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Wright farewell tops best Queens sports moments
Mets’ icon says goodbye, former Cardozo hoops star joins Knicks, St. John’s sees six drafted
BY ZACH GEWELB
The sports scene in
Queens was filled with accomplishments
this year.
A former Queens high
school athlete became an
assistant NBA coach for his
hometown team. College athletes
saw their dreams come
true after being selected in
June’s MLB Amateur draft
and a borough icon said an
emotional goodbye at Citi
Field.
Former Cardozo
hoops star joins
Knicks’ coaching staff
A former Cardozo High
School basketball player returned
to New York, not as a
player, but as a coach.
Royal Ivey, formerly of
the Atlanta Hawks and the
Philadelphia 76ers, moved
from his assistant coaching
position with the Oklahoma
City Thunder to work with
the New York Knicks.
Ron Naclerio, Cardozo’s
hoops coach and Ivey’s former
mentor, said he believes
the Harlem-born and Hollisraised
assistant coach may
be able to cultivate the best
from Knicks players.
“He was wearing royal
blue and orange colors that
day and now he’s going to
be coaching royal blue and
orange,” Naclerio said, comparing
Cardozo’s colors to
those of the Knicks. “He’s got
Former Cardozo High School hoops star Royal Ivey came home,
returning to the city as an assistant coach for the New York
Knicks. Photo by Christina Santucci
some good young guards —
one of which I know and I’ve
coached, Emmanuel Mudiay
— and right now they’ve not
achieved the level they think
they can achieve. I think
Royal with his coaching and
his psychological part of it
can actually take these guys
up another notch or so and
have them reach their potential.”
Ivey played 11 seasons in
the NBA before beginning
his coaching career in 2014.
“It’s a dream come true.
So many kids grow up
dreaming of trying to play
for the Knicks, but he might
have topped it — he’s coaching
David Wright waves goodbye to the fans at Citi Field after his final
game. Photo by Luis Zapata
them,” Naclerio said.
Ivey has spent the season
working alongside Keith
Smart and Pat Sullivan on
newly appointed head coach
David Fizdale’s coaching
staff.
Ivey had ties to Fizdale
through their mutual time
with the Hawks, when
Fizdale was assistant coach.
St. John’s sees six
players selected
in 2018 MLB Draft
The St. John’s baseball
team, coming off an impressive
40-17 season, had a
school-record six players selected
in the 2018 MLB Amateur
Draft in June.
Senior Kevin Magee, a
left-handed pitcher, was the
first Red Storm player off
the board. He was selected
by the Baltimore Orioles in
the ninth round on the second
day of the draft.
After struggling in 2015
and 2016, Magee turned
things around during his junior
and senior seasons with
the Johnnies. His renaissance
began in 2017, when
he went 4-1 with a 2.45 ERA,
the best mark of his career.
He struck out 40 batters in
30 innings and didn’t allow
a home run. Magee followed
his stellar 2017 campaign
with another strong effort
in 2018. Appearing in a ca-
Continued on Page 42
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