Knicks PG Named Draft Steal

The New York Knicks might have a good one in rookie guard Tyler Kolek.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 23, 2024

Mar 24, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles guard Tyler Kolek (11) dribbles against the Colorado Buffaloes during the first half at Gainbridge FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have wrapped up their time at the Las Vegas Summer League, and they may have found themselves one of the biggest steals in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Bleacher Report writer Mo Dakhil believes that Kolek has proven to be one of the four biggest steals from this year's draft class after Summer League.

"Kolek is a pure playmaker, averaging 7.3 assists through three games in Las Vegas," Dakhil writes. "His low turnover numbers are just as impressive as the number of assists. (He's averaging 1.3 turnovers per contest.) The challenge for Kolek is the depth of the Knicks, which might mean he will not see much playing time. If given the opportunity, he will raise some eyebrows. He can hit catch-and-shoot threes, has a quick burst to get to the rim and again, his vision will open up opportunities for others. Even though Kolek might not see much court time, the kid can play."

Kolek finds himself in the right situation playing for a Knicks team in need of a point guard, but he may not play right away as he gets acclimated to the NBA lifestyle both on and off the court.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is infamously known to not play his rookies very often, so Kolek may be spending time either on the bench or at the G League team in Westchester learning and trying to earn reps in the rotation.

Kolek stood out at Summer League for his playmaking abilities with many people who won't be in the NBA, so imagine how he would do with some of the best wings in the league in Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo in the second unit for New York.

Kolek's play in Las Vegas could be a flash in the pan, but in the case that it is indicative of what the Marquette point guard can bring to the NBA, the Knicks may have gotten themselves another second-round steal on their hands.

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Published Jul 23, 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.