There are plenty of NY Knicks‘ players who analysts can highlight as key components of the team’s recent success, and one of the most essential pieces has been rookie Immanuel Quickley.
After being drafted 23rd overall in the 2020 NBA draft, expectations for Quickley were obviously tempered. While most of the focus was centered on the NY Knicks’ other draft pick, Obi Toppin, it’s been Quickley who has already cemented himself as a big part of the team’s future. ESPN columnist and statistician John Hollinger recently released his rookie rankings where he had Immanuel Quickley as the 2nd best rookie in the NBA, trailing only the Charlotte Hornets’ LaMelo Ball.
It’s been a feeling that’s largely unfamiliar for Knicks fans: Having a rookie, specifically a rookie guard who already looks like they will be a prominent player in the NBA for years to come. In a league where almost every team has had a young, starting-caliber guard to build around, the Knicks have zigged while others zagged.
Now here we are in 2021, and instead of an influx of power forwards and “project” draft picks, the Knicks are playing winning basketball while simultaneously getting big performances out of their young players. Immanuel Quickley’s road to success hasn’t been without bumps, so let’s look at how the NY Knicks’ rookie has emerged as one of the league’s brightest young stars.