A position battle at point guard is underway for the New York Knicks at the start of training camp, and former first-round pick Frank Ntilikina is gearing up to compete on a different level after two years of lackluster play.
Can the New York Knicks extract value from Frank Ntilikina?
Ntilikina, who had a stellar performance for Team France in the FIBA World Cup, is flying high despite struggling at the NBA level and the physicality that comes with it. However, he helped France overcome a tough USA team featuring Kemba Walker and other premier talents from the league.
The Frenchman “really did some good stuff for his confidence,” as per head coach David Fizdale.
Coach Fiz is ? behind @FrankLikina pic.twitter.com/xwnYXRHpTH
— MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) October 2, 2019
Fizdale will likely utilize Ntilikina in various ways moving forward, considering his lack of consistency on the offensive side of the ball but his defensive dominance. We should anticipate Frank being a situational player off the bench, primary being used for his defense late in games and on essential possessions.
Expecting him to force his way to the top of the point guard pecking order is unlikely, as third-year player Dennis Smith Jr. has more potential and athleticism exponentially. His offense has also been shaky since his inception in 2017, but he has worked diligently to improve his jump shot this offseason, therefore increasing his scoring production.
That reality hasn’t wavered Ntilikina, who’s still feeding off the confidence gained from his World Cup success.
“I learned a lot. How good I can be playing basketball, it’s simple on both sides of the courts. A competition like that brought me a lot of confidence,” Ntilikina said after practice on Wednesday.
The third-year point guard only averaged eight points per game in the World Cup but made several vital shots against the USA, helping him elevate his confidence. He has averaged a lousy 5.9 points per game with the Knicks over two seasons, something he must raise this season if he wishes to have a home in New York moving forward.
After featuring on the trade market this past free agency period, he is on a short leash with the Knicks, but they still see the value he has to offer.