After missing the first two games of the season, Frank Ntilikina finally made his debut for the New York Knicks last week. He also played for the first time in front of the team’s fans inside Madison Square Garden on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets, and made a good account of himself.
Finishing with nine points, two rebounds, five assists, and one steal in 22minutes of action, the 19-year-old Knicks rookie showcased his all around game to the delight of the New York faithful. It also caught the attention of his teammate, Courtney Lee, who had nothing but good words to say about his performance, via Al Iannazzone of News Day. Lee gave him a lot of credit for remaining calm during the game, and spoke highly about his playmaking skills as well.
“I seen him take a deep breath, calm down, just relax and have fun,” Courtney Lee said. “Once he did that, you saw the playmaking ability, he was able to get to the spots, make jump shots. His court vision is crazy. He was able to make plays.”
Following the departure of Derrick Rose, the Knicks were once again searching over the summer for a point guard who can be part of their future plans. Fortunately for them, there were a number of young playmakers available during the draft, and they had their eyes set on Frank Ntilikina for the eighth overall selection.
Now with the Knicks, the French international in expected to slowly be given more playing time as the season progresses. Head coach Jeff Hornacek understands that he needs to learn their system first before handing over the full time starting point guard duties to the rookie.
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