Knicks Bulletin: “No bad blood. If they start talking, I’ll say my piece.”

The Knicks are coming off a loss in their Summer League debut against the Hornets but that doesn’t mean the fresh New York vibes are dead.

The trio of rookies available to play for the Summer Knickerbockers, Ariel Hukporti, Pacome Dadiet, and Tyler Kolek, spoke about many things following their first game clad in Orange & Blue threads and ahead of the second Vegas matchup coming Tuesday.

Here is what Hukporti, Dadiet, Kolek, and Coach Dice have said in the past few hours.

Ariel Hukporti

On thinking he’d play next to fellow German Isaiah Hartenstein before he got the Thunder bag…

“I thought [we were going to be teammates]. But then I thought… when I saw the money… (laughs).”

On getting advice from I-Hart before arriving in New York…

“I talked to Hartenstein a lot, too. He used to watch my high school games. We’re both German, so it’s actually quite good. We’ve been in connection. I’ve been talking to him. He’s been giving me some advice.

“I’m going to keep talking to him definitely because I feel our game is quite similar. I can definitely learn from him.

“I’ve known him since I’m 14. When I was playing under-​16s, he came to my final four. That was the first time I’d seen him. He knew me already. He said, ‘You don’t have to introduce yourself anymore.’ It’s a great relationship. We’re just texting.

“Now that I’m playing for New York, I even asked him if I can take the No. 55. Is that allowed?”

On honing his skills at the Summer League…

“Definitely (I can improve). I just feel like I have to get used to the game a little bit more. Making the right reads, be in the system more. I feel like I could definitely fit in.”

On his perception of the Summer Knicks and his fellow rookies playing for New York…

“Everybody’s positive. I mean, the coaching staff is great, trying to help me. Everybody is trying to help me to fit in, get to know each other. It’s great. Practice has been great, too.

“Before training camp started, I was there before with Tyler [Kolek], just to get used to each other, pick-​and-​roll, defense, just getting used to the whole system. That was great. Tyler is a great point guard. Moves the ball, looks for people. So I love playing with him. Thibs was there too, watching us. It was great.”

On the demands and expectations of playing for the Knicks of all franchises, and being told to report for practice the minute he was drafted…

“The Knicks told us as a matter of fact when we signed. They told us straightaway to come the next day. So it was great.”

On playing for coach Tom Thibodeau…

“I’m excited. I love coaches who want to win. I love coaches who will try to push the players. Of course, sometimes when he screams at you, you as a player, you might take it personally. But from his side, he’s just trying to get you better.

“I’m excited playing for him. He’s kind of similar to my coach in Berlin. [You] feel you’ve got to earn your minutes, defensive coach. I’m excited.”

Pacome Dadiet

On airballing a couple of three-point shots in his Summer League debut and blaming it on the 3-point line distance compared to Europe’s…

“I just have to push on my legs a little more, I guess.”

On the American game being much faster than the one he’s accustomed to…

“I felt the difference for sure. It was way faster than Europe. It’s just everything. It’s not just conditioning. It’s the way you have to find your position on the court. Everything is just faster. You have to make a decision faster.”

Tyler Kolek

On being compared to Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell and preferring the Jalen Brunson comp…

“It’s all right. I think it’s a little lazy.”

“I admire McConnell. (But Jalen Brunson’s) game, I feel like that’s a little closer to what I like to do than T.J. McConnell: play at my own pace, getting in the paint, getting guys involved.”

“I can really learn from him in the midrange, in that short area when I’m coming off ball screens or isolations. I’m just really excited to learn from him and watch him and take as much as I can.”

On competing for minutes with Jalen Brunson…

“I think I can definitely run the show, and get guys involved, but at the end of the day, it’s whatever the team needs. Whatever Jalen asks me to do, I’m gonna follow his lead. Other than that, whatever coach Thibs asks me to do, I’m gonna follow that lead.”

On having the best teammate to learn from in Brunson…

“It’s just playing under control, picking angles, getting to the line. That’s a really big thing. He does a great job at getting to the line. I really gotta learn that. In the NBA, it’s so different.”

On arriving in New York from Marquette and beating Villanova six times throughout his college career…

“No bad blood to start off with. If the [Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges] start talking, I’ll say my piece. We’ll let the game figure itself out. They won a national championship. They’ve done a lot of great things over there. That program is really special. You can only really hope to emulate what Villanova has done. But if our teams are matching up—I already saw Jalen wants to bet some money on it. We’ll see. Maybe a friendly wager.”

Dice Yoshimoto (Summer Knicks Head Coach)

On the Summer Knicks’ losing debut and the four rookies joining New York this offseason…

“I think all four [rookies] that we have, I want them to develop the right professional habits. They came in right away after the draft, hit the ground running, learning things on the fly. We had a training camp there. Their approach to the game I think is excellent, it’s been good so far. So I want all four guys to focus on getting better each and every day.”

On Rokas Jokubaitis’ prospects and struggles through 14 minutes of play against the Hornets…

“He had summer workouts with us, but just short ones, so he’s learning things on the fly, as he gets more comfortable.”

“The game is a little different from FIBA to the NBA. I’m confident he’ll get better.”