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Knicks Playing Long Game With Rookie

The New York Knicks have a game plan for one of their rookies.

Jeremy Brener

Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Pacome Dadiet (4) during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Pacome Dadiet (4) during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images
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When the New York Knicks selected Pacome Dadiet with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, they made him one of the youngest players in the league at just 18 years old.

Since the draft, Dadiet has turned 19, but he has also begun his long process towards becoming a contributor for the Knicks on the regular.

The Knicks knew it would be a long-term project with Dadiet, and they are giving the French forward a lot of patience as he adjusts to life in the NBA.

“If you take a young kid, like [Dadiet], the guy we just drafted," Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson said h/t Posting and Toasting. "You take him—to me, you got to give him a window. A college window. Four to five years. You can’t give up on a kid who is going through his college years in the NBA.”

So far this season, Dadiet has appeared in five games for the Knicks, averaging 2.0 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. He hasn't gotten the same kind of opportunities that have been granted to fellow rookies Tyler Kolek and Ariel Hukporti, but those guys have a few years of experience on Dadiet, and there have been better chances for those two to see the floor.

With the Knicks trading much of their future draft capital to the Brooklyn Nets in the Mikal Bridges deal, Dadiet holds a lot of value for the team. The Knicks will invest in him for a while in hopes that he can be the player they saw in him at the end of the first round of this past draft in June.

The Knicks are back in action tonight against the Nets. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET on YES and MSG.

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

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Jeremy Brener
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.

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