Knicks Earn Grade for Second-Round Pick

The New York Knicks are adding Tyler Kolek to their backcourt after taking him with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

The Knicks traded multiple second-round picks to take Kolek, and he could be a strong backup point guard for the team, possibly as early as this upcoming season.

Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley is grading every pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and he’s giving the Knicks a “B+” for taking Kolek with the No. 34 overall selection.

“Kolek looks like a plug-and-play backup point guard. There are some concerns about whether he’ll grow into anything more than that, but at the 34th pick, it might be more beneficial to fill a role than to chase long-shot upside,” Buckley writes.

Kolek, who some experts had mocked in the first round, falling into the second round of the draft is going to add a chip on his shoulder, and that should fit right into the Knicks culture. He’ll get to learn from Jalen Brunson, who was also taken in the second round, and he’ll give that high-intensity effort that the Knicks are using as a pillar to build the team’s identity.

However, his small stature and defensive lapses are why this pick isn’t earning a higher grade.

“Kolek is a great-feel floor general who can weaponize all of the players around him and spin the scoreboard by himself as both a long-range shooter and a crafty close-range finisher,” Buckley writes. He’ll be targeted early and often on defense, but he can do enough offensively to win his minutes.”

Kolek will deal with some growing pains, and he’s playing for a coach that notoriously doesn’t like to play rookies very many minutes, but if he can find a way to make an impact, this pick will end up being a steal for the Knicks down the line.

Kolek will be a key contributor for the Knicks when the Las Vegas Summer League takes place. He will likely be a starter for the team as he gets some reps working alongside first-round pick Pacome Dadiet in the backcourt.

Make sure you bookmark All Knicks for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!