2. Drafted Tyler Kolek
Drafted Marquette point guard Tyler Kolek with the No. 34 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft
The New York Knicks used the No. 36 pick three years ago to draft West Virginia point guard Miles McBride, a move that has paid off spectacularly given McBride's growth and his well-earned spot in the rotation. This year, the Knicks may have pulled off the same move again, this time looking slightly further west to pluck Marquette point guard Tyler Kolek.
The Big East Player of the Year in 2023 and a Second-Team All-American this past season, Kolek was one of the most accomplished players in the draft this year. An incredibly savvy and calm passer, the 6'2" guard knows how to run an offense, speeding up or slowing down to find openings to get to the rim, pull up and shoot, or most often dime up a teammate in the perfect position for them to score.
Kolek is a knockdown 3-point shooter and can run off screens for catch-and-shoot opportunities, something many on-ball point guards are not comfortable doing. That will serve him well playing alongside Jalen Brunson or Julius Randle in a similar role to what McBride has filled over the past two seasons.
When Brunson sits, however, Kolek should be able to run an efficient offense with an array of two-way wings and forwards around him, and the pick-and-roll game with Mtichell Robinson should be on point. Kolek's primary weakness will be his size, potentially making him a target on defense, but if any team in the league were equipped to insulate him, it would be this Knicks squad.
Kolek was ranking Top-20 on many public draft boards heading into the draft, and the Knicks may have snagged another steal in the second round yet again.
Grade: A