Tyler Kolek of the New York Knicks is about to begin his second season in the NBA, and he wants it to be even better than his first.
He knows he is playing for a team with a lot of options, but he wants to be one of the best ones.
Speaking with Ian Begley, Kolek talked about his wishes and plans for the upcoming season.
He is looking to improve and help his team succeed even more.
“Just trying to earn my role; whatever the team needs me to do. Just trying to prove to guys that I can be out there on the floor, that I can impact winning,” Kolek said.
“Just trying to earn my role; whatever the team needs me to do. Just trying to prove to guys that I can be out there on the floor, that I can impact winning.”
Tyler Kolek talks Year 2 outlook & more from NYC Basketball Kids camp interview on The Putback: https://t.co/FUDZ5k34Qn
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) August 19, 2025
Kolek’s first season didn’t have him doing a whole lot, at least not according to the numbers.
He averaged 2.0 points and 1.7 assists on 32.9 percent from the field and just 29.8 percent from the three-point line.
To be fair, Kolek wasn’t used that often and only played an average of 7.2 minutes across his 41 games.
He learned what many rookies already have: it’s hard to carve out time on the court, especially if you’re playing for a team that has high aspirations.
The Knicks were intent on going all the way to the Finals, so they didn’t give Kolek much of a chance because they were relying on their biggest stars.
On top of that, head coach Tom Thibodeau is infamous for not changing his rotations often, which made things even more difficult for Kolek.
But even though his numbers weren’t astounding, Kolek showed some promise and also has the right attitude.
That attitude is still on full display during the offseason, but he wants to come back and create an even bigger impact for his team.
Of course, it’ll still be hard for him to earn minutes, even with a new coach.
The team has actually gotten deeper, which means more people will be vying for time on the court.
But Kolek has had a whole offseason to improve and work on his skills, and he could bring something different to the table in the new season.
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