New York Knicks X-Factor For The 2025-26 Season - Josh Hart

The New York Knicks enter their 2025-26 season with championship aspirations. Although the Eastern Conference has been diluted due to season-impacting injuries to key players on contending teams, the Knicks were still predicted to be contenders for the NBA title regardless. One of the players who could impact their success is veteran combo guard/forward Josh Hart. While Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns tend to grab the headlines, Hart’s versatility on both ends of the floor makes him an X-factor for a team that is under huge pressure to deliver.

With two-time NBA Head Coach of the Year Mike Brown taking over for Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks are entering a new era. While Hart played a significant role last year, Brown’s coaching style may unlock different aspects of his game and open up a bigger role for Hart this season.

Hart’s value extends far beyond the box score. Playing with a seemingly endless amount of energy, a knack for outrebounding bigger opponents (he averaged a career-high 9.6 boards last season), and a defensive versatility that allows him to cover any position from one through four, the 6’4”, 215-lb Hart provides the Knicks with numerous hustle plays that often swing momentum in their favor.

Offensively, Hart rarely, if at all, has a play called for him, but he still finds a way to contribute. A capable three-point shooter, Hart can also put the ball on the deck and drive to the basket, averaging 13.6 points last season.

What makes Hart especially valuable to the Knicks is his adaptability. Whether part of the starting five or coming off the bench (Hart started all 77 games he played last season, averaging a league-high 37.6 minutes, but came off the bench for 63 of his previous 106 games in a Knicks jersey), he has found a way to contribute through screening, running the lanes, or making a simple pass for a hoop (he averaged a career-high 5.9 assists last year).

With Brunson and Towns, the Knicks have their share of star power, but what brings out the admiration of the Madison Square Garden crowd is a player who shows grit, heart (pun not intended), intelligence, and selflessness—traits that Hart has in spades. As Brown integrates his new playbook and the team gels, don’t be surprised if Hart comes away as the heart and soul of the team.