Left unsaid was that McConnell, like Kolek, is a white player, and white players tend to get lumped together when projections are thrown around (Next up is Cooper Flagg to Larry Bird).
It’s not that Kolek is upset by a comparison to a nine-year NBA veteran — “I admire [McConnell],” he said Sunday — but the point guard feels his methodical offense is more akin to another second-round pick, Jalen Brunson.
Tyler Kolek is introduced during the starting lineups of the Knicks’ summer league game against the Hornets on Saturday, July 13, 2024. Getty Images Tyler Kolek thinks his skillset is similar to the one Jalen Brunson has starred with for the Knicks. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
“His game, I feel like that’s a little closer to what I like to do than T.J. McConnell: play at my own pace, getting in the paint, getting guys involved,” Kolek said. “I can really learn from him in the midrange, in that short area when I’m coming off ball screens or isolations. I’m just really excited to learn from him and watch him and take as much as I can.”
Kolek, the 34th overall pick of the Knicks via Portland in exchange for three future second-round picks and the draft rights to Dani Diez, demonstrated command of the offense and calmness while scoring nine points with seven assists and seven rebounds.
It was just one game of summer league, and there are perils to gleaning anything from a few plays in Vegas, but the effort certainly didn’t dispel the idea that Kolek could compete for minutes behind Brunson.
Tyler Kolek handles the ball during the Knicks’ summer league game against the Hornets on Saturday in Las Vegas. Getty Images
“I think I can definitely run the show, get guys involved, but at the end of the day, it’s whatever the team needs,” Kolek said. “Whatever Jalen asks me to do, I’m gonna follow his lead. Other than that, whatever coach Thibs asks me to do, I’m gonna follow that lead.”
Kolek, who started at point guard Saturday over Rokas Jokubaitis, participated in a mini training camp at the Knicks training facility with other rookies after the draft.
“Very unselfish. Great floor game,” Yoshimoto said. “Tough. Smart. And obviously he’s a winner.”
Six of Kolek’s victories at Marquette were against Villanova, the program with strong ties to the Knicks because four alumni — Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges — are on the roster.
Kolek doesn’t want to start a Big East problem with his new teammates.
“No bad blood to start off with,” Kolek said. “If they start talking, I’ll say my piece. We’ll let the game figure itself out. They won a national championship. They’ve done a lot of great things over there. That program is really special. You can only really hope to emulate what Villanova has done. But if our teams are matching up — I already saw Jalen wants to bet some money on it. We’ll see. Maybe a friendly wager.”
But Kolek would rather learn from Brunson.
“It’s just playing under control, picking angles, getting to the line,” he said. “That’s a really big thing. He does a great job at getting to the line. I really gotta learn that. In the NBA, it’s so different.”
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