Mattituck’s Brett Kiely, second from right, passing the ball to Knicks guard OG Anunoby during warmups. (Credit: Courtesy Brett Kiely)

Brett Kiely wears a blue Knicks T-shirt and grey shorts as he chases down a rebound at Madison Square Garden. He fires the ball back to star forward OG Anunoby for another shot during warmups.

For the 18-year-old Mattituck native and former Tuckers basketball player, it’s part of his “dream job.”

The teen, a freshman at St. John’s University in Queens, earned his spot on the hardwood at the World’s Most Famous Arena through a job program his college has with the Knicks.

“It was just incredible. I was starstruck,” Mr. Kiely said of walking out onto the court the first time. “Seeing all the players that close and seeing how good they actually are in warmups is crazy. It’s surreal.”

His job extends well beyond rebounding during warmups. Once the game starts, his duties include doing the laundry, mopping the floor and sprinting to players during timeouts to make sure they’re hydrated.

“I’m in the tunnel, so I get to watch the game from the sidelines, but during a timeout, I run with the Gatorade towels to give to the players, and then refill their waters,” he said. “They each have their own drink. Some have an electrolyte powder that they want, and some just have water.”

Mr. Kiely holds numerous jobs throughout the duration of each Knicks home game. (Credit: Courtesy Brett Kiely)

The job in Manhattan makes for a long day when the Knicks are in town. He’s typically at the Garden roughly three hours before tip-off and stays two to three hours after the final buzzer.

Mr. Kiely fell in love with basketball at a young age, his earliest memories going back to when he was 5. He’s played almost his life, competing in CYO games and earning a role as a guard on Mattituck High School’s junior varsity and varsity teams. He also loves to play the NBA2K video games.

When it was time to choose a college, his decision was easy. His dad grew up a St. John’s fan, and his uncle went there, which led him to follow the same path. Early in this first semester of his freshman year, his academic advisor alerted him to two spots open for students.

Since the season tipped off in October, Mr. Kiely has rebounded for a lot of players, including Knicks second-year guard Tyler Kolek.

They’ve been on the court together several times, and the two now have their own special routine. 

“He’s a funny guy. When I was rebounding, he purposely bumped into me, and said, ‘Let’s go,’” he recalled. “He started one-on-one against me. So now every game since then, we’ve done about three one-on-ones, just him on offense. He cooks me every time.”

Mr. Kiely has had the chance to chat with opposing players, too, including Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. 

Rebounding for NBA players gives Mr. Kiely the chance to meet his idols and learn what it’s like to work in the industry. (Credit: Courtesy Brett Kiely)

But to his family, it’s Mr. Kiely who’s the star on the court. They came out to see him in action during a preseason game and got to come down to the court. He was in the middle of getting a rebound when he heard his sister happily screaming his name from the sideline. 

They also scan every Knicks telecast to catch a glimpse of their pride and joy.

“This is just an amazing opportunity for him, particularly with the field he wants to get into,” said his father, Stephen Kiely, an attorney. “No degree can match this. He’s really pumped about it, and we couldn’t be happier. To me, he hit the lottery.”

The dad has his own Knicks ties, doing some work for Knicks analyst Alan Hahn. The link gives his son another MSG mentor.

He came to St. John’s knowing exactly what he wanted to study: sports management. Having this opportunity has been invaluable to him, and it has opened his eyes to the possibilities his future career path could hold. All the while, of course, meeting his childhood idols and celebrities. 

He’s had the chance to meet Spike Lee, Pete Davidson and Fat Joe, who all frequently sit in the front row during games. Mr. Anunoby presented Mr. Kiely and the rest of the warmup crew with his signature shoes from Skechers.

For now, he’s enjoying the fact that he got to replace his No. 12 Mattituck jersey with New York Knicks gear. 

“This job is like a dream already,” he said. “I’m up for whatever this leads me on to.”