Tyler Kolek continues to prove himself in first real NBA test with Knicks
03/29/2025 10:14 AM
Tyler Kolek was a great addition for the New York Knicks in the 2024 NBA draft. Selected with the No. 34 pick, the hope was that Kolek would grow into a role player relatively quickly. The Knicks fan base has been clamoring for more Kolek minutes all season—minutes that would have been well-deserved all along, as New York has intermittently needed help orchestrating and scoring. But Kolek is receiving significantly more minutes of late—and he’s showing exactly why fans were so excited about him.
Kolek was a highly-regarded prospect coming out of Marquette, and his Summer League performances added fuel to the fire. Entering his start Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, he was (recently) living up to the hype. After receiving only spot minutes, Kolek’s role became more real when Jalen Brunson went down with an ankle injury on March 6.
In the NBA, Kolek has demonstrated an obvious knack for keeping his dribble alive and finding the open man—and when needed, he can find a way to make a crafty basket, as well. However, he hasn’t received a real opportunity yet, at least not consistently. One could blame head coach Tom Thibodeau, but Kolek’s lack of experience, mixed with the fact that Brunson receives the lion’s share of point guard minutes, makes for a tough situation. But injuries have blessed Kolek with an interesting opportunity.
Why is Tyler Kolek receiving this opportunity with the Knicks so late in the season?
Brunson has missed 11 consecutive games with an ankle injury. Thibodeau did not turn to Kolek immediately after Brunson went down, as Miles McBride worked just fine as a starter. And frankly, he was (and remains) a better option. However, McBride has missed four consecutive games himself with a groin injury, opening the door for the rookie.
Still, Kolek wasn’t the starter. That role belonged to veteran Cam Payne. But Payne also suffered an ankle injury against the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this week. And so, many felt that Kolek was the only option against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Did Tyler Kolek’s bigger opportunity come to fruition?
Friday night was probably pretty anticlimactic for Kolek fans. It was assumed that Kolek would start given that Payne, McBride, and Brunson were all out against the Milwaukee Bucks. However, instead of Kolek, Thibodeau inexplicably started the rarely-used Delon Wright.
For what it’s worth, Wright is a 10-year veteran who has shown that, when given minutes, he’s a capable player, and he proved that again on Friday. Wright didn’t skip a beat, scoring 12 points in 30 minutes. The reason for Thibodeau choosing Wright over Kolek (as a starter) was pretty obvious when listening to Thibodeau in his postgame press conference after New York picked up a 116-107 win over Milwaukee.
"His defense, you can always count on," Thibodeau said of Wright. "That's his strength, and he's not afraid. He's aggressive, and he knows how to play off people. I think he reads the game well. I think we got terrific point-guard play.”
Thus, Kolek was left playing a similar role to what he’s seen in the previous three games, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Kolek tallied five points and five assists in 17 minutes—and he was a team high +18.
In fact, over the past four games, Kolek is averaging an efficient 2.8 points. 7.3 assists, and 0.3 turnovers in 18.3 minutes per game. Additionally, in the last seven halves of basketball, Kolek has dished out 27 assists while committing zero turnovers.
Kolek and his fans will simply have to remain patient. The rookie point guard has demonstrated a lot in limited opportunities this season. And with Thibodeau, earning trust takes time and repetitions—after all, look at how long it took McBride to earn his opportunity.
But it appears as if Tyler Kolek has finally made an impression on the Knicks head coach. And while that might not result in a major role this season, it could mean more minutes for Kolek come next year. Either way, look for Kolek to continue doing exactly what he’s done over the past few games until Brunson returns. And if another opportunity arises, he’ll obviously be ready.
The post Tyler Kolek continues to prove himself in first real NBA test with Knicks appeared first on ClutchPoints.
