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NEW YORK -- Anthony Mason last wore a Knicks uniform in 1996. But he maintained relationships with many in the organization long after his final home game at Madison Square Garden. Mason had no official title with the organization, but he attended games regularly and made frequent appearances at team functions. In that capacity, Mason developed relationships with several players who starred at the Garden in recent seasons. Start with J.R. Smith. In a ceremony before a playoff game at the Garden in 2013, Smith was presented with the Sixth Man Award at center court. Mason and John Starks, the Knicks’ two previous Sixth Man Award winners, were standing beside Smith to congratulate him as the Garden crowd reached a deafening decibel. Smith posted a picture of the moment on his Instagram account on Saturday afternoon. A photo posted by JR Smith (@teamswish) on Feb 28, 2015 at 9:15am PST
“Man I don't even know what to say... Thank you for your inspiration! Thank you for your guidance! Thank you for [those] long conversations!” Smith wrote. “Thank you for holding me down at all times! Real life Uncle s--t you did for me! Nothing but love for you an the family! Not only did we [lose] one hell of a player but a person as well! Never forget you boss! #RIPMASE” Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert also posted tributes of their own on social media. Shumpert wrote about Mason helping him deal with day-to-day life as an NBA player in New York City. “Mase always made sure I was straight with my mental playing in this league. Not only did we lose a Knick great but we lost a great man and a great friend,” Shumpert wrote. “Thank you for all you taught me Mase.” Current Knick Tim Hardaway Jr. knew Mason in a different capacity. Hardaway Jr. first met Mason he was 9 years old and Mason was playing alongside his father, Tim Hardaway Sr. “He’d always take care of me, always talked to me,” Hardaway Jr. said Saturday night. “... He just treated me like I was one of his. All I know is every time I was around him, he had great energy, he had great passion and great love. He was just a kindhearted person.” Another Knick, Lance Thomas, got the same impression of Mason during a brief encounter a few years ago at the Garden. Thomas, then with Duke University, had just played St. John’s at MSG when he ran into Mason after the game. Mason was on hand to watch his son, Anthony Mason Jr., play. “It was one of those moments where you try to act cool and not be starstruck. He was just a New York legend,” Thomas said on Saturday. “It was a very brief interaction, but it meant more to me because I grew up watching him.” Thomas was too young to live and die with the mid-1990s Knicks. But he was raised in a house full of Knicks fans and knew all about Mason’s exploits -- from the gritty play in the paint to the entertaining hair. “Those guys were getting after it. The city was getting in a buzz," Thomas said. "... Hopefully we can get the franchise back to that point." The Knicks are far from where they were during Mason’s run in the 1990s. But, judging by the reaction on Saturday, Mason was never far from the franchise. Maybe that’s why the title the organization used in its Mason tribute on Saturday night was so fitting: “Gone but not forgotten.” Phil watches Kentucky game: Knicks president Phil Jackson continued to scout top college prospects in person on Saturday. He was shown by television cameras in the stands at the Kentucky-Arkansas game. The Knicks are on pace to get a high pick in June’s NBA draft. Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns is projected as a top pick. Many draft experts put fellow Kentucky big man Willie Cauley-Stein in the same echelon. Jackson likely had his eyes on those two. Earlier this week, the Knicks president attended Ohio State’s game against Nebraska and he commented on Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell. The NBA will likely fine Jackson for his comments. According to a source, several teams complained about the comment. It is against league rules for personnel to comment on players who haven’t declared for the NBA draft. ... The Knicks beat the Raptors on Saturday to win back-to-back games for the first time in a month. Hardaway Jr. led the team with 22 points.
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