The Knicks have become a mainstay in the playoffs and look to be one of a couple of Eastern Conference Teams with realistic championship aspirations next season. And because of that, gone are the days of fans anticipating draft night and the Summer League as if it were must-watch TV. That being said, with the Knicks fanbase being a particularly passionate one, there are still many who patiently await the mid-summer games. Earlier today, we got one step closer to those games as the Knicks announced their 2025 Summer League roster.
your knicks summer league roster pic.twitter.com/W3ZWMEd573
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) July 7, 2025
It features last year’s rookies, Pacome Dadiet, Kevin McCullar Jr., Tyler Kolek, and Ariel Hukporti, as well as this year’s rookies, Dink Pate, James Nnaji, and Mohamed Diawara. Coaching the summer squad will be Jordan Brink, the assistant coach who, according to James L. Edwards, was “largely responsible for one of the best challenge success rates in the NBA.”
Knicks summer league update: Jordan Brink will be coaching New York in Las Vegas, per multiple league sources.
Brink was on Thibs’ staff and largely responsible for one of the best challenge success rates in the NBA. Good, young coach deserving of the role.
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) July 3, 2025
There are also a few other intriguing names on the roster. Anton Watson, who played five games with the Knicks late last season, is joined by Marjon Beuchamp, who appeared in six games of his own. And while Yudai Baba has never been affiliated with the Knicks, I couldn’t write this without giving my fellow Japanese-born native, who has played a total of 64 games with the Texas Legends of the G League, a shoutout.
Summer League stats and results don’t always guarantee a smooth transition to the regular season, but it will still be interesting to see what the Knicks have in their young players. Can Kolek make the kind of second-year Summer League leap we saw from the likes of Immanuel Quickley despite barely playing in his rookie season? Does Dadiet have the on-ball offensive skills to make fans into believers? How will Hukporti look coming back from a late-season knee injury? Will McCullar Jr. look as good as he did to finish the year in the G League? And do newcomers Pate, Nnaji, and Diawara have what it takes to potentially steal some minutes?