New York Knicks: Frank Ntilikina proves point guard is in his future

The Off-Ball Concerns

The ability to get a team into their sets is often enough for a point guard to be able to say they did their job as a facilitator. Ntilikina has done exactly that when he’s been tasked with doing so, which should be enough to prove there’s something to work with.

The question is: If Ntilikina is supposed to be the point guard of the future, then why has he seemed more comfortable in an off-ball role?

In a perfect world, every player who enters the NBA will know exactly how to play their game. The reality of this one-and-done era, however, is that there’s a sense of urgency to immediately reach the highest possible level—meaning steps are often skipped.

For a player in Ntilikina’s position, it can’t be overstated how valuable an opportunity playing off-ball can be for a player who will eventually run an offense.

By playing off-ball, Ntilikina can worry less about creating for his teammates and more about learning the game on the fly. Rather than hurting the team, he can pick his spots as a scorer and determine when he should and shouldn’t be aggressive as a playmaker.

It may not be conducive to immediate statistical brilliance, but being able to study the game while playing it with less pressure should make Ntilikina a better player.