of the ESPN report. "They've been very supportive of me."

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

Let's start here with the Knicks: because of the team's poor record and the impromptu press conference given by president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry on Sunday, there will be speculation about the job security of David Fizdale and the Knicks' execs.

As SNY reported Sunday, there is no indication that any executive or coach is getting fired in the next few days. But an in-season firing shouldn't be ruled out if the losing and non-competitive stretches continue, people familiar with the matter say.

A factor to consider in all of this are the contracts of Mills, Perry and Fizdale.

Amidst the wreckage of their disastrous start to the season, Knicks president Steve Mills is setting up head coach David Fizdale to be the "fall guy," a league source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Malika Andrews.

According to Wojnarowski and Andrews, Mills has started to lay the "internal groundwork" for the potential firing of Fizdale.

Questions about Fizdale's job status grew louder after Mills and GM Scott Perry held a postgame press conference at Madison Square Garden following the Knicks' blowout loss to the Cavaliers on Sunday -- an occurrence SNY's Ian Begley noted was extremely rare.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

At some point during New York's 21-point loss to Cleveland, Knicks owner James Dolan spoke to team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry about the state of the club. It's fair to assume he wasn't happy.

The Knicks dropped to 2-8 with Sunday's loss -- the fourth time they've lost a game by at least 20 points.

Afterward, Mills and Perry addressed the media -- which is extremely rare.

After the Knicks' 108-87 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden dropped New York to 2-8 on the season, president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry conducted an unexpected postgame press conference.

Before head coach David Fizdale spoke at the podium, the two executives said that they felt an obligation to address fans for the Knicks' disappointing start 10 games into the season.

Mills and Perry repeatedly cited the Knicks' lack of effort as the reasons for concern, namely after Friday's 106-102 road win over the Dallas Mavericks (6-3) and former New York star Kristaps Porzingis provided optimism until Sunday's wire-to-wire blowout defeat against the Cavs (4-5) brought the team back down.

The Knicks returned home to Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday after last week's two-game road trip and lost 108-87 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. >> Box Score

Five things to know about Sunday's game...

1) Taken by the Cavs just one spot in front of the Knicks' pick in the 2018 NBA draft, No. 8 overall selection Collin Sexton showed the Knicks what they missed out on. Sexton dropped a game-high 31 points -- also a season- and career-best scoring output -- shooting 10 of 16 from the field and going 5 for 8 on three-pointers to fuel Cleveland past New York. With the No. 9 overall pick, of course, the Knicks selected small forward Kevin Knox, who scored nine points and grabbed three rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

David Fizdale hasn't decided yet if Frank Ntilikina will start at point guard when Elfrid Payton is healthy. But it certainly sounds like Fizdale will keep Ntilikina in the starting lineup when Payton returns -- as long as he and the Knicks are playing well. 

Here's what Fizdale said when asked on Sunday if Payton, who has missed the last six games with a hamstring injury, will start at point guard when he returns to the lineup:  

"I'm going to base it on how things are going for us at the time when he gets back," Fizdale said. "If things are going well, we'll probably stay with what we're doing. If for some reason it's not, maybe we'll look at putting him back in there. But we won't make that decision until the time comes."

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is in the NBA concussion protocol and will not play the next two games, the team announced.

Robinson suffered the concussion on Nov. 6 against the Detroit Pistons, and missed the team's following game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Knicks play the Cleveland Cavaliers at home on Sunday, and then travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on Tuesday night.

The Knicks have reshaped their roster over the last year and change, saying goodbye to some familiar faces (some beloved, some not) in the process. We'll take a look at how some of those former Knicks are performing with their new teams as the 2019-20 NBA season is underway...

Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas Mavericks

Porzingis saw his former team come to his new home grounds this past Thursday night in what turned out to be a thrilling matchup. Porzingis scored 28 points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked five shots, but fouled out late in the fourth quarter. Not having their big man out on the floor hurt the Mavs badly, as they fell to the Knicks 106-102 in what was a very close game throughout.

Porzingis missed Saturday's game against the Grizzlies, but the Mavericks were still able to pull out a win without him. Porzingis will make his long-awaited return to New York this Thursday to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. He's averaging 20.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in his first season with Dallas.

Knicks head coach David Fizdale has talked about forward Marcus Morris' leadership already this season, and reaffirmed it last night after the Knicks beat the Dallas Mavericks 106-102 on Friday night.

Fizdale and Morris spoke with media after the Knicks earned their second win of the season.

"We follow him. Marcus Morris is our leader," Fizdale said. "He embodies toughness. He embodies team. He really cares about these guys. I think he likes playing for us. He's the guy that hits me up in the middle of the night asking me if I need anything. I've never had a player like that before that just really cares so much."

From an individual standpoint, Kristaps Porzingis' first game against his former team was a success, but his strong effort wasn't enough, as the Knicks topped the Mavs 106-102 on Friday in Dallas.

Porzingis fouled out of the game with 30 seconds to play, but overall he showed exactly why the Knicks selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, scoring 28 points while adding nine rebounds and five blocks.

After the final whistle, Porzingis spoke with his former head coach David Fizdale near center court.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

DALLAS - Kristaps Porzingis' first game against the Knicks turned into a coming out party for Frank Ntilikina. 

The 21-year-old had 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks in New York's win over Dallas. 

"This was his best game since he's been in the league," David Fizdale said after the win. "Just what he's been doing is getting better and better. Every game he becomes more confident. I'm really happy for the kid."

The Knicks held on to beat the Mavericks 106-102 on Friday night in their most impressive overall performance of the season. >> Box Score

Five things to know about Friday's game...

1) The Knicks seemed to find a rhythm offensively against the Mavs, as their hot shooting saw them out to a 12-point lead late in the third quarter. The Mavs answered back, though, and with 5:44 to go the game was tied at 92-92. But thanks to some timely offense and some smothering defense, the Knicks built their lead back up to 99-92 with under three to play. Down the stretch, the Knicks made just enough of their free throws to maintain a three-point lead, and with under 30 seconds to go, a Luka Doncic three with a foot on the halfcourt logo was off the mark, and the Knicks went on to win the game.

Dennis Smith Jr. will be inactive for the Knicks Friday night as they face Kristaps Porzingis and the Mavericks in Dallas.

Smith Jr, who was a part of the trade that sent Porzingis to Dallas, hasn't played for the Knicks since Oct. 26, after suffering the loss of a family member that same night. Smith Jr. returned to the team earlier this week after being absent to mourn with his family.

Between Smith Jr.'s absence and Elfrid Payton's hamstring injury, Frank Ntilikina has been starting at the point guard position for the Knicks. Although the lineups haven't been released for Friday's game, Ntilikina should be expected to start.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

DALLAS - Marcus Morris says he's going to spend some time guarding Kristaps Porzingis on Friday night. 

He's six inches shorter than the Mavs forward, but he plans to use his strength as an advantage. 

David Stern threw some shade at the NBA's last-place team earlier this week. 

The former NBA commissioner spoke with Newsday's Neil Best and gave his take on a number of topics going on within the league, including what's going on with the Knicks, who are 1-7 entering Friday's game with the Mavericks.

Stern, who held the position for 30 years from 1984-2014 and was born in New York, was asked if "the Knicks would ever be good again." And he said this: "I do. I do. I tell everyone they're only one player away, and someone yelled out to me, 'Who?' And I said, 'Michael Jordan in his prime."

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

DALLAS - David Fizdale was asked on Thursday about the Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis trade. He said it's too early to fully judge the transaction.

"Well, we don't know what Dennis Smith is going to be. He's 21 years old. At the end of the day we've still got two first-round picks out of that," Fizdale said a day before the Knicks face Porzingis and the Mavs in Dallas. "Who knows who that's going to be? We won't know exactly what comes out of that for a year or two."

The Knicks essentially received Smith Jr., cap space and two future first round picks from the Mavericks.

Ten-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony last played for the Houston Rockets in 2018, where after just 10 games he was traded to the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 22, 2019 before being waived on Feb. 1.

After the rest of the 2018-2019 season went by, many thought Anthony would have signed with a team over the summer and already be back on an NBA court this season. But strangely enough, the 2013 NBA scoring champion is still a free agent.

On Thursday at the 25th Annual Lou Gehrig Sports Awards Benefit by the ALS Association Greater New York Chapter, Anthony was in attendance as an honoree and expressed his desire to get back in the NBA when asked by media.

"2000 percent. Make that the headline," Anthony said.

Kristaps Porzingis spoke on Thursday about his ugly end with the Knicks, calling it "part of the business," but also reflected on some mistakes he made after the fact and whether things could've been fixed before it all ended so messily.

"I don't know," Porzingis half-joked when asked if he wanted to clarify what happened on his way out. "I'll probably get in more trouble if I start talking about that stuff, you know? It is what it is. It wasn't ideal. But now I'm in a new place, I'm looking forward to the future. I don't want to go back too much and bring that stuff up. It is what it is. It happened, it's part of the business. It just ended up that way."

Repeatedly trying to deflect the questions back to the present (he's with the Mavericks, Friday is just another game, etc.), Porzingis said he didn't need any "extra juice" to excel against the Knicks.

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Every New York sports fan has their one favorite player or coach, past or present, that they absolutely love. They've given years of service to help your favorite team win, and they've done so while playing or managing at the highest level. 

But not every marriage has come to a happy ending in the Big Apple. 

While this city has had its fair share of legends on every team, there have also been some pretty bad breakups throughout each league. And, as agents of chaos in this case, we're here to remind you of some of the ugliest divorces that your favorite teams have seen in recent years. 

Mitchell Robinson has been ruled out of Friday's contest against the Mavericks after sustaining a concussion on Wednedsay against the Pistons, the team announced. 

Doctors observed Robinson on Wednesday night in Detroit and cleared him to fly with the Knicks to Dallas. Robinson first felt concussion symptoms when he looked into the light following a dunk in the second quarter and was immediately removed from the game.  

Since he's in concussion protocol, it's uncertain when Robinson would be able to return to practices or games.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

The Knicks are in Dallas to play Kristaps Porzingis and the Mavs on Friday for the first time since the trade. So there will be plenty written and said about the deal over the next couple of days. 

Below, let's try to separate fact from opinion: 

The Knicks fell to the Pistons, 122-102, on Wednesday night, and a familiar face awaits them next.

On Friday, the Knicks will be in Dallas for a meeting with the Mavericks, where they'll face off against former Knick Kristaps Porzingis.

The Latvian native had a quiet night in the Mavs' 107-106 win over the Magic on Wednesday, shooting just 4-of-14 from the floor. He finished the night with 10 points, eight rebounds, and one assist, as the Mavs improved to 5-2 on the season.

The Knicks (1-7) dropped their fourth straight game on Wednesday night, falling to the Pistons 122-102 in Detroit. >> Box Score

Five things to know from Wednesday's game...

1) The Knicks led by three points about midway through the first quarter, but the Pistons answered right back on their next possession, and they held onto the lead for the rest of the game. In a game that featured only two lead changes, the Pistons controlled things for most of the night. Andre Drummond was a problem inside for the Knicks all night long, as he finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds. The Pistons as a team, meanwhile, shot 55.7% from the floor. What was just a five-point game at the half ended up becoming a 20-point win for the Pistons.

Despite the Knicks' stumble out the gate of the 2019-20 season's first two weeks, second-year head coach David Fizdale feels support from New York's higher-ups.

Before the Knicks (1-6) tipped off with the Pistons (3-5) Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Fizdale told reporters during the team's shootaround that the likes of president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry have maintained optimism.

Fresh off Sunday's 113-92 loss to the Sacramento Kings (2-5) Sunday at Madison Square Garden in New York, the Knicks entered the midweek game against the Pistons with the Eastern Conference's worst record.

During the offseason leading into the 2010-11 season, the Knicks were looking to spend some money on a big ticket free agent, and the market was stocked with them. 

Of course, the biggest signings were that of LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade creating the first superteam by signing with the Heat. But New York didn't leave free agency empty handed when they landed a 28-year-old Amar'e Stoudemire, an already five-time All-Star. 

Years later, Stoudemire explained how that all went down with The Players' Tribune's podcast "Knuckleheads," which features another free agent that year in Quentin Richardson. Stoudemire actually had his mind on signing an extension with the Suns -- the team that drafted him ninth overall back in 2002.