When Summer League began, New York Knicks fans were eager to be vindicated by second-year point guard Tyler Kolek. Kolek's playing time was one of the primary talking points in regard to criticisms of former head coach Tom Thibodeau, as the promising playmaker struggled to find the court in 2024-25.
Unfortunately, Kolek struggled to provide reasons for optimism at Summer League—and the overreactions have inevitably commenced.
Kolek played five games for the Knicks at Summer League, which showed an eagerness to prepare for a massive 2025-26 campaign. During that time, he posted averages of 11.8 points, 5.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 1.2 three-point field goals made per game.
If that were the beginning and end of the conversation, most fans would be preparing for a sensational sophomore season from the former Marquette Golden Eagles star.
Unfortunately, Kolek posted those numbers while shooting at a putrid clip of .323/.171/.846. He also committed 4.0 turnovers per game, thus continuing to provide statistical context to the widespread concerns that he may not be as ready for NBA minutes as some have presumed.
Before deciding that Summer League has rendered the Kolek experiment a failure, however, the Knicks must remember a crucial piece of context: He was never meant to play a ball-dominant role.
Tyler Kolek will have a different role in the NBA than at Summer League
Kolek shot horribly across a span of five games—an indisputable fact that he'll need to keep in the back of his mind as he organizes his offseason priorities. When the NBA season starts and minutes potentially become available, however, the role he plays will differ dramatically from what he was asked to do at Summer League.
That includes the simple assumption that he won't be attempting 7.0 three-point field goals per game—no matter how well or poorly he's shooting.
With the Knicks, Kolek's main two jobs will be moving the ball as an initiator and facilitator, and defending his position. His defense was a strength at Summer League, even if his shooting woes overshadowed it, which at least bodes well for his efforts to secure playing time with a defensive skill.
Kolek also proved more than capable of living up to his reputation as a high-level playmaker, albeit while continuing to force the issue and committing uncharacteristically careless turnovers.
For as brutal as his Summer League was to watch, one can't help but feel this was the classic example of a young player attempting to shoot their way out of a slump. It's hard to believe the 2023 Big East Player of the Year and 2024 NCAA assists leader has suddenly forgotten how to play against rosters comprised of many individuals from that same talent pool.
Furthermore, Kolek has already proven capable of making the most of limited NBA minutes—a far more meaningful truth than what he showed at Summer League.
Perhaps it is too soon for Kolek to play significant minutes in the NBA, thus justifying the playing time that will likely be handed to Jordan Clarkson and Miles McBride in 2025-26. The idea that he was exposed as a player who isn't good enough for the Association, however, is beyond premature.
Kolek will need to be coached out of his negative tendencies, but it's far too soon to write him off just because he tried to shoot his way out of a slump at Summer League.