New York Knicks: Miles McBride Will Be the Steal of the NBA Draft

The New York Knicks rookie can easily outplay his draft position.

After a series of trades to gain future draft capital, the New York Knicks selected West Virginia point guard Miles “Deuce” McBride with the 36th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.

McBride was originally expected to go towards the end of the first round, even potentially selected by New York with the 21st pick in the draft.

The value of getting him at 36 should already help him break the mold of most second-round picks, not to mention that he fits almost perfectly within the playstyle of the Knicks and head coach Tom Thibodeau.

McBride averaged 15.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game this past season on solid 43-41-81 shooting splits.

He’s an excellent shooter, capable of firing off the dribble as well as being nearly automatic on catch-and-shoot opportunities. His high free throw percentage serves as an indicator that his mechanics are sound, which should help him transition to the longer NBA three-point line with ease.

McBride is a solid passer who rarely makes mistakes, averaging just 1.8 turnovers per game compared to his 4.8 assists.

He struggles a bit when finishing in the paint, driving straight into the heart of the defense which sometimes caused his shot to get blocked rather easily. It’s no surprise that McBride was a highly touted football player in high school, as he needs to add a little more finesse around the rim instead of brute force.

However, his aggressiveness allows him to absolutely shine on the other end of the court. It’s not an exaggeration to say that McBride is one of the best perimeter defenders in the entire draft class. He’s 6’3″ with a 6’9″ wingspan, using every inch of his frame to pester opposing point guards.

He averaged 1.9 steals per game and routinely disrupted offenses, getting right in the face of opponents and refusing to allow them any room to operate. He went up against number one overall pick Cade Cunningham a couple of times last year, harassing him nonstop.

Cunningham averaged 5.5 turnovers per game against West Virginia this past season, and it isn’t hard to see why.

Tom Thibodeau is going to absolutely love McBride’s combination of shooting and defense, not to mention his blossoming playmaking abilities. If he gets an opportunity to compete for a rotation spot, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine the 20-year old playing his way onto one of the NBA’s All-Rookie teams by the end of the 2021-22 season.

The New York Knicks offseason is just getting started, but the selection of Miles McBride indicates that the front office is continuing to take steps in the right direction.