Many were surprised when the Knicks took Renaldo Balkman with the 20th overall pick on June 28, but, according to a report published by the New York Daily News, apparently ex-Knicks head coach Larry Brown was not one of them.

According to several sources, Brown was calling Balkman "a potential steal" weeks before the draft.

While he was still employed by the Knicks, Brown was responsible for running Balkman's workout. He also scouted him extensively during the Orlando pre-draft camp.

"There were five players that figured to be available late in the first round that Larry really liked," says one Knicks source. "I don't know if Larry would have taken him as high as 20 but he always liked Balkman."

Brown, according to the source, told several of his close associates around the league to consider Balkman. Although Brown and Thomas disagreed on everything last season, they shared the same opinion on a raw forward with loads of athleticism and limited offensive skills. When reached at his East Hampton home, Brown declined to comment on the Knicks.

"It is rare when you find guys who can have an effect on the game without having to call plays for them," Thomas says. "Those guys have a way of asserting themselves on the defensive end. They do all the things that don't show up on the stat sheet."