Knicks May Have Major Hidden Gem

The New York Knicks have an extremely talented roster heading into the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season. After a very busy offseason, the Knicks look ready to be a serious contender in the Eastern Conference once again.

With names like Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Julius Randle, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVencenzo on the roster, they’re stacked with talent. However, they may have a major hidden gem on their roster as well.

Jordanna Clark of Daily Knicks believes that rookie guard Tyler Kolek was the steal of the 2024 NBA Draft. She believes that he could develop into being a special player.

“However, Leon Rose hit the ball out of the park this summer at the NBA draft. New York traded up in the second round for the No. 34 pick, which the team used to draft Tyler Kolek. Years from now, people could look back at the 2024 draft and refer to Kolek as the steal of the draft. His future is that promising.”

During the 2023-24 college basketball season with Marquette, Kolek put together a strong season.

He ended up averaging 15.3 points per game to go along with 7.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. Kolek shot 49.6 percent from the floor and 38.8 percent from the three-point line.

Kolek has a shot to carve out playing time for himself as a rookie. He may not start the season in the rotation, but he has a chance to get onto the court as the year progresses.

Already, Kolek has reportedly surpassed veteran guard and free agency addition Cameron Payne on the depth chart.

Granted, there is no guarantee that Kolek will make an impact this season. However, New York is very high on him and they believe he can develop into being an impact point guard in the NBA. In a couple of years, he could be a very valuable backup behind Brunson.

It will be interesting to watch Kolek as he develops throughout his rookie season. No one knows what the future holds, but he certainly looks like a player that could develop into something for the Knicks.

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