NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 25: Tyler Kolek #13 of the New York Knicks reacts during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden on March 25, 2025 in New York City. The Knicks won 128-113. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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Most rookies are unable to contribute to winning. The learning curve for most NBA players just joining the league is steep, which leads to mistakes that add up over the course of a season. Turnovers, defensive miscues and poor communication are all characteristics that make up the rookie story.
Those players don’t stay rookies forever, though. The second season gives those young bucks a chance to show off what they’ve learned after a year in the NBA ecosystem. The New York Knicks have a roster full of veterans, but three second year players stand at the bottom of the depth chart. Let’s evaluate who has the best chance to make an impact on the team this season:
Tyler Kolek
Kolek was getting love from the fans throughout the season. The 2nd round pick out of Marquette was projected to go in the first round, but fell a few slots until the Knicks scooped him up at pick number 34 during the 2024 NBA draft. The team was so smitten with the pick that they locked him up at a number that guaranteed him the most ever money for a 2nd round pick with $6.6 million.
The appeal with Kolek is his ability to manage a basketball game. The idea of Kolek was that he would provide the safety of a backup point guard that would limit turnovers and get the team cleanly into sets with plenty of time remaining on the clock. Some of those elements were evident during his rookie season, but he lost the backup point guard job to Cameron Payne and saw minutes sparingly throughout the season. Frustrations with head coach Tom Thibodeau mounted when both Cameron Payne and Jalen Brunson missed time during the regular season, and Kolek still only saw backup minutes.
A new coach could provide a new opportunity for Kolek to prove himself. He is the most “true” backup point guard on the roster at the moment (even if whispers have grown that the team may sign another veteran point guard). That should, in theory, give him a chance to seize some of the minutes off of the bench. Mikal Bridges and the team played exceptionally well in the minutes in which he shared the floor with Kolek. The team was a +21.6 points per 100 possessions better with the two players on the court over the course of 241 possessions. The sample size was small, but it showed the positive impact Kolek could have on the team if Mike Brown entrusts him with some minutes.
There were some warts shown in his game during summer league. The turnovers ramped up and he was picked on in a couple of different matchups defensively. Still, he had plenty of moments in which he showcased his worth as a rotational piece on a playoff team. Kolek provides a different flavor compared to Jordan Clarkson and it wouldn’t be surprising for him to get occasional minutes throughout the season.
Ariel Hukporti
Fans clamored just as loudly for Hukporti to kick off the season when the team was struggling with depth at the center position. He showed off an ability to finish strong at the rim while being able to protect it, as well.
The beauty of Hukporti is that he’s able to complement Karl-Anthony Towns in a lot of the same ways that Mitchell Robinson can. The difference is that Robinson is elite with his defense and offensive rebounding and Hukporti is just starting to round into form. Hukporti showed off some of those chops this season with an eye-popping 3.5 block percentage, which was one of the highest rates in the league. The passing out of the short role is intriguing, especially since it is skill that is reminiscent of the value that Isaiah Hartenstein provided for the Knicks. His offensive rebounding rate showed some positive signs, but it’ll be important for him to manage his fouls if he plans to clock serious minutes this season.
Still, Hukporti figures to be a large piece of the puzzle for the Knicks simply because of injury luck. Robinson doesn’t have the rosiest injury history, and it’s likely that Towns will be forced to miss a few games himself. That equates to a large role for Hukporti this season.
Pacome Dadiet
He’s the only player that the Knicks have drafted in the first round over the past four draft cycles. That should have set up lofty expectations for him, but the Frenchman has essentially flown under the radar throughout his tenure with the team. He is still only 2o years old and has flashed a skill set that could be very valuable to the team this year. He stands at 6’8 with a shot that looks intriguing. It’s hard to make grand conclusions about a player who logged a mere 118 minutes last year, but there are traits that make you think he could be a 3-and-D wing one day in the NBA.
The Knicks do have a plethora of options on the wing, but they had great injury luck last season. The odds are that they’ll need a boost from the bench this season and the most likely option will be Dadiet. Mike Brown will most benefit from incorporating Dadiet into the rotation because his position is easily the most desired on the open market. Finding a passable wing that can shoot and defend will put the Knicks in a better situation for the now and for the future.