Knicks' Tyler Kolek gets expanded role in a familiar venue
Knicks guard Tyler Kolek controls the ball against the Dallas Mavericks in the second half of an NBA game at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
MILWAUKEE — Tyler Kolek spent his first morning in his new, expanded role working out at the shootaround at FiServ Forum. If he looked up, he’d see banners in the rafters of the arena for the retired players and titles won by Marquette, including Big East titles he helped earn.
Just a year ago, he was part of that heritage, a key piece leading the team to the NCAA Sweeet 16. Then, after joining the Knicks as a second-round pick, he never started a game since then — and he still didn’t Friday night, as Tom Thibodeau opted for veteran Delon Wright to fill in.
Even if Kolek didn’t get the start, he was faced with the biggest role of his young career. But what got him the honors at Marquette — Big East Player of the Year two years ago, All-Big East last year — is what had him ready to step in Friday night as the Knicks faced the Bucks without Jalen Brunson, Deuce McBride or Cam Payne.
“I usually say it’s confidence,” Karl-Anthony Towns said of what the challenge might be for most players in this situation. “But it’s not something for him. He’s very confident in what he does.
“I think what matters most at the end of the day is experience. He just has to garner experience, get a lot of reps. He’s getting a lot of reps right now in a pivotal time of the year. It’s a testament to him and his confidence.”
The Knicks did not seem worried. Kolek, who turned 24 years old on Thursday, has seen his opportunities rise as the injuries to the Knicks’ point guards have mounted. Without Brunson and McBride, Kolek played at least 18 minutes in each of the previous three games after totaling only 15 minutes in the 21 games before that.
In those recent three contests, Kolek totaled 24 assists and only one turnover, showing the floor leadership skills the Knicks anticipated when they acquired him from Portland during the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
“Out on the floor, if you’re the point guard, you have to command the team, have a certain way about you, certain leadership qualities helping these guys out,” Kolek said. “Because you’re commanding men, at the end of the day. They’re looking to me, even though I’m a rookie, they’re looking to me like ‘what play are we running? What are we doing here?’ Just being confident with that stuff and being assertive.”
That change has been evident.
“I just think that he’s done what he’s always done in the G League, in practices, in the NBA — just being totally confident in his skills and comfortable in his position,” Towns said. “He’s doing a great job of getting us all involved and running the show, testament to his coaches at Marquette. Funny enough that we’re back home for him.
“He’s high-IQ. You can tell he’s been playing basketball for a while, just the way he understands the game, positions and situations. He’s just been fantastic.”
Kolek has gone from a player who would spend much of the pregame and halftime warmup sessions serving almost as a ball boy — making certain that the players getting big minutes were getting the work they needed — to fitting in with them as the Knicks work their way through the final weeks of the schedule and attempt to hold on to the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
“It’s crazy how things come together,” Kolek said. “First 70 games or so, just kind of supporting my guys, staying ready, and when the opportunity comes, you’re always gonna be ready for it. It just happened to be back in Milwaukee, where I played a lot of games, won a lot of games.
“Cam’s really taught me a lot this year. His whole career, he’s been in that backup point guard role, coming off the bench, being effective right away. You know you’re only getting that five-, six-minute stint coming off the bench, so you got to be effective in that. You don’t have time to get yourself into the game; you got to come in and be ready to go right away. It’s definitely something I’ve taken from him.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
