The New York Knicks drafted four new rookies this summer. Did they find some more diamonds in the rough? Here are our grades for every pick.
The New York Knicks selected four prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft who will be able to contribute to a team with a “Win Now” mentality. With the Knicks making a huge splash trade to acquire former Villanova star Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets, they needed players who could contribute relatively quickly. Let’s take a look at the 2024 Knicks draft class!
Round 1, Pick 25
Pacome Dadiet — 6’8″ Wing — 18 Yrs Old — Ratiopharm ULM (BBL)
A true surprise pick for the Knicks as they took another French player in the 1st round. Pacome, who I had 42nd on my big board, was not a player I had on the radar for New York, but I understood the upside pick. He’s a big kid at 6’8″ with a 7ft plus wingspan who has some shooting potential and plays hard, which fits the “Thibs guy” mold. It’s been rumored this selection could be a Draft & Stash pick, although Pacome has iterated that he will be coming to the NBA this year, so we shall see. With all the wings we have on the roster and no need for him to contribute right away, I understand why they took a shot on Pacome. He has some work to do on defense and simply didn’t play a lot, but he showed improvement as the season winded down as a scorer.
Draft Grade: C+
Round 2, Pick 34
Tyler Kolek — 6’1″ — Point Guard — 23 yrs Old — Marquette
If you had flipped the Pacome Dadiet pick with the pick of Tyler Kolek, I would’ve been ecstatic. Regardless, we got the #1 target I had for New York! The nation’s leading assist man at 7.7 was shockingly still on the board and New York moved up four spots to take the Marquette guard. The ultimate “Thibs guy,” the Knicks needed a playmaker badly as they were second to last in assists per game at 24.4. Tyler will greatly improve New York’s second unit and work well with Deuce as a pesty guard combo. One of the better value selections of the draft.
Draft Grade: A
Round 2, Pick 56
Kevin McCullar Jr. — 6’5″ Wing — 23 Yrs Old — Kansas
The Knicks once again grabbed another tremendous value pick in McCullar at #56. I had a 1st round grade on McCullar and did expect him to fall some because of injuries, but not into the late 2nd round. You know the Spiderman meme when they point at each other? Yeah, well that’s going to be McCullar when he sees Josh Hart because he’s a carbon copy of him. He’s a Swiss Army Knife who can do a bit of everything and will put in the work. He improved as a shooter during his senior year (34%) but still needs to work on the shot. His defense is tremendous as he’s a former Big-12 all-league defender. This was another homerun pick in the second round for New York.
Draft Grade: B+
Round 2, Pick 58
Ariel Hukporti — 6’11” — Center — 22 Yrs Old — Melbourne United (NBL)
The Knicks have some uncertainty with the backup big spot with either Mitch or Hartenstein probably not being here next season, so New York needed to add some depth with Sims also in the fold. Ariel is a big man who is as solid as they come. He’s going to be relentless on the boards and be a great rim-running big. You won’t get much offense from Ariel, but he is a solid finisher around the rim and a major lob threat. He was 60th on my board, so I love the value they got with the last pick in the draft.
Draft Grade: B
Overall, the New York Knicks were able to take an upside pick while also selecting some guys who can fill out the bench and contribute to a team with title aspirations. The picks have the DNA of what Coach Thibs has established since he’s been the head coach, and I have a hunch that Knicks Nation will fall in love with this crop of draft picks, especially Tyler Kolek! The future of the New York Knickerbockers continues to get brighter! GO NEW YORK GO NEW YORK GO!!!!!!!!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out CP The Fanchise’s live reaction to the Knicks losing Isaiah Hartenstein!
