The new wave of culture this young New York Knicks team is bringing makes use of advanced scientific findings into their everyday routine. Sleep is one of the major ones the organization has honed into, but the fad of Fortnite, the popular free-to-play video game, has proven David Fizdale's biggest obstacle.

“‘Fortnite,’ that’s my competitor right now,” Fizdale said, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “‘Fortnite’ is tougher than the Boston Celtics.”

“‘Fortnite’ is undefeated.”

Article Continues Below
More New York Knicks News
Deandre Ayton with multiple team logos around him
Ranking 4 best Deandre Ayton free agency destinations after Blazers buyoutBrett Siegel ·
Featured image Ariel Hukporti:
Knicks make 2 contract decisions, including on P.J. TuckerDylan Fine ·
New York Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) warms up before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden.
Bojan Bogdanovic makes big retirement decision after 2024-25 campaignZachary Weinberger ·
Mar 5, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) laughs before the game with the Portland Trail Blazers at Target Center.
Karl-Anthony Towns shares funny post after Dawn Staley’s Knicks interview Rishav Bhat ·
May 11, 2022; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins (right) and Interim Golden State Warriors Head Coach Mike Brown (left) lead their teams from the sidelines during game five of the second round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Joe Rondone-Imagn Images
Knicks rumors: Taylor Jenkins, Mike Brown heading into 2nd round of HC interviewsKris Pursiainen ·
South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley reacts during the first half of the national championship of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the Connecticut Huskies at Amalie Arena. Thibodeau
Knicks rumors: New York interested in Dawn Staley for head coaching jobZachary Howell ·

From training camp seminars to blue-light minimizing glasses, the Knicks have looked into providing their players with the best resources to help them catch up on their sleep, due to the rigors of playing on the road for 41 of the 82 games of the season.

“It’s everything,” Fizdale said. “We actually do a lot of education about sleep with our guys because everything is happening in your sleep — the healing of your brain, the healing of your body, the growth of muscle. That rest affects reaction time, decision-making, all of those things. We really stress it to the guys. We try to teach them the things that will affect their sleep and hurt their sleep.”

Sleep will help, but it's unlikely to turn a 9-26 team into a championship contender after the alarm sounds. Yet forming good sleeping habits is a strong step for a roster mostly constructed out of young players who are still navigating a feasible routine for a long regular season.