NBA
Knicks Could Land One of Draft’s Top Offensive Players
The New York Knicks are looking at a few players for the 24th and 25th picks in this month’s NBA Draft, and among the options for the team is Marquette point guard Tyler Kolek.
“Kolek, who is ranked No. 29 in ESPN’s Top 100, has drawn serious looks from teams that are selecting higher than this in the first round. He has experience, playmaking savvy and intense competitiveness that could provide a pathway into backup point guard minutes early in his pro career. He’s likely not going to offer a ton defensively, where he’s limited because of his size (6-3, 190 pounds) and athletic ability, but he’s also not going to take plays off or want for effort,” ESPN writes.
Kolek averaged 15.3 points and 7.7 assists in his senior season at Marquette, a sign that he can be a strong offensive player at the next level. He could emerge into that backup point guard role that Immanuel Quickley had before he was traded to the Toronto Raptors.
Kolek can be a facilitator for when Jalen Brunson has to sit, but his defense leaves something to be desired.
The Knicks have the defenders around Kolek that could hide some of those deficiencies, and they have the coaching to help him improve. However, Tom Thibodeau is unlikely to play him too much, at least as a rookie. He’ll need to up his defensive game in order to have a shot to stick in the NBA, whether it’s with the Knicks or another team.
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