Associate Editor's Note: LatinoSports.com's Knick beat writer and columnist Andrew Rosario sheds some light on everything Knicks. Rosario, a former New York Beacon sports editor, ABC radio producer and WCBS television producer, has been covering the Knicks since 1997.   

Catch Speedy

NEW YORK – There was a time when Hofstra University on Long Island was only known because it was the training camp of the New York Jets.

It recently got attention when the presidential debate took place on their campus. But not long ago, a skinny little basketball player made the school the toast of New York.Speedy Claxton came out of Christ the King High School in Queens to lead the Pride to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 23 years. When he graduated from Hofstra with a degree in liberal arts he set the school record for assists (660) and steals (288). He became the 4th player in school history to score 2,000 points. His number was retired and now hangs from the school gymnasium.

As good as his college career was, his professional career has been the total opposite. After being drafted by Philadelphia, he missed the entire season with a torn ACL. He played in 67 games the following year but missed time with assorted injuries which included a concussion (five games) and a sprained left ankle (eight games).

Speedy managed to win a ring with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003 (the only member of the Hawks with that distinction), but missed 48 games with a dislocated shoulder. With all of the injuries that have followed him throughout his career, Speedy has managed to keep his wide smile.

He was recently taken off the injured list for the first time this year after another knee injury. “It’s been very tough,” he said before the game against the Knicks Wednesday night. “But hopefully I’ll get back on the court really soon.” 

For now, Speedy Claxton is relegated to cheering on his teammates from the bench. The Pride of Hofstra has plenty of basketball left in him. If he can only stay out of the trainers room.

“I’m ready to play. They just don’t have any minutes for me. In case somebody goes down, I’ll be ready.”

Knicks Bring in Big Fella

With the Stephon Marbury debacle finally over, President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh can finally concentrate in the rest of the basketball season. He began by trading for Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox. Walsh, knowing the team is lacking in height from the center position due to the injury to Eddie Curry signed 7-foot-1 Cheikh Samb to a 10-day contract. The lanky center has impressed both Walsh and head coach Mike D’ Antoni.

“He looks pretty good in practice,” said D’ Antoni. “I was surprised in the first couple of practices. He can run and shoot.” Samb was working out while Walsh addressed the media. His thoughts on the tall guy from Senegal: “He’s a shot blocker, he can run the floor and shoot from the outside which is very important in Mike’s system. The big issue is can he show that he can improve.”

Walsh was then asked about what has impressed and disappointed him up to this point in the season. “I’ve been impressed with the coach. I’ve been impressed for the most part over the course of the year how hard we’ve played. I think our guys have really tried hard to win every game. The disappointment would be that we got into really close games against really good teams. We’re going to have to learn how to win those games.”

As far as what Walsh thinks the team has to do in order to make the playoffs, he was direct: “They have to play every game like it’s the only game. You can’t look ahead. You can’t look at the standings. You have to play each game one at a time.”

Wednesday night was a good start for them.  

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