Brilliant lights. Massive stage. Ball in your fingers.
It’s the dream each child has — and for Tyler Kolek, it’s arrived far prior to anybody anticipated.
When the Knicks drafted Kolek thirty fourth total out of Marquette final summer season, the plan wasn’t for him to play. Jalen Brunson was locked in because the starter. Miles McBride had blossomed right into a Sixth Man. Cameron Payne introduced veteran pop off the bench. Kolek’s job? Keep prepared. Be taught. Wait.
However within the NBA, plans change quick.
Brunson suffered a high-grade ankle sprain in additional time in opposition to the Lakers on March 6. McBride, simply as he was hitting his stride defensively within the beginning unit, went down with a groin contusion.
All of a sudden, the Knicks wanted a flooring common. And now, with the common season winding down and playoff seeding hanging within the steadiness, Payne can’t carry the load alone.
Which suggests the ball can be in Kolek’s fingers — and at some stage, so will the destiny of the Knicks’ season.
“When you’ve got guys out and [other] guys step up, that gives you extreme confidence in those guys and in the flow of the team,” Josh Hart mentioned. “That’s what the NBA season is. It’s guys staying ready, and when they get their opportunity — seizing it.”
Kolek now has an opportunity to just do that.
ADVICE FROM THE HART
Josh Hart discovered this lesson from well-known Lakers player-turned-coach Brian Shaw: For those who keep prepared, you don’t must prepare. Too lots of his friends weren’t prepared sufficient.
“I’m not sure how many times you see it in the course of an NBA season. Guys not playing, and then their mind floats, and then the opportunity comes, and they’re not ready for it,” Hart says. “So [Tyler] stayed ready.”
Kolek has been getting ready for this second his complete life. A large shift in position doesn’t imply a shift in mindset.
Two-a-day exercises. Further conditioning. Late-night movie. Staying prepared isn’t a motto for the Marquette product — it’s a lifestyle.
“My whole life I feel like I’ve had this anxiety of if ‘I’m not doing enough, I’m not getting better,’” Kolek mentioned. “So I have a good parameter of: Am I doing enough? Am I getting better? … I’m gonna be 24 this week. So I’ve been doing it for a while now. Staying in the gym, staying consistent in my routine — it’s important to me.”
What adjustments now? Nothing bodily, that’s for certain. Kolek goes to undergo his identical pre-game routine — “my basketball preparation is gonna be what it is: just staying in the gym,” he says — however these feelings are completely different.
It’s not a sure or no to minutes. It’s what number of? And it’s not in Westchester. It’s at Madison Sq. Backyard.
“I feel like it’s more mental than anything,” Kolek says. “Mentally getting up and getting ready for the games is definitely different. You’ve always gotta be ready, but you have that anticipation knowing you’re gonna get a couple minutes.”
Kolek has been doing the work, even when the chance by no means got here.
It’s right here, now, and his work is displaying.
“He stayed ready, stayed working, and when he got his opportunity, he was able to go out and execute,” Hart mentioned. “He’s continuing to put the work in knowing that we’re going to call on him a little bit more.”
FLOOR GENERAL
Kolek’s imaginative and prescient has by no means been in query.
He dropped eight assists in opposition to the Wizards on Saturday, together with seven within the second quarter — essentially the most by any Knicks participant in a single quarter this season not named Brunson. At Marquette, he as soon as dished 18 assists in 26 minutes — nonetheless a program report.
“In college, I was always hunting [assists],” Kolek mentioned, laughing. “I’d get an assist and look right back at the scoreboard. If they didn’t give it to me, I’d point at the SID like, ‘You better count that s–t!’”
The Knicks, nonetheless looking for offensive rhythm with out Brunson, want somebody who can set up the ground. Kolek may also help do this.
He presents a special look than McBride — a defensive pest who thrives off-ball — and a contrasting fashion to Payne, a score-first burst of vitality.
“Cam and Tyler, everyone knows they’re capable. They’re great players,” mentioned OG Anunoby. “They do a great job controlling the pace, setting us up.”
Kolek’s additionally leaned on Payne for steerage. The message: change the sport.
“If it’s going one way, flip it,” Kolek mentioned.
Proper now, issues are going the flawed approach in New York. A pair of disappointing losses to bottom-four opponents (San Antonio, Charlotte) plus a near-disaster in opposition to the league-worst Wizards underscored simply how badly the Knicks miss Brunson’s stabilizing presence.
Kolek has an opportunity to flip the script.
Brunson is progressing however has but to return to full staff follow. He’s anticipated to overlook extra time — and if he doesn’t seem in not less than 4 of the ultimate 12 video games, he’ll be ineligible for All-NBA honors.
“So that [practice] would be the next step for him probably,” Tom Thibodeau informed reporters Monday. “But [he’s] doing a lot of shooting, work in the pool, work on the bike, stuff like that. His conditioning is pretty good actually.”
Till McBride returns — and groin accidents are likely to linger — Kolek is the subsequent guard up.
The rookie knew he was rising earlier than Saturday’s stat line informed the story.
“I feel like I’m getting better every time I’m in the gym,” he mentioned. “There are issues I wish to enhance on, and even when folks don’t see it on the courtroom but, I do know I’m engaged on them. So it’s all inside myself, inside my staff.
He credited Knicks participant improvement coach Jordan Brink for serving to him keep locked in.
The work is paying off.
Now it’s about how far the work can carry him — and a Knicks staff instantly leaning on its rookie level guard for actual minutes on an actual stage.
Brilliant lights.
Massive stage.
Ball in your fingers.
It’s each child’s dream — and for Tyler Kolek, the dream is now actual.
