In watching his rookie teammate step up as the Knicks frontcourt took several injury hits, Josh Hart was reminded of a piece of advice he heard during his first year with the Lakers:
“Stay ready, you don’t gotta be ready.”
The words came from then-Lakers associate head coach Brian Shaw in 2017.
It is exactly what Hart saw in young guard Tyler Kolek on Saturday during his season-high 18 minutes in the 122-103 win over the Wizards.
“He stayed ready, stayed involved, stayed working, and when he got his opportunity, he was able to go out there and execute,” Hart said Monday following practice. “You guys seen it in the course of the NBA season, guys that are not playing and they kind of, their mind floats, and their opportunity comes and they’re not ready for it. So, he put the work in. He’s continuing to put the work in now knowing that we are going to call his number more.”
The Knicks have taken a big hit since Jalen Brunson went down with an ankle injury on March 6 against the Lakers.
He is expected to be out at least another week.
They’ve managed a 4-4 record since then, but Saturday’s game also saw Miles McBride go out with a groin injury.
Tom Thibodeau was forced to call upon Cam Payne and Kolek, but the head coach knew his rookie was ready for the task and is prepared to take on more minutes as it’s unknown if McBride will take the court for Tuesday’s game against the Mavericks.
According to The Post’s Stefan Bondy, McBride is likely to miss his second straight contest.
“Yeah, he’s worked hard all year. The things that he needed to do, he did,” Thibodeau said of Kolek. “He works, he’s a tireless worker. Performed well in the G-League. So when the opportunity came, he was ready. And there’s still obviously a lot of work to be done but he keeps getting better and better and that’s a good sign.”
Kolek was a star at Marquette, receiving accolades as best player in the 2022-23 Big East regular-season and tournament.
However, that and his solid performance in the Summer League is the small sample size of which Knicks fans can base their opinions of the rookie.
He has averaged a mere 5.2 minutes per game across 34 contests this season after falling short of cracking the guard rotation of Brunson, Mikal Bridges, McBride and Payne.
Yet, on Saturday, the 23-year-old stepped up to score four points off the bench while dishing out eight assists and grabbing three steals during his first meaningful minutes on the court in months.
The aftermath, Hart said, gives the Knicks some confidence as they take on 12 games before the postseason — at least four of which will be without Brunson.
“Obviously, when you’ve got guys out and guys step up, it boosts your confidence in those guys and in the flow of the team,” he said. “That’s what the NBA season is, guys staying ready and when they get their opportunity, seize it.”
Kolek is known for his ability to facilitate.
His strengths have been getting his teammates involved, pushing the pace and outside shooting.
The concern comes in the second-round pick’s defensive ability as a smaller guard.
Yet, Thibodeau believes that will all fall into place with time.
“I think like for most rookies, there’s a big adjustment going from college to the pros,” he said. “So understanding your team responsibilities and the individual responsibilities. And who you’re guarding, the strengths and weaknesses of the team. He’s a gym rat and he loves the game so he’s learning each day. And the more times he goes through it, the better he’ll get.”
The Knicks see Kolek as a player who knows there is more to improve upon.
One who is hungry for the next step — which may come again as soon as Tuesday and Wednesday in back-to-back matchups for the Knicks.
“[He] doesn’t think he knows everything…” OG Anunoby said of Kolek. “He’s curious to learn, curious to grow. I think those are the most important things.”
