Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

A New York Knicks fan holds up a sign at the 2006 NBA draft Wednesday.

updated 11:12 a.m. ET June 29, 2006

NEW YORK - New York Knicks fans didn’t need to hear a name called in the NBA draft to express their feelings.

The draft, held in The Theatre at Madison Square Garden, the building the Knicks call home, hadn’t even started Wednesday night when the fans started chanting.

“Fire Isiah” and “Sell the Knicks” were aimed at president-general manager-coach Isiah Thomas and Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan.

It didn’t seem to matter the Knicks were still a while from making the first of their two first-round picks or that team officials were about 25 miles away at the practice facility in Greenburgh, the fans had something to say.

When the selection of South Carolina forward Renaldo Balkman was announced by commissioner David Stern as the 20th pick, the boos rained down. Longtime Knicks supporter Spike Lee was in The Theatre, and he was seen saying, “He’s a sleeper. A sleeper,” when Balkman’s name was called.

When Temple guard Mardy Collins was announced as the 29th pick, the reaction from the crowd was almost subdued.

That’s what happens when an NBA franchise is in the disarray the Knicks are. On Thursday, Dolan turned the coaching duties over to Thomas after firing Larry Brown after one season that saw the team tie a franchise record for losses with a 23-59 record.

“I think there was a lot of booing until they saw the highlight reel (of Balkman),” Thomas said.

The Knicks earned the second pick in the draft but Thomas traded it to the Chicago Bulls for center Eddy Curry and forward Antonio Davis.

The fans were upset that the pick wasn’t “lottery protected” and they were chanting “Where’s our draft pick?” right before the Bulls selected LaMarcus Aldridge of Texas, whose rights they later traded to Portland.

“I stand here before you in all honesty and still say I would still rather have Eddy Curry than any player in this draft and every GM would take Eddy Curry in this draft,” Thomas said. “So would I. Had we had the second pick, I would’ve traded the second pick in the draft for Eddy Curry. I would’ve done that.”

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“I’ve been in sports all my life and I’ve been called a lot of bad names growing up on the West Side of Chicago, and being in an arena where people jeer and shout and say bad things about you, that’s all right, that’s what sports is all about,” he said. “You take the good with the bad. That’s what it’s all about.”

The 6-foot-8 Balkman led South Carolina to consecutive NIT titles, winning MVP honors this season at Madison Square Garden. He averaged a career-best 9.6 points and 6.3 rebounds last season as a junior and was selected to the Southeastern Conference all-tournament team.

The 6-6 Collins finished his college career as the fourth-leading scorer in Temple history. He averaged 16.8 points as a senior when the Owls went to their fourth straight NIT. An all-Atlantic 10 first-team selection as a junior and senior, Collins is second on Temple’s career list with 290 steals.

“They can both step right in and play and compete,” Thomas said. “They won’t be afraid to miss a free throw or be booed at the Garden.”

Thomas said he was looking for defenders going into the draft.

“Balkman is a very unique talent, a very unique player,” Thomas said. “He reminds me a lot of a Dennis Rodman/Ron Artest-type player with his energy and defensive abilities.”

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Collins said he “was getting nervous as it went on. I had an idea I might slip out of the first round. I had a feeling I could.”

Collins is ready to head up the New Jersey Turnpike to play professionally.

“It’s going to be a tough situation, but I think I’m ready to go in there,” Collins said. “They thought it was the right decision, so I’m going to go in there and work hard and not pay attention to any distractions.”

South Carolina coach Dave Odom was mildly surprised Balkman went as high as he did.

“He’s come out of nowhere in the last three months, really, almost four, to be seriously considered as a professional player, an NBA player,” said Odom, who coached Tim Duncan at Wake Forest. “He’s now been given an opportunity, a serious opportunity, to prove it. So it’s up to him.”

Collins played for Hall of Fame coach John Chaney at Temple.

“I’m as happy as I can be,” Chaney said. “This kid is perfect with what New York needs at this particular time with his leadership and he doesn’t turn the ball over.

“I know going into the NBA with a team like the New York Knicks will be a great fit. This young man is someone who has a lot of great years in front of him.”

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