Marquette Golden Eagles guard Tyler Kolek has come off the board in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. The New York Knicks acquired the No. 34 pick after sending future second round picks to the Trailblazers.
A native of Rhode Island, Tyler Kolek went to George Mason in the Class of 2020. He spent one season there and was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year before transferring to Marquette. Over the course of his college career, Kolek would go on to play in a total of 121 games, earning 117 starts in those games.
In his senior season at Marquette, Tyler Kolek consistently put up his best numbers on a per-game basis across the board. He averaged 15.3 points, 7.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game. He also shot 49.6 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three-point range. All of that helped him to earn an Unanimous All-Big East First Team selection.
At 23 years old, Tyler Kolek is on the older side for a rookie entering the NBA. However, he did manage to prove throughout his college career that he’s capable of developing and improving as time goes on.
In the NBA, it’s projected that Tyler Kolek is best suited to be a team’s primary ball handler. He’s also likely to be doing that as part of a team’s second unit. It’s also going to be important for him to improve as a shooter. If he can do that, he’ll have a better chance at succeeding at the NBA level. For now, though, his ability as an offensive playmaker is key for him.
What NBA Draft experts are saying about Tyler Kolek
Ahead of the NBA Draft, RotoWire broke down what fans can expect from several of the top draft prospects, including Tyler Kolek.
“At 6-foot-3, Kolek is a polished floor general who’s fantastic at picking apart defenses via pick-and-rolls. He looks confident shooting from the top of the key when defenders go under screens, but he’s better as a catch-and-shoot option than a player hunting his jumper. Kolek shot better than 38% from deep in his final two campaigns at Marquette and finished his collegiate career with a 35.5 mark. He’s patient in the paint and has great touch around the rim with both hands,” RotoWire wrote.
“Kolek is an instinctual defender and can read passing lanes, but he has a lot of work to do on that end before being considered a strong two-way player at the pro level.”
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