NY Knicks: 4 Realistic Draft Prospects for New York
By Avishai Sol
NY Knicks Draft target No. 1: Charles Bassey, C, Western Kentucky
Player comp: Clint Capela
A recently declared draft prospect, Charles Bassey had been on mock boards for years already before he finally pulled the trigger on starting his NBA career. Despite just completing his junior season, Bassey is still only 20 years old.
A super athlete with broad shoulders and long arms, Bassey is the kind of intimidator around the basket that any team would love to have.
Standing at 6’11 and weighing in at 235 pounds, Bassey has the speed to go with his size and that’s his biggest selling point athletically.
He plays with an energy that’s fun to see from a guy with his physical tools. Cool dunks abound.
Bassey is still a bit of an old-school big guy. He falls in line with the Clint Capela’s and Dwight Howard’s of the world. A physical, rebounder/shot-blocker who won’t score you 20 points but can help you win games.
For the Knicks this would be ideal. Between our all-star Julius Randle and the continued offensive rise of R.J. Barrett, the Knicks don’t need a rookie who’ll want to come in and get all his own shots from the perimeter. Rather than clog up the pecking order, Bassey would compliment the already talented young core the Knicks have drafted.
The one question around Charles Bassey would be how he’d fit with Mitchell Robinson. Or, perhaps fit around him.
Robinson has been very effective in playing the role Bassey would occupy, only Robinson’s health has gotten to the point where Knicks fans only see him just a few games a year.
It’s true, because they occupy the same spots on the floor, and because neither of them can shoot from range, it’d be nearly impossible to play Robinson and Bassey together.
That’s why Bassey would be ‘Robinson insurance’. A similar super-athletic rim protector who hopefully has better luck with injuries.
Maybe Robinson can come back stronger than ever, but it’s always best to be prepared.