Shaka Smart believes his well-paid protege Tyler Kolek believes the New York Knicks were the 'right fit.'
Marquette head coach Shaka Smart believes that his former Golden Eagles protege has a golden opportunity with the New York Knicks ... and vice versa.
The Knicks have made a relatively large investment into Kolek, trading several future draft picks to Portland for the right to gain his services and offering him a $9 million contract, one of the most expensive in recent second-round memory. But that's far from the reason why Smart believes the Knicks were the "right fit" for the 2023 Big East Player of the Year.
Under Smart's watch, Kolek developed into an All-American and All-Big East first-team nominee. He also led the nation in assists over this past season, which saw Marquette reach the Sweet 16 round for the first time since 2013. "I actually think the part of his game that may surprise some people up there, that I’ve always felt was underrated, is his shooting," Smart said. "Now you’re playing with Brunson, you’re playing with Bridges, guys that command a lot of attention. Can you make that open shot when your helps? I think he’ll be able to do that at a high level.”
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