New York Knicks swingman Josh Hart is one of the most difficult NBA players to evaluate. He’s not your typical star player who is a high-volume scorer, he doesn’t run the offense with elite passing, and he’s not a lockdown defender. However, he’s the best Swiss Army Knife in basketball. Hart is good at pretty much everything on a basketball court, including scoring inside and out, playmaking, rebounding, hustle plays, and defense. While none of his counting stats will blow you away, his effect on the game is palpable. The Knicks are lucky to have him.
Josh Hart Ranks Top 10 in Stats Usually Reserved For All-Stars
As Josh Hart himself posted on X, he ranks ninth in “LEBRON WAR” in the entire league, surrounded by all the best players in basketball. This metric, created by BBall Index, is an analytic designed to measure a player’s overall value on both sides of the ball. It evaluates how useful a player is by combining their box score and on/off numbers per 100 possessions. Essentially, players with the highest LEBRON WARs contribute the most to their team’s success with the totality of their positive plays, whether it’s scoring, playmaking, rebounding, defense, or other areas of basketball.
Stats like this are hilarious to me….all Allstars and me
https://t.co/4d14P8dGOV
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) February 6, 2025
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Hart also ranks sixth in “RAPTOR WAR”, another metric designed to measure a player’s value to winning. It considers how much one contributes on both ends as well as how their team does with/without them. Basically, these two statistics depict how valuable every NBA player is based on their overall game.
Hart Ranking Among the NBA’s Best is Reflective of His Worth
As I said before, Josh Hart is an extremely tough player to evaluate. His box score numbers, while well-rounded, aren’t eye-popping in any one category. He averages 14.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.5 steals. All are nice numbers, but none will blow you away. However, Hart is special for three reasons statistically. First, his scoring efficiency is unbelievable for a non-sharpshooter, with his true shooting of 64.7% ranking second amongst starting guards. Hart has had a fine year from deep, hitting at 34.3% on 3.3 attempts, but it’s his short-range scoring that’s made him so efficient. The Villanova product is shooting 66.6% on 6.6 attempts per game from two, which is ridiculous for a 6’4″ guard. Hart’s transition attack and finishing around the rim have been special to watch and are one of NY’s offensive strengths.
Hart is also the league’s best rebounder under 6’8″, averaging just under 10 (9.7) for the campaign. He’s phenomenal at every aspect of rebounding: offensive, defensive, and hustle boards. Hart definitely passes the eye test, as he’s one of the most fun rebounders in the league to watch. The heart and hustle he showcases on a nightly basis embodies why the Knicks are such a likable team.
Lastly, while 5.8 assists doesn’t seem like anything special, it is when you consider Hart’s role in the offense. New York runs a true egalitarian offense amongst their five starters, all of whom are highly skilled players. Jalen Brunson initiates most of their offensive action, Karl-Anthony Towns is the second star, and OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges get plenty of off-ball scoring opportunities. Hart gets some ball-handling responsibilities in the half-court to spell Brunson, but most of his playmaking comes in transition or off offensive rebounds. Hart is one of the league’s best at pushing the pace off of defensive boards, and every other Knick benefits from his playmaking by running the floor.
New York leads the NBA in transition points-per-possession at 1.21, and Josh Hart is the main reason why. It’s yet another area of the game where Hart is NY’s most important player.
Josh Has an Argument as Knicks’ Third-Most Valuable Player
These metrics that attempt to measure overall value, such as LEBRON and RAPTOR WAR, perfectly encapsulate what Knicks fans already knew from watching the team all season. Hart is NY’s most versatile player and helps them win in more ways than anyone else. Anunoby and Bridges are great offensive guys whose defense is needed, but Hart does so much all over the floor. Furthermore, his effect on the Knicks’ gritty identity is immeasurable. Fans should never take him for granted.
Photo Credit: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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