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It’s not often that a team drafts a player far down in the NBA draft and that player suddenly emerges as a total steal. But the New York Knicks are lucky to be in a position where one of the players they selected late in the draft is already looking like a superstar.
Knicks May Have the Steal of the Entire NBA Draft on Their Hands
The NBA Summer League is a fun little experiment of sorts. The box score doesn’t really mean much, but it’s the place where rookies get to spread their wings, second-year players try to prove themselves, and decisions are made.
Not everyone who performs well in Summer League gets a roster spot. It helps to do well but isn’t always a guarantee. Still, after the Knicks’ time in Las Vegas, it’s becoming clear that they already have another rising star in their midst.
One Rookie Really Stood Out on the Knicks’ Squad
Tyler Nickel showed up to Summer League with the kind of job interview every young basketball player dreams about: a basketball in his hands, a green light and plenty of chances to prove he belongs. He didn’t waste much time making his case.
The Knicks’ second-round pick looked every bit like the incredible shooter they hoped they were getting when they nabbed him 47th overall. Nickel notched 19 three-pointers during Summer League, connecting on 41.3 percent of his attempts from deep. More importantly, he looked comfortable doing it.
Nickel wasn’t shy about letting it fly, either. Of his 56 total field goal attempts, 46 came from three-point range. That’s not a typo. I know, amazing, right? He basically walked into the gym, saw the arc and decided that was where he’d be spending most of his summer vacation. And frankly, for a player whose clearest path to an NBA roster spot is shooting, that was exactly the right approach.
The NBA is a league where elite shooting is really a prized skill. Nickel doesn’t need to become a high-volume creator overnight. He needs to spread his wings, sprint into open court, and make defenses regret underestimating him. Summer League gave a pretty convincing preview of what that could look like.
Areas for Improvement
There are still parts of his game that need seasoning. His ball-handling will need some work, especially when defenders run him off the 3-point line and make him do something else. Getting open against NBA athletes is a whole different challenge than finding space in Summer League.
The good news? Nickel showed he was more than just a shooter. His defense was better than expected. He competed, stayed in front of people, and was usually where he needed to be. He wasn’t someone teams could easily pick on, either. A lot of shooters come into the league with a “go at me” sign plastered on them. Nickel didn’t. He’s not Jalen Brunson yet, but he doesn’t need to be.
The Knicks also got a strong look at Jack Kayil, who flashed as a playmaker and defender and made sure people learned his name quickly. But Nickel feels like the player with the clearer path to an NBA role right now.
Shooters get chances. The ones who make the shots obviously tend to stick around. Nickel gave New York a pretty good reason to keep watching.
The NBA Summer League is where the dream gets a little less imaginary. It’s about players going for a shot that might only come once. This time, it’s for a team that may get to the 2027 championship.
For some, it’s a showcase. For others, it’s survival: a two-way contract, a surprise deal, or one more chance to prove they belong. Who wins or loses the game doesn’t really count, but for the players fighting to get there, it’s an audition. This is where careers begin.
Photo Credit: Brenden Willsch, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
