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NY Knicks: 3 players Frank Ntilikina should mold his game after

By Brad Wier

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 12: Frank Ntilikina #11 of the New York Knicks directs his teammates in the first half against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden on February 12, 2020 in New York City.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 Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 12: Frank Ntilikina #11 of the New York Knicks directs his teammates in the first half against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden on February 12, 2020 in New York City.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 Elsa/Getty Images) /
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 05: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball as Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics defends during the second quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at the Field House at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 05, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /

Frank Ntilikina can learn from Marcus Smart

Marcus Smart, aka the person everyone who read this title thought was going to be mentioned, is an obvious comparable to Ntilikina. We’ve seen the tweet showing the similarities between him and Frank, and frankly (pun intended), it’s spot on. Maybe Frank doesn’t flop as well or play with the same anger that Smart does, but statistically and stylistically, to this point in his career, he is a Marcus Smart clone.

Flopping jokes aside, Marcus Smart has developed into an absolutely outstanding player and is arguably the third best player on the Celtics on any given night. Smart was just named to the NBA All-Defensive 1st team, and when you watch him play, you can easily tell why.

He’s a menace in the passing lane, a relentless on-ball defender, and one amazing actor. He’s a career 10 ppg scorer who’s never scored more than 13 points in a single season, but he’s taken it upon himself to improve on that side of the floor. He even has the Celtics 3-point record for a game! Not saying Frank can pull that off, but he can work to the point where he can average close to the 35% from downtown, as Smart averaged this past season.

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Frank Ntilikina has a prime opportunity to turn his career around with Tom Thibodeau as head coach. Thibs asks for lots of effort and stout defense from his players, and that’s exactly the type of player Frankie Smokes already is. It may not be overnight, but if Ntilikina can take some notes from the players mentioned in this article, he could become one of the best defenders in the league sooner versus later.

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