NBA
Knicks Rookies Impress in Westchester Despite Injury
Granted a chance to showcase their developing pro abilities, members of the New York Knicks’ most recent draft class took full advantage despite medical misfortune for one entrant.
Tyler Kolek fell just short of a triple-double to lead the Knicks’ rookie group, which helped the Westchester edition earn a 118-107 decision over the College Park Skyhawks in G League action at Westchester County Center on Wednesday. Westchester earned the win despite losing one of the freshmen, Ariel Hukporti, to an ankle injury.
Kolek put in 18 points with nine rebounds and eight assists while first-round choice Pacome Dadiet put in 12 with six rebounds. While each struggled from deep (combined 2-of-15), Kolek was 5-of-11 and Dadiet was 5-of-9 from doubles distance. Hukporti had two points and two rebounds each before his departure but was second on the team in plus/minus at 15.
All three members of the draft class (the exception being injured Kevin McCullar) were sent down to Westchester for the matinee on Tuesday and have since been recalled for the NBA Knicks’ Manhattan-based tilt against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET, MSG/ESPN). Hukporti has already been ruled out due to the injury, which is said to be a sprain (h/t Stefan Bondy, New York Post). College Park, ironically enough, is Atlanta’s G League affiliate and will remain in White Plains for a rematch on Friday night (7 p.m. ET, MSG).
After falling behind 5-2, Westchester took permanent control of the game with a run of a dozen unanswered points. Another commuting New Yorker, sophomore Jacob Toppin, stole the show in front of a mostly-young crowd packed with traveling schools, as the Slam Dunk Contest participant posted a 36-point, 14-rebound double-double.
Damion Baugh nearly joined him in that department off the bench by pairing 17 points and nine helpers, one of which came on a Dadiet dunk that put Westchester up 22, its largest lead of the day up to that point.
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