Mike Brown
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New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown during a game against the Miami Heat in December 2025
As the New York Knicks continue to establish themselves as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference, attention is beginning to shift towards how the roster can be refined for sustained success.
With a core built to compete now and little appetite for long-term developmental projects, New York’s forward planning is increasingly centered on fit, reliability, and marginal gains around its established foundation.
That philosophy is reflected in ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft, where analyst Jeremy Woo projects the Knicks to target an experienced, high-level shooter capable of contributing immediately to a title-contending roster.
New York Knicks Linked to Proven Winner at UConn
In Woo’s projection, New York are tipped to select Alex Karaban with the 27th overall pick, a choice that aligns with how playoff teams often approach the back end of the first-round.
Rather than swinging for long-term upside, contenders typically prioritize players who can step into defined roles quickly and help winning teams without extensive developmental timelines. Karaban fits that profile.
A 23-year-old senior with the UConn Huskies, Karaban enters the draft with one of the strongest resumes in college basketball. He’s been a key contributor on back-to-back national championship teams, winning titles in 2023 and 2024, and is widely viewed by scouts as a reliable “winning player.”
Through 17 games this season, Karaban is averaging 13.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 50% from the field and an impressive 43.9% from three-point range.
“Karaban will be a player who draws looks from playoff teams beginning at the end of the first round, offering immediate depth at forward, if not significant long-term upside at his age,” Woo wrote.
At 6-foot-8, Karaban offers positional versatility, but his defining skill remains his shooting. Over 129 career games with UConn, he’s connected on 251 three-pointers at a 38.3% clip, reinforcing his reputation as a dependable floor spacer.
While his upside is viewed as limited due to age and athletic profile, the appeal lies in certainty. Karaban understands spacing, makes quick decisions, and competes consistently on both ends, qualities that translate well to bench roles on veteran teams.
He’s already contributed to championship-caliber environments and projects as someone who can do the same at the next level.
Elite Shooting Fits New York’s Contender Blueprint
For the Knicks, the fit is relatively straightforward. With their offensive structure already in place, led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, New York’s priority is surrounding its stars with players who can defend, hit open shots, and keep the offense moving without needing touches.
“I think that Alex Karaban is hiding in plain sight right now,” ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony said recently. “I’ve been out to see UConn four separate times, and every time I’ve been just blown away by the feel for the game that Alex Karaban has and how much he’s improved as a perimeter shooter.”
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report projects Karaban as a second-round pick, but his analysis similarly emphasizes readiness over age-related concerns.
“Between Alex Karaban’s on-court winning percentage, the consistent shooting, efficient finishing and intangibles, NBA playoff teams will see an easy-fit role player worth gambling on in the second round,” Wasserman wrote. “Karaban has the skill set and mentality of a useful connective piece at the next level.”
Woo’s description of Karaban as “additive” in a bench context captures why teams like the Knicks could be drawn to prospects of his profile.
He may not alter a franchise’s trajectory on his own, but he can stabilize rotations, absorb meaningful minutes, and contribute in high-leverage moments, precisely the type of player contenders value most late in the draft.