New York Knicks Rookie Producing at Historic Pace

Though the New York Giants reportedly signed Russell Wilson on Tuesday night, the New York Knicks may have the best passer in the tri-state area.

Tuesday visit from the Dallas Mavericks offered Knicks rookie Tyler Kolek another opportunity to shine and the freshman took full advantage, dishing out nine assists in the 128-113 interconference triumph. Kolek is a temporary addition to the Knicks’ primary rotation with Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride injured and has impressed in his his long-sought NBA offering.

“I’m not sure how many times you see it in the course of an NBA season: Guys not playing, and then their mind floats, and then the opportunity comes, and they’re not ready for it,” Josh Hart noted, per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. “[Tyler] stayed ready.”

Fans have clamored to see Kolek, a Big East Player of the Year, on the MSG floor seemingly from the moment the Knicks traded up to take him with the 34th pick of last June’s draft. With that wish granted, if only for a short while, Kolek has lived up to the early hype, which is especially impressive in a metropolitan landscape that hasn’t offered many minutes to recent rookies.

Paired with eight he had in Saturday’s win over Washington, Kolek has put up 17 assists to lead all NBA rookies over their last two games. Observers have noted that Kolek’s statistical prowess goes even deeper:

Time will tell if Kolek maintains his rotational spot upon the respective returns of Brunson and/or McBride, but he’s certainly leaving a lasting impression on the notoriously hard-to-please Tom Thibodeau.

“He has worked hard all year,” Thibodeau said earlier this week, per Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire. “The things that he needed to do, he did. He works. He is a tireless worker, performed well in the G League. So when the opportunity came, he was ready. There’s still obviously a lot of work to be done, but he keeps getting better and better, and that’s a good sign.”

Kolek’s next chance to impress lands on Wednesday night when the Knicks (45-26) will look to clinch a playoff spot against the Los Angeles Clippers (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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