New York Knicks: 5 reasons Frank Ntilikina can win Rookie of the Year

TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 11: (EDITOR'S NOTE: This image was shot as a double exposure.) Frank Ntilikina of the New York Knicks poses for a photo during the 2017 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at MSG training center on August 11, 2017 in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Babineau/Getty Images) /

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Ntilikina Frank 22during SIG Strasbourg vs Orleans – Pro A match in Strasbourg, France, on May 9, 2017. (Photo by Elyxandro Cegarra/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /

5. Professional Experience

The notion that European players require more time to adjust to the NBA than collegiate athletes is beginning to lose its validity. It’s still somewhat true, but players such as Nikola Jokic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Dario Saric have excelled as rookies in recent seasons.

No European player has won Rookie of the Year since 2001-02, when Pau Gasol received the honor, but professional experience has become a valuable tool for NBA rookies.

Frank Ntilikina joined Strasbourg’s basketball academy at age 15. With four years in the ranks of Europe’s professional basketball system, it’s fair to argue that Ntilikina has a more advanced understanding of how to win as a team than most rookies.

The question, of course, is whether Ntilikina can do enough individually to wow voters during a year that’s flush with compelling talent.

Due to the fact that Ntilikina has played professionally, it stands to reason that he’ll have an easier time coexisting with his new teammates than most other rookies. He’s played in systems that require him to sacrifice, and has thus learned when to impose his will within the flow of a game.

Translating that to the NBA will be no easy task, but Ntilikina has a unique perspective that should help him during his rookie season.

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