Knicks Prospect Proving Worthy of Roster Spot

New York Knicks guard Rokas Jokubaitis is flashing NBA potential at the Las Vegas Summer League.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 18, 2024

Aug 11, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Yoeli Childs (50) dribbles against New York Knicks guard Rokas Jokubaitis (0) during an NBA Summer League game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

If you're reading this story, chances are you didn't miss a shot yesterday in the New York Knicks' 106-105 comeback victory against the Sacramento Kings at the Las Vegas Summer League. But you also probably didn't miss a shot because you didn't take one.

The same cannot be said for Rokas Jokubaitis, a 2021 second-round pick for the Knicks, who also didn't miss a shot in the Knicks win, but he attempted seven field goals.

Jokubaitis, 23, went a perfect 7 of 7 in 21 minutes off the bench for the Knicks in their win against the Kings, playing a key role for the team throughout the game. Jokubaitis proved that he can be an NBA prospect.

“With years of maturity, experience I have from Europe, I think I’m ready,” Jokubaitis said via New York Post reporter Stefan Bondy. “And I would like to come here.”

Just because Jokubaitis wants to come to the Knicks next year doesn't necessarily mean that he will. The Lithuanian guard has a year left on his contract with FC Barcelona, but there is potential for him to go elsewhere next season, including his home country.

However, Jokubaitis has yet to rule out the Big Apple as his next basketball home, which is part of the reason why he came to Las Vegas to play with the Knicks in Summer League. Jokubaitis eventually wants to come stateside, but he may have picked the wrong year to do so with rookie Tyler Kolek also joining the team.

The Knicks also added veteran point guard Cam Payne in recent days, making Jokubaitis an unlikely fit for the roster for the upcoming season. This could mean Jokubaitis might have to wait one more year before officially becoming an NBA player, but he has proven that he can play the part and do it well with his performance during Summer League so far.

Jokubaitis and the rest of the Summer Knicks are set to play their fourth game in Las Vegas on Friday when they take on No. 5 overall pick Ron Holland II and the Detroit Pistons. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

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Published Jul 18, 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.