Record night in his first NBA career start for New York Knicks
Kolek shines in his first start
With the Knicks short on options — Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride and Landry Shamet all out — coach Mike Brown handed second-year guard Tyler Kolek his first NBA start. The move paid off in a big way for Kolek personally: the 24-year-old finished with a career-high stat line in his debut as a starter.
Kolek poured in 20 points on 9-of-22 shooting (2-of-6 from three), grabbed 11 rebounds, dished out 8 assists and added 3 steals. He played with noticeable composure, crashed the glass aggressively for his size, and created looks for teammates while taking on more offensive responsibility.
A Marquette product taken 34th overall and traded to New York, Kolek has shown steady improvement and a high basketball IQ. This game was a strong reminder that he can impact the floor in multiple ways when given extended minutes.
Loss on the scoreboard, bright spot for the rotation
Even with Kolek’s breakout, the Knicks couldn’t hang on. Minnesota pulled away late and won 115-104, powered by Karl-Anthony Towns’ 40 points and Anthony Edwards’ 38. Still, Kolek’s performance was one of the few encouraging takeaways for a shorthanded New York squad.
Head coach decisions will be watched closely after this showing — Kolek has made a case for more consistent minutes in the weeks ahead. For now, despite the defeat, the game offered a glimpse of a potential rotation piece who can contribute right away.
