Knicks’ rookie guard looks impressive in first pre-season game

Tyler Kolek could play a huge role on this Knicks squad after the trade of Donte DiVincenzo, as there’s an opening in the rotation for a guard to get some minutes. Drafted in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft out of Marquette, the crafty guard was a shifty scorer and excellent playmaker in college, and he flashed his strong perimeter scoring and excellent court vision in the Knicks’ pre-season victory over the Hornets. He drilled three shots from downtown while dishing out an assist, scoring 11 points in just 14 minutes of action.

A team-best +9 on the court, Kolek looked like the high-motor facilitator this team could use as their backup point guard to help run the offense when Jalen Brunson is off the court.

Could The Knicks Feature Tyler Kolek in their Rotation This Year?

The Knicks have done a great job generating value in the later stages of the draft, selecting Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes in the late first round and Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride in the second round. Leon Rose has become one of the best talent evaluators in the league. Once an organization where talent went to die, the Knicks maximize talent at a high level, as their roster is anchored by players who took massive leaps once they arrived in New York.

Few prospects immediately strike you as a player who would operate well under Tom Thibodeau, but Kolek has the motor and pest-like mannerisms of a guard who would play perfectly in the system he has in place. Last night we saw the 6’3 guard collect two steals and a block in his limited action, flying around the court and providing a spark as the Knicks rallied in the fourth quarter to pick up a win. These are traits we saw at Marquette as well, picking up 4.9 rebounds a night as a point guard which is quite impressive.

There’s a lot of Josh Hart in Tyler Kolek, a guard who plays bigger than their position and serves as a source of annoyance for the opposition.

READ MORE: Knicks: Good news and bad news from 111-109 victory over Hornets

No one came close to Tyler Kolek’s assist per-game numbers in the Big East, picking up 7.7 a game which was 1.5 more than second-place (Tristen Newton). Playmaking is important for this bench group because of the limitations Miles McBride has shown as a passer, playing more like a shooting guard than a point guard in his career. Furthermore, the bench doesn’t have the scoring depth to support McBride, so having someone like Kolek who can draw some attention from defenses and force them to protect passing lanes could open up the floor a bit.

The competition for Tyler Kolek is expected to be stiff, Landry Shamet was remarkable in his first pre-season game as well drilling four of his eight attempts from downtown and scoring 16 points in 27 minutes of action. A veteran with great shooting abilities, there’s an obvious appeal to going with a proven player alongside McBride over a first-year rookie drafted in the second round. That being said, injuries and opportunities will arise, and while Kolek may not get minutes right away, he could throughout the season.

Cam Payne could also get some looks this season as a bench scorer with a strong three-point shot, but there are a lot of question marks surrounding the bench. The Knicks are hoping the upside of their bench materializes early and can survive the minutes without Jalen Brunson, as in the postseason the Knicks were 13.5 points worse per 100 possessions without him on the court.