New York Knicks point guard is among the many players with a lot to prove this coming season. After an uninspiring rookie year in the NBA, Frank Ntilikina will look to show he’s capable of making a big leap toward a more relevant role for the Knicks, beginning in this offseason’s Summer League.
The key to unlocking the full potential of Ntilikina is in the hands of new Knicks head coach David Fizdale. After all, part of Fizdale’s responsibility as the new bench boss of the Knicks is to develop Ntilikina, the team’s first-round pick in last year’s draft.
Ntilikina mostly played point guard in his first season in the NBA, but for Fizdale, he’s looking to utilize the guard in both positions in the backcourt, per Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
Frank Ntilikina watched yesterday's practice over breakfast with David Fizdale this morning. Fizdale is starting to teach Ntilikina how the coach sees the game. Here's Fizdale talking about whether he sees Ntilikina as a point guard. https://t.co/wI3CHhLIkj pic.twitter.com/6MXhUrbUBO
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) July 4, 2018
If Ntilikina is to succeed in both the point guard and shooting guard positions, he’s going to polish his game in some areas, perhaps none more important than his shooting efficiency. With Fizdale expressing his desire to increase Ntilikina’s usage as an off-the-ball guy, the Knicks are unlikely to reap much success from such a move if Ntilikina replicates his atrocious 36.4 percent shooting from the field and 31.8 percent from the 3-point area last season.
The Summer League provides an avenue for Fizdale to see whether Ntilikina is ready to handle dual roles next season. The Knicks kick off their summer schedule this Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks in Las Vegas with Ntilikina alongside other guards like Allonzo Trier and Damyean Dotson.
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