Knicks Trade Up, Draft Tyler Kolek With 34th Pick

Tyler Kolek is heading to the New York Knicks after a Thursday trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Jan 20, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles guard Tyler Kolek (11) drives to the basket in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

With the 34th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks selected Marquette point guard Tyler Kolek following a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks are sending back "future second-round" picks in the deal, later revealed to be selections in 2027, 2029, and 2030.

Kolek may be a New Englander as a native of Rhode Island, but he may have endeared himself to Knicks fans thanks to prior success at Madison Square Garden: Kolek was the star of the Golden Eagles’ first Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament championship run, taking home Most Outstanding Player honors for the 2023 edition.

Mar 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles guard Tyler Kolek (11) dribbles the ball chased by Xavier Musketeers guard Desmond Claude (1) while Marquette Golden Eagles forward Ben Gold (21) creates a block during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Smith-USA TODAY Sports

That was far from the only honor that Kolek earned in his Milwaukee collegiate career, as he was also 2023’s Big East Player of the Year. This time around, Kolek led the nation in assists and earned consensus a second-team All-American invite. 

“That chip on my shoulder, I’ve got to play that way each and every game to survive. That’s where it comes from. I was that overlooked guy,” Kolek said of his college career, which began at George Mason, per Brian Kalbrosky of USA Today. “I wasn’t a five-star. I wasn’t a top-100 recruit. I wasn’t a highly recruited guy. I’ve been able to get where I am through that toughness and that chip on my shoulder and playing with that feistiness every time I step on the floor.”

The pick used to select Kolek went on a multi-pronged journey, having made its way back to Portland, the original holders of the picks, last week. Denver, Charlotte, New Orleans, and Oklahoma City all held it at certain points before it finally settled into the Knicks' grasp on Thursday.

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