Kolek Looks Good, Knicks Fall Short in Summer League Opener

Final Score: Knicks 90 - Hornets 94
Record: 0-1

After falling behind by double-digits in the first quarter of their Summer League opener in Las Vegas, the Knicks showed some resilience. They cut the deficit to seven by halftime, but Charlotte maintained a healthy lead until the closing moments. New York trailed by just a bucket in the closing seconds, but Jacob Toppin missed a layup that would have tied the score.

The outcome wasn't all that surprising, considering the Hornets played their two first-round picks from last season, Brandon Miller (the former #2 overall pick who finished with 23 points and eight rebounds) and Nick Smith Jr. (who scored 24).  

While the Knicks didn't walk away with a win, the coaching staff had to have been pleased by what they saw from rookie point guard Tyler Kolek. He dished out a team-high seven assists, grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and scored seven points (2-of-6 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs, 1-of-2 3PTs) in 29 minutes.

Right from the opening tip, Kolek was looking to get others involved and could have easily ended up with double-digit dimes if his teammates had knocked down open shots. While other rookies looked overwhelmed in their Vegas debuts, Kolek was cool, calm, confident and in control. He ran the offense flawlessly, posting a 7-to-0 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Kolek repeatedly drove out into the paint, sprayed the ball to the perimeter, or made crafty interior passes leading to layups. As ESPN analyst Tim Legler mentioned on the broadcast, Kolek is the type of unselfish point guard that shooters love to play with because they know he'll get them plenty of good looks. His drive-and-dish game is ideally suited for today's spaced-out NBA.