Tyler Kolek is in quite the situation.
On one hand, the third-year guard out of Marquette is an NBA champion, part of the stacked Knicks roster responsible for ending New York City’s 53-year championship drought in a 4-1 gentleman’s sweep of the San Antonio Spurs in June.
On the other hand? The Knicks are loaded at Kolek’s position.
Jalen Brunson is the reigning Finals MVP — the newfound King of New York City. Miles McBride is a flamethrower and defensive stopper at the guard spot, though McBride is up for a contract extension. And the Knicks traded for Jose Alvarado at last season’s deadline then re-signed him to a three-year deal this summer.
That’s three proven guards ahead of Kolek in the depth chart, meaning for a third straight season, minutes project as scarce at the pro level. Kolek averaged 7.2 minutes in 41 games as a rookie under Tom Thibodeau and 11.7 minutes in 62 games in Year 2 under Mike Brown. He averaged 4.4 points and 2.7 assists on 38.6% shooting from 3-point range as a sophomore but knows on a veteran Knicks roster looking to become the first team to repeat as champs since the 2018 Golden State Warriors, his role is to stay ready.
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Tyler Kolek of the Knicks looks to make a leaping pass against the Washington Wizards on February 3. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
“I just gotta play my game everyday,” Kolek said to a small group of reporters during a youth basketball clinic at The House of Sports in Ardsley on Saturday. “Be consistent, whatever the coaches need just follow their direction and let it be what it is.”
Kolek isn’t in control of his minutes.
He is, however, in control of what he does with the opportunities he gets, however limited, for an NBA champion looking to protect its throne. Kolek knows there’s much more to his game than he’s been able to display in short stints over his first two NBA seasons.
“There’s definitely a lot left [for me to show],” he said. “Every year I try and get better. That’s how it’s been since college, year over year from my first year in the NBA and last year, the improvement. Now I’m just looking forward to improving on that.”
FAVORITES NO MORE
The ticker tape that once fell from the Champions Way skies is now sewage waste. LeBron James and Jaylen Brown went to Philadelphia, and so did the Eastern Conference championship projections.
Kolek helped the Knicks win it all last season. He then watched firsthand as the balance of power in the East shifted around them: The Sixers are now considered among many as favorites to win the conference with James and Brown joining Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe.
“I think you can take anything and use that to light a fire under you, anything you can use to be motivated, but at this stage, we shouldn’t have to be motivated. We’re champions,” Kolek said. “We know what it looks like, and we’re not just satisfied with one.”
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Tyler Kolek of the Knicks in action against the Pacers at Madison Square Garden on March 17. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The Sixers weren’t the only Eastern team to make big moves. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson joined Bam Adeabayo and Andrew Wiggins in Miami, and the Toronto Raptors traded for Kawhi Leonard, backed out of the trade in the wake of his salary-cap circumvention scandal, yet are still in play to trade for him again.
“It happens every year in the NBA. The [Oklahoma City] Thunder won the year before, and everybody loaded up to try to beat the Thunder,” said Kolek. “We win, it happens every single year. It’s a copycat league. Teams are trying to beat the best and compete with the best, so they do what they can.”
And then there’s the elephant in the room: Mitchell Robinson and the Knicks couldn’t agree to a deal, so he left New York and went to Boston. Plus Ariel Hukporti and Dillon Jones left the Knicks for the Sixers. Kolek is excited for a front-row seat to see Knicks All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns go to work against his former teammate.
“The longest tenured Knick, [Mitch] was great for us. His impact on the floor was tremendous, but that’s how this business works,” said Kolek. “Him going to Boston definitely hurts, big rivalry team, but we’re looking forward to catching him — I’m looking forward to seeing what KAT does when we play against him.”
STEALING FROM JALEN
While Alvarado frequently steals from the opponent, Kolek is looking to take from the captain.
The third-year guard said he got off to a strong start to his second NBA season before he became too passive on the offensive end. His offseason efforts on the court have revolved around improving his ability to make plays in the paint.
“Just looking for my shot, being aggressive in the paint, and then that opens everything else up,” he said, “having the defense collapse and then finding sprays for our guys.”
AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Tyler Kolek drives to the basket against the Warriors on Jan. 15. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Kolek invoked Brunson’s name when discussing the improvements he hoped to make entering Year 3.
“Mostly in the paint, playing off two, obviously Jalen’s amazing in the mid-range, the floaters, finishing at the rim,” he said. “So I feel like just taking that aspect of the game as a smaller guard, being efficient in the paint and around the rim.”
Kolek may have already stolen another page out of the captain’s book: composure following an emotional championship run in the Mecca of Basketball. The Knicks will receive their rings on Oct. 20, ahead of tipoff against the very 76ers team aiming to take their throne.
“I think the first game will feel like a great celebration, but internally, you’ve gotta block out all the things the fans are saying, and the things the media is gonna say,” Kolek said. “Even though we’re not picked to be the favorites, New York fans are still gonna say we’re the champs. But we gotta stay locked in on our habits and focus on what we’ve gotta do every day.”