Knicks sign former Duke star to Exhibit 10 deal this summer

The New York Knicks added a young talent to their prospect pool this offseason.

SNY’s Ian Begley reported on X that the Knicks signed former Duke and Creighton star Alex O’Connell to an Exhibit 10 deal on Wednesday (h/t Ben Stinar of Fan Nation’s Fastbreak):

Duke/Creighton alum Alex O’Connell will with Knicks at Summer League, per sources. Knicks have O’Connell’s G League rights & he impressed them during a recent free agent minicamp. Update to this tweet: O’Connell has an E-10 deal w/NYK, per sources. He played in Serie A last year

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) July 3, 2024

Knicks’ Exhibit 10 signee Alex O’Connell will get a chance to show out at Summer League

The 2024 NBA Vegas Summer League is set to start on July 12. The Knicks will debut on July 13 against the Charlotte Hornets. O’Connell will have the chance to show out next to the Knicks’ first and second-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft in a bid to earn time on the 12-man roster for 2024-25.

O’Connell impressed in his collegiate career. Though he went undrafted in 2024, the Georgia native rose his scoring average to 11.8 points per game in his senior season for Creighton and added 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists to 1.9 turnovers in 32.5 minutes per contest. He also connected on 32.7 percent of his 5.8 three-point attempts on the season, proving him to be a reliable volume shooter from outside, though he could be more efficient in that department.

O’Connell joins a new pool of young talents the Knicks will cultivate for the future

The Knicks have a need for point guard depth behind All-Star Jalen Brunson. The 6-6, 185-pound guard boasts an oversized frame for a backcourt player, especially at the one, and has qualities that could impress the Knicks’ coaching staff at Summer League.

New York also cut Duane Washington Jr., Charlie Brown Jr., and DaQuan Jeffries this summer. Therefore, O’Connell now joins Knicks rookies Pacome Dadiet, Tyler Kolek, Kevin McCullar Jr., and Ariel Hukporti along with Jacob Toppin as the franchise’s next wave of pieces they’ll nurture for the future.