New York Knicks 2023-24 Player Preview: Immanuel Quickley's Last Dance?

The New York Knicks and Immanuel Quickley know there's a battle coming at the end of the season but will put those differences aside to compete for something greater.

Autumn in New York ... from a basketball perspective, it's finally inviting.

The New York Knicks return to action on Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) in a game that will officially open one of the more anticipated seasons in recent metropolitan memory. New York is coming off its most successful NBA season in a decade, winning 47 games and a playoff series for the first time since 2013.

With tip-off looming, All Knicks will analyze and preview what's to come for the major contributors on the blue-and-orange roster. Part IX looks at the Knicks' most prominent depth star, Immanuel Quickley ...

Player Profile

Name: Immanuel Quickley
Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6-3, 190 lbs.
College: Kentucky
Experience: 4th season

Quickley (center) set career-highs in scoring and rebounding last season / Vincent Carchietta, USA TODAY SPORTS

The Story So Far

If the long-united concept of New York City and booing on draft night could be personified, a couple could do worse than pairing, say, a Statue of Liberty costume with an Immanuel Quickley jersey this coming Halloween.

Quickley was seen as a reach by the Knicks when they drafted him out of Lexington with the 25th overall pick in 2020's draft. CBS Sports infamously bestowed New York a D+ grade for the selection, where the notable aftermath included Payton Pritchard and Desmond Bane. 

But Quickley has established himself as a reliable shooter in New York, averaging over a dozen points over his first three seasons, shooting over 41 percent from the field in that span and over 36 percent from three-point range. Last season was particularly interesting: while Quickley re-discovered his shooting spark, he showcased a newfound rebounding ability, notably hauling in a career-best 16 during a November loss to Atlanta. 

In his third season, Quickley set the long-term contract extension conversation on fire: not only did he end the year with averages of 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds to set new personal bests, but he was also particularly impressive as a starter. While stepping in RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson's medical absences, Quickley averaged 22.6 points in 21 starts and the Knicks went 12-9 in those appearances.

For his efforts, Quickley came home second in the Sixth Man of the Year vote behind Malcolm Brogdon, then of Boston.

They Said It

“I know my value, and I know who I am, and I’m going to continue to keep getting better ... Contract, no contract: I’m here for the season. I’m here for the team to try to be the best version that I can each and every day. To try to dominate. That’s why I’m here.”-Quickley on the post-contract extension deadline aftermath (h/t Stefan Bondy, New York Post)

“Quick has been coming in every day to do his job. He’s had a great attitude ... he’s mentally ready to go. That’s all you can ask of him. He’s been a true professional. I just know he’ll stay that way.”-Jalen Brunson (h/t Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News)

2023-24 Forecast

The more things change, the more they stay the same in New York: Obi Toppin is long gone but a season-long conversation about a 2020 draft pick's metropolitan future will be a subplot, one that threatens to derail an otherwise promising season.

For all intents and purposes, the Knicks and Quickley have said the right things: they want him back, he wants to come back, and players have praised him for his professionalism. There's also nothing in Quickley's past that would suggest that he's going to throw away this season for personal gain or to force a trade. What the Knicks have in Quickley is one of the Association's fastest-rising depth stars and it'd be silly to let that go. He has proven himself to be not only a complement to Barret and Brunson but also a player who is capable of working with their skillsets in terms of a brilliant backcourt combination.

The fact of the matter, though, is that the league's young depth stars often never make their ultimate impact with the team that drafts them and are no safer from nomadic endeavors than some of their deepest reserve colleagues. Of the last 10 Sixth Man of the Year Award winners, none of them (including 2013 victor JR Smith) are with the team that drafted them. Even Brogdon wasn't kept out of the Celtics' flurry of headline moves this offseason, as he was traded to Portland in an effort to land All-Star Jrue Holiday. 

Simply put, the evidence as it stands doesn't point to Quickley lasting much longer in New York. Knicks fans and observers better learn appreciate him and his efforts while they still can. 

Previous Previews

• RJ Barrett
• Jalen Brunson
• Donte DiVincenzo
• Evan Fournier
• Quentin Grimes
• Josh Hart
• Isaiah Hartenstein
• Miles McBride