3 defensive-minded players Knicks could pick at No. 11 in 2022 NBA Draft

1: Tari Eason: Forward, LSU

While Tari Eason is a talented scorer who averaged 16.9 points in just 24.4 minutes per game, his potential fit with New York is his defensive acumen. Specifically, his ability to guard bigs.

Despite being just 6’8″, Eason’s rangy 7’2″ wingspan and eye-popping athleticism allowed him to play most of his minutes as a small-ball center this past season. He averaged 1.1 blocks and 1.9 steals per game, both ranking within the top 10 in the SEC.

While his shot blocking is noteworthy, his high steals per game numbers help indicate how active he is on defense. His energy is relentless, and he was often known for his steal into fastbreak dunk highlights at LSU.

While they may not start together right away, a potential frontcourt of Eason and Toppin would be an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses in transition.

Similar to Williams, Eason being 21-years-old may cause him to drop in the late lottery but a team like the Knicks could pick him up and ease him into the rotation right away.

New York didn’t have any lottery luck this year, but there’ll still be a talented group of prospects available when the team’s on the clock during draft night.

If the Knicks want to strengthen their defense and return to the top 5 unit they once were, adding any of these three prospects would be a step in the right direction.

3 realistic targets Knicks can draft with No. 11 pick

The New York Knicks will have the No. 11 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft on June 23 and here are 3 players that they could select.