The New York Knicks have been surprisingly feisty to start the 2020-21 NBA season. While much of that improved play can be explained by the new coaching staff, headlined by former NBA Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau, rookie guard Immanuel Quickley has also captured the attention of the denizens of Madison Square Garden.

On Saturday afternoon, the Knicks took on the Portland Trail Blazers, and Quickley actually upstaged former Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony by drilling a deep, step-back triple against the 36-year-old veteran:

As you can see, Quickley has no qualms about pulling up from way downtown and his shooting stroke looks exceptionally smooth after shooting 42.8 percent in his final year at Kentucky.

The 21-year-old rookie has been a revelation for the Knicks, especially seeing as he fell all the way to 25th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, where he was selected originally by the Oklahoma City Thunder and then sent to the Knicks as part of the three-team Ricky Rubio trade that the sent the Spanish point guard to Minnesota.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Jalen Brunson and two other players with blank Knicks’ jerseys and question marks covering their heads.

Drew Maresca ·

Knicks, Stephen A. Smith, 76ers, Jalen Brunson, 76ers Knicks

Jackson Stone ·

76ers Vs. Knicks Game 1 Results Simulated With NBA 2K24

Massimo Marchiano ·

Quickley is coming off the bench as an integral part of the Knicks’ rotation. He’s playing 19.3 minutes per game and is putting up excellent offensive numbers: 12.4 points and 2.7 assists per game on a 55.5 True Shooting percentage.

Currently, Quickley is third among rookies in win shares with 1.0, behind only Rookie of the Year front-runner LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets and wunderkind guard Tyrese Haliburton of the Sacramento Kings.

With Carmelo Anthony only a handful of points away from passing Oscar Robertson on the all-time list, all eyes were seemingly on Quickley at MSG.