The New York Knicks are going to be helmed by a new coach beginning next season with David Fizdale coming to Big Apple as the successor of Jeff Hornacek, who enlisted the Knickerbockers to two ho-hum campaigns.
Fizdale won’t have dramatic measures of success in his initial year in New York, but the Knicks are hoping he could help right their ship that appears to have a malfunctioning navigation system. Fizdale is aware of the challenges ahead of him, and the focus for him in his first year on the job is to establish a new culture and prepare the team for the future. That means helping polish further some of the team’s young guns like second-year guard Frank Ntilikina, per Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
Article Continues BelowFizdale has been impressed with second-year guard Frank Ntilikina through workouts and summer league practices, but that doesn’t mean Ntilikina will start at either guard spot when the regular season begins.
Ntilikina was selected by the Knicks as last year as the eighth overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. A 6-foot-5 point guard with a seven-foot wingspan, Ntilikina has the physical tools to become a star in the league, but he’s far from that status based on his paltry averages in his rookie season in which he put up 5.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 21.9 minutes per game.
Ntilikina, who turns 20 on Jul. 28, remains a project, one that the Knicks are hoping would become a future cornerstone of the franchise. The point guard will have to prove himself soon, though, as another underwhelming season could force New York’s hands away from picking up its club option on the guard next year.