The Knicks proved they are willing to add someone from a Big East school other than Villanova.
New York acquired Marquette point guard Tyler Kolek with the No. 34 pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft, and then added another steal in Kansas forward Kevin McCullar at No. 56 via a trade with the Phoenix Suns.
A two-time Consensus Second Team All-America selection and Big East Player of the Year as a junior, Kolek concluded his career second all-time at Marquette in assists (697) and led the nation in assists per game (7.7) in 2023-24 while scoring 15.3 points per game.
”Tyler Kolek is the best pick & roll point guard in college basketball,” ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla told NJ Advance Media. “He has incredible vision. His toughness and high IQ are perfect for this Knicks team.”
He could ultimately prove a valuable backup behind Jalen Brunson and Deuce McBride.
“Tyler is a tough, skilled and physical point guard who thrives in transition and in pick & roll and dribble hand-offs,” his AAU coach, Mike Crotty of the Middlesex Magic, told NJ Advance Media.
“He manipulates the defense and then makes decisions and passes at an elite level! He is an excellent shooter and makes winning plays on both ends of the floor. He is the most relentless worker I have ever been around (including my 3 years in the NBA) and he will continue to add layers to his game.”
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Kolek, a cocky but skilled 6-foot-3 point guard from Cumberland, R.I., was named the most valuable player of the 2023 Big East tournament after leading Marquette to its first championship in the conference, with a 65-51 victory over Xavier.
The left-hander was named the Atlantic 10 rookie of the year after averaging 10.8 points per game as a freshman. But when Dave Paulsen was fired as George Mason’s coach in 2021, Kolek opted to transfer.
Shaka Smart, who returned home to Wisconsin to coach at Marquette in 2021 after six uneven seasons at Texas, liked what he saw from and heard about Kolek.
“People value certain things in recruiting, and then there are certain things that they don’t value,” Smart said in 2023. “He has some of those intangible things. He’s more athletic than people think, he’s tougher, but I think it’s easier to just kind of look at a guy and make an evaluation. But he’s got certain things inside of him that you can’t measure.”
After he went scoreless in the first half against St. John’s in the 2023 Big East tournament, Kolek noticed a St. John’s fan forming his hand into a zero, holding up his arm so Kolek could see. He finished the game with 19 points, including the tiebreaking free throws with 15.8 seconds left in overtime.
“Every point that we scored, I looked at him,” he said of the St. John’s fan.
Reflecting on his son’s journey while watching the Marquette-St John’s game, Kevin Kolek said he would never have imagined that his son would be named the top player in the Big East during the regular season and tournament.
“It’s hard to believe, there’s so many good players in the Big East,” he said. “And if you look back at the legacy and history of the Big East, it’s unbelievable.”
Now Kolek can look forward to playing -- and winning -- more games at Madison Square Garden with the Knicks.
The Knicks tabbed McCullar at No. 56. The 6-7 wing averaged 18.3 points and 6.0 rebounds but missed the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments with a knee injury.
“Kevin is a first-round player and I think anybody that saw him healthy this year would agree to that,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “Kevin will play in the league for a long time and the Knicks got one of the toughest players we have had in our program. We are all excited that Kevin heard his named called. He will be a great fit to a playoff team and such a storied franchise.
“Unfortunately, Kevin got injured at the end of January wasn’t the same the rest of the season and had a setback after the season as well,” Self added. “He wants it bad and he will respond. He will do well in New York.”
“Kevin McCullar was one of my biggest sleepers in this draft, 6-foot-7, outstanding defensive versatility, competitiveness, feel for the game,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said on air, adding that he would’ve been an All-American before the knee injury.
“This is an outstanding pick this late in the second round.”
On Wednesday, the Knicks drafted French wing Pacome Dadiet with the 25th pick on Wednesday night.
Dadiet said Wednesday he expects to play next season in the Knicks’ organization and not overseas as a draft-and-stash guy.
“I think I’m really versatile and can also bring what a rookie needs to bring — energy,” Dadiet said. “Coming in and grabbing rebounds to push the ball and also knock down shots. I think it’s very important for a rookie to bring those things.”
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.