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Throwback Thursday: Knicks win 1985 draft lottery

Focus On Sport / Focus on Sport / Getty

It is the root of most NBA conspiracy theories, and it occurred 31 years ago on May 12, 1985. On that day, the New York Knicks - with the third-worst record in the league that season - won the draft lottery, and the right to select Georgetown center Patrick Ewing at No. 1.

The fact it meant a superstar-in-the-making would be coming to New York City ultimately unleashed a torrent of hypotheses, the most popular being that commissioner David Stern was able to locate the Knicks' card by virtue of a "frozen envelope."

Stern, naturally, has denied this strenuously.

While Ewing went on to have a Hall of Fame career, the Knicks' NBA championship drought - which sat at 12 years in 1985 - is now 43 years and counting. For fun, here is a list of Knickerbocker draft selections, paying close attention to those after 1985.

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