New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek has had some week. With injuries to the Knicks’ bench, Kolek has gotten an opportunity to make a name for himself, and so far, he has come through in the biggest way possible.
Knicks’ Tyler Kolek continues to make a positive impact
He continued his recent hot stretch with a big game on Christmas Day against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He scored 16 points (11 in the fourth quarter) and dished nine assists while knocking down four threes on five attempts.
It was his shot-making down the stretch that played a pivotal part of their 17-point comeback in the fourth quarter. Kolek is quickly growing as a player, and now the Knicks appear to have solved their backup point guard issues.
Kolek gave a lot of credit to his new head coach, Mike Brown, for his recent growth.
“He coaches me hard. You want a head coach that’s on you – if he’s not, that’s more of a problem than the other way around,” Kolek said after the game, via SNY. “When you’re a point guard, you’re an extension of the coach. If he’s trying to get his message across, he’s going to say it to you. Maybe he didn’t mean it AT you, but he’s trying to get it across to everyone on the team.”
Kolek’s rapid growth is a huge development
Kolek has grown rapidly with Brown as his coach. Brown’s heavy emphasis on ball movement and floor spacing makes him a great fit for Kolek’s playstyle, as Kolek’s best skills are playmaking and making quick decisions with the ball.
As a rookie last season with Tom Thibodeau as his head coach, he was glued to the bench, playing mostly in garbage time. Players like Cam Payne and Delon Wright were above him in the pecking order. Now, he is firmly in the rotation and has gained the trust of his head coach.
It will be interesting to see how Brown gets Kolek involved in the rotation when Miles McBride and Landry Shamet return, but his rapid development is a positive sign for New York going forward.