The former Marquette star isn't a fan of the comparison to the NBA veteran.
New York Knicks rookie Tyler Kolek isn't a fan of the T.J. McConnell player comparisons that were made when he was selected with the No. 34 pick in the NBA draft last month."I think it's a little lazy,"Instead, Kolek believes that his game more closely resembles that of his new teammate, star point guard Jalen Brunson.
"His game, I feel like that's a little closer to what I like to do than T.J. McConnell. Play at my own pace, getting in the paint, getting guys involved. I can really learn from him in the midrange, in that short area when I'm coming off ball screens or isolations. I'm just really excited to learn from him and watch him and take as much as I can. ...Whatever Jalen asks me to do, I'm gonna follow his lead.
Kolek's a solid offensive player already, but how well he holds up defensively will dictate whether or not he will develop a role quickly with the Knicks, or if he will take a bit more time before flourishing in the NBA. Regardless, the Knicks believe that they got their hands on a second-round steal, and he's eager to learn from his All-Star teammate in Brunson.Mike McDaniel is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where he has worked since January 2022. His work has been featured at InsideTheACC.com, SB Nation, FanSided and more. McDaniel hosts the Hokie Hangover Podcast, covering Virginia Tech athletics, as well as Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast.
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