Immanuel Quickley Joins New York Knicks Bench Royalty in Historic Start

Immanuel Quickley is off a historic start off the bench by New York Knicks standards.

In the NBA, having a spark off the bench could make all the difference. Few have been more fiery in recent memory than New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley.

A 2020 first-round pick out of Kentucky, Quickley's numbers have steadily improved, and a career-best outing in 2022-23 (14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds) earned him the runner-up spot in the Sixth Man of the Year vote. Over his first eight games this year, Quickley has put up 15.1 points a game on over 47 percent from the field, which would also set new personal highs. 

Quickley's early run puts him in some exclusive New York company: with 19 in Wednesday's win over the San Antonio Spurs, the point is just the fourth player in Knicks' history to have four or more games with 15 or more points off the bench through the team's first eight games, joining Antony Mason (1992), John Starks (1996), and J.R. Smith (2012).

Quickley (5) guards San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama in Wednesday's win over San Antonio / Brad Penner, USA TODAY SPORTS

The early success is certainly a statement from Quickley, who did not come to terms on a long-term contract before this season began. It could get even louder if he follows in the footsteps of Starks and Smith and becomes the third Knick to bring the Sixth Man of the Year Award to New York.

“I’m always about setting goals and being better today than I was yesterday,” Quickley said shortly after the deadline passed, per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. “So 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.”

In any case, Quickley will be relied upon as the Knicks (4-4) seek to extend their first winning streak of the season and build upon last year's 47-win effort. New York returns to action on Sunday afternoon against the Charlotte Hornets (12 p.m. ET, MSG).