The New York Knicks will play their first 2022 NBA Summer League game on Friday night against the Golden State Warriors. It’s been nearly three months since New York took the court on Apr. 10 for the regular-season finale against Toronto.
In the final days of 2021-22, it was Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin who took over for the Knicks. And for the first time since being drafted in 2020, Quickley and Toppin won’t be participating in summer league. That clears the way for a few other younger stars to get to enjoy the spotlight in Las Vegas.
Here’s a list of four players to watch in particular. Two are set to make their summer league debuts, while the other two will be participating for the second time.
4 Knicks players to watch in the 2022 NBA Summer League
4: Jean Montero
Jean Montero was projected to be a late first-round/second-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but instead, he went undrafted and signed an Exhibit 10 contract with New York after the draft. The 19-year-old guard recently played for Team Overtime of Overtime Elite in the league’s inaugural season.
Montero participated in the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Ore. in April. He scored a game-high 23 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal. The following month at the draft combine in Chicago, he unfortunately injured his ankle. Summer league will be his first chance to silence the people who are doubting him.
His quickness, ball handling skills, and ability to set up his teammates for open looks will help him to stand out in Vegas. Montero was listed as the top undrafted summer league prospect by Bleacher Report, and the Knicks were the lucky ones to snag him after the conclusion of the draft.
Expect to see Montero cook against opposing defenses, and something to keep an eye on is his 3-point shot. He shot 28% with Team Overtime, but he shot 4-of-8 at the Nike Hoop Summit. If he can develop a consistent deep shot, his stock will continue to rise.