Knicks rookie Tyler Kolek was named the G League Showcase MVP as he helped Westchester secure their second consecutive Winter Cup title with a win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Sunday night.
Kolek was impressive just hours after traveling from the big-league club’s contest in New Orleans on Friday night.
The youngster came off the bench for Westchester and finished with 22 points on an impressive 9-of-16 shooting from the field while dishing a game-high 11 assists, hauling in five rebounds, and picking up three steals across 21 minutes.
“It’s like when you have a group project and you join at the last minute and get an A,” he said on ESPN postgame. “Shoutout to my teammates, they’ve been busting it all year. I love playing with them, it’s like a family down here, so it’s been fun.”
The Knicks received widespread praise after selecting Kolek out of Marquette with their second-round pick in this year’s draft.
After shining during Summer League play, the 23-year-old playmaker earned himself a spot coming off the bench for the pro club during the early part of the season, and he’s been impressive despite averaging just 6.6 minutes.
Due to his limited role, New York has been bouncing Kolek back and forth between Westchester and the NBA roster over the past couple of weeks to help keep him fresh, and Sunday’s showing was another positive step in his development.
It’ll be interesting to see if the front office decides to keep him down in the G League for the time being with veteran guard Landry Shamet re-signing and ready to join the team after missing three months with a shoulder injury.