Summer League proves Knicks were genius to trade up for second-round draft pick

The New York Knicks made a flurry of moves on draft night, and down the road, fans will look back and thank Leon Rose for trading up for Tyler Kolek. New York traded three second-round picks for the Marquette guard to draft him at No. 34.

Kolek has four collegiate seasons under his belt, which is more than most rookies. He's 23, only six months younger than Miles McBride. Kolek's added experience has helped him stand out at Summer League through two games. He's looked like a true veteran.

In New York's loss to Charlotte on Saturday, Kolek posted seven points, seven assists, seven rebounds, and zero turnovers.

On Monday, he continued to impress in the Knicks' loss to the Nets. He finished with six points, seven assists, and zero turnovers.

Knicks second-round pick Tyler Kolek impresses at Summer League

To be clear, Summer League talent isn't comparable to true NBA-level talent, but Kolek's poise and production are great signs for New York. It's too early to label him as New York's backup point guard behind Jalen Brunson, but that's a role he could eventually play. The Knicks have McBride, but he's more suited to be a shooting guard. Kolek is a playmaker.

He's drawn comparisons to Indiana's T.J. McConnell, but he thinks those comparisons are "a little lazy." Instead, Kolek believes his game is more like Brunson's than McConnell's. It's a small sample size but based on the early returns, Kolek's right.

After the draft, New York signed Kolek to a deal that set the NBA record for most money for a second-round pick. He'll make $6.6 million guaranteed.

Of the four rookies, Kolek has the highest chance to play meaningful minutes in 2024-25. Shaka Smart, the guard's coach at Marquette, was spot-on when he said Kolek would be a "real fit" with the Knicks. Sometime in the next few years, opposing teams could look back on the 2024 draft and wish they had selected Kolek.