Knicks Rookie Impresses in Win Over Nets

The New York Knicks got strong contributions from one of their young players.

Jeremy Brener | 2 Hours Ago

Nov 15, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti (55) hands the ball off to guard Jalen Brunson (11) while guarded by Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) and forward Ziaire Williams (1) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

When the New York Knicks selected Ariel Hukporti with the final pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, they probably weren't expecting him to have a big role early in the season.

However, the rookie from Germany had seven points, four rebounds and four blocks in the Knicks' latest win against the Brooklyn Nets.

Coach Tom Thibodeau was impressed by Hukporti's performance.

“Ariel came in, gave us great minutes," Thibodeau said h/t Posting and Toasting. "I thought the third quarter was pretty good [for Hukporti], and going into the fourth we had some rough minutes there at the start. We have some stuff we could clean up.”

Hukporti was called upon for big minutes after Karl-Anthony Towns was ruled out with a knee injury. Hukporti came off the bench as Jericho Sims started, but the rookie appeared to be the better of the two big men.

Hukporti's minutes also earned huge praise from teammate Josh Hart.

“Huge. Energy. A presence on the screens, protecting the rim, rebounding the ball, deflections, running the court," Hart said. “The thing about a rookie is, for him, the hard thing is to continue to have the energy and not being complacent.”

Hukporti also got a stamp of approval from captain Jalen Brunson.

“He looked really good out there and the way we were able to find him in certain opportunities," Brunson said. "He made the most of his opportunity tonight and I’m proud of him. We’re proud of him.”

Even though Hukporti had a strong showing, he showed some humility and grace after the game.

“I still got to work on a lot of things," Hukporti said. "I learned a lot today. I’ll learn from my mistakes and keep going.”

Hukporti and the Knicks are back in action tonight at 7 p.m. ET against the Nets.

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Published 2 Hours Ago

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.