The Knicks came away with one player on draft night, and he is an intriguing prospect.
After trading out of the first round to clear cap space and add down-the-road assets, president Leon Rose selected athletic yet enigmatic Duke guard Trevor Keels with the 42nd overall pick.
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Keels entered his one year of college with significant hype, a five-star recruit ranked No. 23 in his class by 247Sports.com.
The 6-foot-4 guard had an up-and-down season as Duke reached the Final Four, averaging 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and shooting 31.2 percent from 3-point range. His last game was one of his best, a 19-point performance in a national semifinal loss to North Carolina, after he had managed just 27 points in his first four NCAA Tournament games.
“Tough, physical shooting guard who had his best game of the season at his new home at MSG in the opener vs Kentucky,” one scout said of Keels. “Needs to get in better shape and improve his jumper, but provides a competitive edge that will likely appeal to [Tom Thibodeau.]”
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The Knicks signed guard Jean Montero to an Exhibit 10 contract, which includes an invite to training camp, ESPN reported.
The 6-foot-2 Montero played this past year in the new high school league, Overtime Elite, that pays players.
He averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 3.4 steals in 24 games. Montero was projected by some to be a second-round pick, but went undrafted.