When the New York Knicks selected Tyler Kolek 34th in the 2024 NBA Draft, it may not have been understandable to everyone.

The team is currently led by Jalen Brunson, a star point guard. Miles McBride has proven himself to be a rotation player, and his development is one of the good stories to come out of New York. With talents like Oso Ighodaro and Adem Bona still available, the Knicks could have bolstered their center depth. Replacing Isaiah Hartenstein – or simply letting him go – would have been much easier.

Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau’s true thoughts on Tyler Kolek revealed

As it turns out, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau “is a huge fan (of Kolek) and pushed for the Knicks to draft him,” according to Fred Katz of The Athletic.

The best real point guard in the draft?

Kolek was arguably the best point guard in the 2024 NBA Draft. Although Stephon Castle, Rob Dillingham, Jared McCain and Nikola Topic dominated the headlines during the draft cycle, none of them possessed the combination of prototypical skills that he did.

Neither Castle nor Topic were reliable long-range shooters. Dillingham and McCain don’t have the passing instincts or game understanding of a traditional lead guard. Kolek, on the other hand, made 39.3 percent of his 3-pointers and averaged 7.6 assists per game in his final two college seasons. He also played the position passionately in an era when point guards are typically the weakest link on defense.

But what made him a good fit for the Knicks wasn’t just that he was a prototypical point guard. It was the fact that they didn’t have one.

At various points last season, it became clear that the Knicks could use a pass-first perimeter player. Brunson is an excellent shot creator whose eyes are primarily on scoring. Julius Randle is a solid playmaker at his position, but also tends to have tunnel vision. OG Anunoby was never entrusted with the playmaker role. Still, as New York’s three best players, they were obligated to be on the court.

Ultimately, the need for playmaking was so great that he helped New York move Donte DiVincenzo into the starting lineup. His shooting really helped him displace Quentin Grimes, who was far too afraid to make a bad play. DiVincenzo’s playmaking skills helped seal the deal, though.

So when the 2024 NBA Draft came around, the Knicks had an opportunity. Instead of continuing to rely on DiVincenzo’s secondary playmaking and hoping Brunson becomes a better distributor or waiting for McBride to become a better facilitator, they drafted Kolek.

Will he play as a rookie?

Looking ahead, Kolek may not have a consistent role next season. McBride may not throw dime-sized passes, but he is a great defensive passer. Additionally, the Knicks have acquired offensively-minded veteran point guard Cam Payne. However, his skill set could allow him to overtake both McBride and Payne in the rankings.

So instead of assuming he’ll just sit on the bench, it might be better for the rookie to approach the season as if he’s getting a chance to play in the rotation.