Kristaps Porzingis may be the new face of the New York Knicks, but Courtney Lee and Lance Thomas were actually picked as the team’s co-captains this season. Thomas, in particular, has embraced and taken pride in the responsibility of being one of the team’s leaders, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

“A lot of responsibility comes with it. You have to practice what you preach,” Thomas said. “I have the guys’ respect because I do that. I tell guys the truth and I live in the uncomfortable. I’m not afraid to call a teammate out or push for them to be better. I’m not a guy who has a comfort zone. Some guys aren’t vocal, I’m all of those things and that’s something I take pride in with this team. And I’m honored.”

With the absence of Tim Hardaway Jr., Thomas did what good leaders do, which is step up. He got the first start of the season against the Memphis Grizzlies, recording up eight points and four rebounds in 32 minutes. But beyond the traditional stats, he also played strong defense which saw him finish a team-high plus-26 in the Knicks' 99-88 win.

Despite Thomas’ strong performance, head coach Jeff Hornacek has not committed to Thomas as the full-time starter and will instead choose to mix and match depending on the matchup. But as one of the team’s leaders, Thomas likely won’t mind and should continue to be ready whenever he’s called upon.