New York Knicks: Five reasons to love the Frank Ntilikina selection

The New York Knicks selected Frank Ntilikina at No. 8 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. Why should you love Phil Jackson’s decision to draft Ntilikina?

After months of anticipation, the New York Knicks have finally found their man at the 2017 NBA Draft. After years of going through a point guard carousel, team president Phil Jackson bucked the trend.

With the No. 8 overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Knicks selected point guard Frank Ntilikina.

It was a somewhat polarizing selection, but Ntilikina is a promising young prospect with alluring attributes.

Whenever an international player is selected in the 2017 NBA Draft, the response is equal parts intrigue and skepticism. It’s not as though international players are any less proficient than American stars, but instead that the exposure to film of said players isn’t as easily accessible.

Thankfully, the Knicks made a wise decision by investing in the tremendous upside that Ntilikina possesses at the point guard position.

While anyone can blindly sing the praises of a selection, it’s important to take note of what it is that Ntilikina brings to the table. Fortunately for the Knicks and their fans, he checks the boxes of what the organization has been missing.

The question is: What exactly does Frank Ntilikina bring to the table and how will he help the New York Knicks moving forward?

5. Physical Profile

It doesn’t take very long to understand what it is that makes Frank Ntilikina such an intriguing prospect. He has elite size for the point guard position, and the length that could enable him to defend shooting guards on a consistent basis.

In an era of blurred positional lines and defensive versatility, the selection of Ntilikina shows how the New York Knicks are keeping up with modern trends.

Ntilikina last measured at 6’5″ and 170 pounds, and has a wingspan that’s been projected in the 7’0″ range. Those numbers would put Ntilikina in the top tier of modern shooting guards, let alone the top tier of point guards.

Ntilikina also has massive strides in transition and the agility to either get by his man off the bounce or turn the corner off of the pick and roll.

Explosive isn’t a word to be used for Ntilikina, but he can play above the rim when he jumps off of two feet. He’s also a threat in transition due to his quality speed and ball-handling, as well as his size and unpredictability.

With a physical profile that’s comparable to Dante Exum’s, and a skill set that’s already more advanced, the sky is the limit for Ntilikina.

4. Fitting The System

The New York Knicks didn’t get a chance to work Frank Ntilikina out, but he may fit the triangle offense better than any other point guard in this draft class. That may not appeal to all, but if this is the system New York is going to run, then it needs players who fit it.

Thankfully for the Knicks, Ntilikina’s offensive game is tailor made for a system that’s run in the manner the triangle is executed.

Ntilikina is a skilled ball-handler who specializes in the pick and roll, which should implore the Knicks to add that element to the system. He’s also a skilled shooter who knows how to work off of hand-offs and off-ball screens to find openings.

Perhaps most importantly: While Derrick Rose may have struggled without the ball, Ntilikina has the shooting range to work the corner to perfection.

While many point guards have explosive athleticism, few have polished skill sets at this stage of their development. Ntilikina is close enough to being polished that he can be included in a system that will require him to play both with and without the ball.

That’s a difficult transition for any player at a ball-dominant position to make, but Ntilikina has been prepared by the European basketball system.

3. Scoring Versatility

As previously alluded to, Frank Ntilikina is the complete package as far as scoring is concerned. The New York Knicks may be be better off playing to his versatility as a playmaker, but Ntilikina can put the ball in the hoop in a variety of ways.

In an era that asks point guards to be able to score when their number is called, Ntilikina’s ability to meet that requirement is quite encouraging.

Ntilikina finished 2016-17 with an average of 1.3 3-point field goals made per 36 minutes on 43.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The 3-ball a valuable tool to have, especially when there’s a size advantage to be exploited.

Ntilikina is also an improving finisher at the rim who has shown flashes of being able to float shots over the outstretched hands of interior players.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Ntilikina’s game as a scorer is that he knows how to post smaller players up. Point guards don’t often play with their backs against the basket, but Ntilikina takes advantage of his mismatches and bullies opponents down low.

If Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez clear enough space, watching them find Ntilikina for a quick post up in the paint would be a joy.

2. Court Vision

Frank Ntilikina has garnered a number of upside comparisons, including those to Dante Exum, Jrue Holiday, and Kirk Hinrich. The comparison that’s been made at Daily Knicks, however, is to the Dallas Mavericks incarnation of Jason Kidd.

Ntilikina may not dominate games, but he’ll have his hands in everything the New York Knicks do on offense due to the way he sees the game.

Ntilikina is still improving as a facilitator, but he knows how to get into the teeth of a defense and find his teammates. He’s a pick and roll specialist who knows how to turn the corner and find either the dive man or a fading shooter.

Prior to the 2017 NBA Draft, the Strasbourg star told Marc Berman of The New York Post that he believes he and Kristaps Porzingis can work the pick and roll to perfection.

"Pick-and-roll … we’re both from Europe. We have a different way to play the pick-and-roll, the action not every American player has."

The triangle offense doesn’t exactly emphasize the pick and roll, but it’s never too late to adapt.

In transition, Ntilikina sees the floor well enough to find his teammates as they streak to the basket. In the half court, he has the size and ability to see over the average point guard, and should be able to do the same against most shooting guards.

It’s not often that players Ntilikina’s size are running an offense, and that’s an advantage the Knicks will look to exploit quite consistently.

1. Defensive Potential

The single most intriguing trait that Frank Ntilikina possesses is his potential on the defensive end of the floor. Not only does he have an elite physical profile for a point guard, but he’s displayed a willingness to defend at a high level.

Following the selection, New York Knicks team president Phil Jackson cited Ntilikina’s defense as a primary reason for the investment.

That’s wonderful news for the Knicks.

Standing at 6’5″ and 170 pounds with a 7’0″ wingspan, Ntilikina has the size and length to lock players down at both guard positions. He’s not necessarily an explosive athlete, but he moves fluidly and can shuffle his feet in an adequate manner.

As Ntilikina’s frame fills out, he should be able to do an even better job of keeping slashers in front of him on the drive.

It’s also worth noting that Ntilikina should be capable of creating turnovers with his length and active hands. He averaged 1.5 steals per 36 minutes in 2016-17 with Strasbourg, and should produce even better numbers in the free-flowing NBA.

For a Knicks team that ranked No. 23 in points allowed per game, No. 25 in points allowed per 100 possessions, and No. 29 in points created via turnovers in 2016-17, Ntilikina could be a revelation.

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Welcome to the New York Knicks, Frank Ntilikina.