When you walk into Madison Square Garden, the history is basically vibrating off the walls. You see the retired jerseys hanging in the rafters—names like Frazier, Reed, and Ewing. But there is one number that keeps coming up in conversations between fans at the concession stands or on subways heading back to Brooklyn: number 7. If you’re asking who is 7 on the Knicks right now, the answer is simpler than if you were asking a few years ago, but the weight of that digit in New York City is anything but simple.
Honestly, the number 7 hasn’t been worn by a Knick since the 2022-2023 season.
It’s currently vacant. It’s sitting there in the locker room, metaphorically speaking, waiting for the next player brave enough or skilled enough to take on the legacy. The last person to actually lace up and represent the New York Knicks while wearing 7 was Duke product RJ Barrett. He wore it from 2019 until he was traded to the Toronto Raptors in the deal that brought OG Anunoby to Manhattan.
The Carmelo Anthony Factor
You can't talk about 7 on the Knicks without talking about Melo. For a generation of fans, that number belongs to Carmelo Anthony. Period. When he arrived in that blockbuster trade from Denver in 2011, he didn't just bring a scoring title pedigree; he brought a specific brand of New York swagger.
He chose 7 because his Denver number, 15, was already retired by the Knicks to honor Earl "The Pearl" Monroe and Dick McGuire.
Melo's tenure was... complicated. Some fans worship him as the only superstar who actually wanted to be under the bright lights when everyone else was running away from the pressure. Others point to the lack of deep playoff runs. Regardless of which side of the bar stool you sit on, the image of Melo hitting a triple and tapping his temple with three fingers is burned into the retinas of anyone who watched basketball in the 2010s.
During his time, number 7 became the best-selling jersey in the league at various points. It represented hope. It represented a specific kind of isolation-heavy, mid-range-mastery basketball that defined an era of Knicks history that was often frustrating but never boring. When RJ Barrett took the number, he knew exactly what he was doing. He was stepping into the shadow of a giant.
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Why Nobody Is Wearing 7 Right Now
Usually, when a number stays out of rotation for a year or two, people start whispering. Is it being unofficially retired? Probably not. The Knicks are notoriously stingy with retiring jerseys. You basically have to be a Hall of Famer who won a championship or spent a decade as the face of the franchise to get your name in the rafters.
Barrett’s departure left the number open.
Current roster construction matters here too. The Knicks under Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau have built a team around "Nova Knicks" chemistry and gritty defensive identities. Jalen Brunson (11), Josh Hart (3), and Donte DiVincenzo (formerly 0) have their own brands. Mikal Bridges wears 25. Usually, players stick to what they know. If a marquee free agent or a high-profile draft pick comes in next summer, don't be surprised if they eye that 7. It’s a "prime" number in more ways than one. It looks good on a jersey. It's symmetrical. It’s a superstar’s number.
A Quick Trip Down Memory Lane
Before Melo and RJ, the number 7 had a bit of a journeyman vibe. It wasn't always this high-stakes identifier.
- Chauncey Billups: He actually wore it briefly during the Melo trade transition. People forget that because his stint was so short, but he brought a veteran "Mr. Big Shot" energy that the Garden loved, even if his knees were starting to give out.
- Al Harrington: "Buckets." That’s all you need to know. He was the quintessential "get a shot off no matter what" player.
- Toney Douglas: A fan favorite for a minute there. He was a defensive pest who wore 7 right before the Melo era began in earnest.
Going further back, you’ve got guys like Kenny Walker. He won a Dunk Contest in 1989 wearing that number. If you’re an old-school fan, you might associate the number with him soaring through the air in those classic white and orange uniforms. But the gravity of the number changed in 2011. It went from being a number "some guy on the roster" wears to "The Number."
The Pressure of the Garden
Wearing a famous number in New York is different than wearing it in Charlotte or Salt Lake City. If you wear 7 on the Knicks, you are going to get compared to Carmelo. Every time you miss a late-game jumper, someone in the 400-level seats is going to yell about how Melo would have made it.
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That’s why many young players avoid it.
Look at the current squad. They are hyper-focused on the "We, not me" philosophy. The number 7, historically, is a "Me" number—not in a bad way, but in a "Give me the ball and get out of the way" way. That doesn't really fit the current vibe of the 2024-2025 or 2025-2026 Knicks. Thibodeau wants ball movement. He wants defensive rotations. He doesn't necessarily want a guy trying to be the next Melo.
Still, the marketing department probably hates that it's sitting on a shelf. Jersey sales drive revenue. A new star in a #7 jersey would fly off the shelves at the MSG Team Store.
What the Numbers Say
If we look at the statistical output of players wearing 7 over the last twenty years, it’s a roller coaster.
Melo averaged about 24.7 points per game in a Knicks jersey. RJ Barrett was more around the 18-point mark. When you put that jersey on, you’re essentially saying you can provide that level of offensive production. It is a scorer's number. If a defensive specialist like Miles McBride suddenly switched to 7, it would feel... off.
The Future of the Number 7
So, what happens next?
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There are rumors every off-season about big-name trades. Whether it's a disgruntled star from the Western Conference or a draft pick the Knicks moved up to get, that jersey is waiting.
There is also the "Retirement" debate. Should the Knicks retire 7 for Carmelo Anthony?
It’s one of the most polarizing topics on Knicks Twitter. Critics say he didn't win enough. Supporters say he saved the franchise from irrelevance during the dark years of the late 2000s. If the Knicks do eventually decide to hang 7 in the rafters, then nobody will ever be 7 on the Knicks again. Until that happens, it remains the most high-pressure "available" number in the building.
If you’re a fan looking to buy a jersey right now, you’re basically stuck buying a "Throwback" Anthony jersey or a "Custom" one with your own name on it. There is no active player to represent that specific legacy.
How to Track Roster Changes
If you want to be the first to know when someone claims the number, you have to watch the preseason roster releases. Usually, by mid-September, the official team site updates the numerical roster.
- Check the official NBA transactions log.
- Watch the Summer League invites—sometimes a rookie will grab it just to see if it fits.
- Follow the beat writers like Ian Begley or Stefan Bondy; they usually tweet out jersey number choices long before the jerseys hit the stores.
The number 7 is currently a ghost in the Garden. It’s a memory of Melo’s scoring outbursts and RJ’s "Maple Mamba" development. It’s a vacancy that represents the next step for a franchise that finally feels like a contender again. Whoever takes it next won't just be wearing a number; they'll be wearing a decade of expectations.
If you are looking for the most current information, keep an eye on the 10-day contracts and the developmental league call-ups. Sometimes, a player from the Westchester Knicks will get called up and grab an available low number like 7 just because it’s there. But for a permanent fixture? We are still waiting for the next King of New York to claim it.
Actionable Insights for Knicks Fans:
- Don't buy a current #7 jersey: Unless you are buying a Carmelo Anthony "Classic Edition" or a discounted RJ Barrett jersey, there is no active player to support.
- Monitor the 2026 Free Agency: High-profile guards often prefer single-digit numbers. If the Knicks make a move for a scoring threat, 7 is the most likely "prestige" number they will offer.
- Appreciate the Vacancy: In a league where numbers are often handed out without thought, the fact that 7 has remained empty since the Barrett trade shows a level of respect (or perhaps caution) regarding the history of that specific digit in New York.