New York Knicks: Frank Ntilikina knows it’s time to step up
New York Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina recently endured an extensive cold streak. The French Prince knows it’s time to step up and produce.
The New York Knicks received a great deal of flack for the selection of Frank Ntilikina at No. 8 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. Critics insist that they aren’t throwing dirt on an innocent 19-year-old’s name, but with every passing Dennis Smith Jr. comment comes a thinly veiled shot at the French enigma.
The noise grew louder when Ntilikina hit the rookie wall in early January, but that’s only strengthened his almost unparalleled resolve.
Brief a stretch as it was, Ntilikina scored a grand total of two points during the Knicks’ recent three-game losing streak. Considering New York fell in double overtime to the Chicago Bulls and lost in overtime to the New Orleans Pelicans, criticism inevitably mounted.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, Ntilikina knows that it’s time he steps up and proves what he can bring to the table on a nightly basis.
"“My last two games were not that good so I learned about it. I was like let’s go, stop thinking about it. I was thinking too much in these games. I just said let’s go, let’s bring what I can to the team.”“It’s time,” Ntilikina said after the Nets game. “I know it’s about time especially I have to go out there and be confident and be aggressive. I won’t relax now. I’m just motivated to do more in the future.”"
Thankfully, Ntilikina has responded to adversity by putting forth two of the better individual performances of his promising rookie season.
In his first appearance since the previously alluded to three-game slide, Ntilikina recorded his first career double-double. He tallied 10 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, two blocks, and a steal on 3-of-6 shooting from the field, 2-of-3 shooting from distance, and a 2-of-2 mark from the charity stripe.
Beyond the numbers, Ntilikina controlled the pace and legitimately dominated the fourth quarter with his defense, playmaking, and fearless shooting.
A game later, Ntilikina overcame a poor shooting performance to provide Jeff Hornacek’s offense with seven assists in just 20 minutes of action.
The ups and downs will continue, but the key for Ntilikina will be finding a way to contribute on a nightly basis. Whether or not his shot is falling, his versatility at the point guard position is too significant to focus on just one area of the game.
If the French phenom manages to play to whichever strength is working for him, the Knicks will be a better team because of it.
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Frank Ntilikina overcame adversity to reach the NBA. Now that he’s here, he’s ready to show the New York Knicks why they made the right selection.