Knicks Lose Rookie Star in Re-Draft

Tyler Kolek was an early second-round pick, but the New York Knicks guard has critics thinking he should have been in the first round.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 26, 2024

Mar 29, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Shaka Smart talks to guard Tyler Kolek (11) during the first half in the semifinals of the South Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks were considering using one of their two first-round picks on Marquette point guard Tyler Kolek in last month's NBA Draft.

While the Knicks opted to go in a different direction, they still had their sights on him, trading up to the No. 34 spot in the second round with the Portland Trail Blazers to take him.

Kolek shined in the Las Vegas Summer League, proving people why he should have been a first-round pick. He convinced CBS Sports writer Kyle Boone, who placed him at No. 28 to the Phoenix Suns in his way-too-early 2024 NBA redraft.

"I don't dislike the pick Phoenix originally made in selecting Dunn but I do like the fit Kolek brings to the Suns just a smidge more. The idea of pairing his playmaking and vision with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker would've been killer," Boone writes.

Instead of taking Kolek in the first round, the Knicks opted to take French forward Pacome Dadiet. The 18-year-old has a lot of potential, but he was not sent to the Knicks in the exercise. Instead, Baylor guard Ja'Kobe Walter (who went to the Toronto Raptors at No. 19 overall), went to the Knicks with the 25th pick.

"Walter was the No. 19 pick on draft night so the Knicks get a value here in the redraft at No. 25 with a shooting guard who presents good size, an excellent shooting acumen and ranginess to boot," Boone writes.

In five Summer League games, Kolek averaged 9.6 points, 7.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game for the Knicks. His seven assists per game ranked seventh at Summer League. The only players who had better averages were Grayson Murphy, Scotty Pippen Jr., Zavier Simpson, Isaiah Stevens, Rob Dillingham and Pat Spencer.

Kolek has already had quite the first impression, but he is far from done. He's got a lot of work to do to be considered a good NBA player, but his expectations are only going to grow from here.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Jul 26, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.