Young Knicks guard eager for 'fresh start' under new coach Mike Brown

Second-year New York Knicks defender Tyler Kolek played sparingly connected then-head coach Tom Thibodeau's 51-31 squad successful 2024-25, his rookie season.

Across conscionable 41 games, nan 6-foot-1 defender averaged 2.0 points connected .329/.298/.765 shooting splits, 1.7 assists, and 0.7 rebounds successful 7.2 minutes per.

When he played for New York's NBAGL affiliate, nan Westchester Knicks, Kolek thrived, averaging 18.0 points connected a still-inefficient shooting statement of .394/.292/1.000, positive 10.0 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks successful 4 games.

Kolek is now plying his waste and acquisition for nan Knicks' Summer League squad for nan 2nd consecutive season. On nan offseason team, only Kolek, halfway Ariel Hukporti and guardant Pacome Dadiet person guaranteed deals for 2025-26.

In New York's first Summer League bout, a 104-86 nonaccomplishment to nan Detroit Pistons, Kolek scored 10 points connected 4-of-11 shooting from nan section (0-of-5 from distance) and 2-of-2 shooting from nan kindness stripe, dished retired 8 dimes, pulled down six rebounds, blocked a changeable and swiped a steal. He besides coughed up nan shot to nan tune of 5 turnovers.

Per Steve Popper of Newsday, Kolek said optimistically astir his 2nd caput coach successful arsenic galore years, Mike Brown. Popper notes that Brown is looking to instrumentality a faster-paced discourtesy than Thibodeau's preferred attack successful caller seasons.

Knicks Sunday Insider: Knicks utilizing Summer League action to velocity up their game
New coach Mike Brown besides saw pinch summertime debut that it will return clip to implement. https://t.co/Ux28Ql0ZCl

“You’re ne'er starting over,” Kolek said. “What you person is your instauration and build disconnected of that. No matter who nan coach is. I’m judge coach has his group that he talks to and connects pinch astir whoever, not conscionable maine but Jalen [Brunson], astir everybody. He’s trying to study everybody’s personalities, what they like, what they don’t like. I deliberation he’ll do a bully occupation of that."

New York fired Thibodeau aft its making first Eastern Conference Finals quality successful 25 years, but nan versatile Brown seems apt to beryllium a coagulated substitute.

Brown arrives successful New York caller disconnected an uneven stint pinch nan Sacramento Kings, wherever he showed an awesome expertise to coach up nan team's offense-first stars. Sacramento's beforehand agency bungled its roster moves aft a coagulated 48-34 showing and a playoff tally successful 2022-23, Brown's first season.

Sacramento went 46-36 but missed nan playoffs successful 2023-24 while carrying a likewise flawed roster. The bloom was afloat disconnected nan roseate successful 2024-25. Brown was fto spell midway done nan year, but nan ill-fitting Kings didn't retrieve without him. Ultimately, All-Star constituent defender De'Aaron Fox demanded a waste and acquisition retired of town, and was moved to nan San Antonio Spurs midseason.

The Knicks person added a brace of seasoned free agents, guardant Guerschon Yabusele and defender Jordan Clarkson, to subordinate a halfway of All-Stars Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, All-Defensive Team wings Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, shooting defender Josh Hart and reserve halfway Mitchell Robinson. 

Whether Kolek tin gain rotation minutes up of chap reserve constituent defender Miles McBride, who's now efficaciously New York's ninth man, remains to beryllium seen.

“I deliberation each play is simply a caller opportunity,” Kolek said. “Every twelvemonth is simply a caller start, caller guys travel in. We signed immoderate free agents, truthful each twelvemonth there’s caller opportunity. And it starts correct here, proving myself here, proving myself successful August workouts, beryllium myself successful camp, and past passim nan season. Just support connected proving myself until you get to wherever you person to beryllium and past you person to do it each complete again. It ne'er really stops.”

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