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Fans were surprised to hear Pacôme Dadiet‘s name called as the New York Knicks‘ first-round selection in the 2024 NBA Draft. Now he’ll face the challenge of winning over the blue and orange faithful.
New York selected Dadiet with the 25th overall pick. He sent a message to fans on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“It was meant to be…#NewYorkForever,” he tweeted on June 27.
After two years playing in Germany with Ratiopharm Ulm, he’ll look to earn a roster spot on the 2024-2025 Knicks.
The initial reaction to Dadiet was that he’d spend the year or years overseas, honing his skills and getting NBA ready.
He has other plans.
“I’m planning on playing here,” Dadiet told reporters after being drafted by the Knicks.
Dadiet Ready to Contribute
Leon Rose and the Knicks’ front office may not share Dadiet’s enthusiasm for playing next season. But he’ll likely get his shot to win them over in Summer League and training camp.
On his journey to being drafted to the NBA, Dadiet credited his work ethic. “I think it’s beautiful, I took a lot of risks,” Dadiet continued. “I left France when I was 17, so I did the last two years in Germany. I believed in myself, I worked a lot, I stayed confident.”
Asked about his game and what he brings to New York, Dadiet offered up versatility.
“I think I’m really versatile, but I can also bring what a rookie needs to bring in a team,” Dadiet said on June 26. “Bring some energy, being able to grab a rebound and push the ball, but also knock down shots.”
He had a good feeling about a potential future with the Knicks after his pre-draft workout.
“The workout went well,” Dadiet told reporters. “So I knew they were interested. But until the last minute, I didn’t know where I was going. I’m very excited to start working. I can’t wait.”
Knicks Trade Up for Tyler Kolek
The 2024 NBA Draft was the first of it’s kind, in that it was held over two days, with each round getting a respective spotlight.
On day two, New York traded up the 34th overall pick to select Tyler Kolek, out of Marquette University. Adrian Wojnarowski was first with reports of the draft night deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.
“The Knicks are sending the Blazers future second-round picks for Tyler Kolek at No. 34, per source,” Wojnarowski tweeted.
Kolek is a 23-year-old guard coming off of three seasons with the Marquette Golden Eagles. He averaged 15.3 points, 7.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 31 games last season.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor praised New York for the pick. He also made sure to mention that the Knicks “love” the Marquette guard, and they were linked to him in the first round.
“The Knicks love Tyler Kolek,” O’Connor tweeted on June 27. “There was a ton of noise they’d take him first round, and he’s a steal at this point. Bucket-getter who can reliably run the show too. Great depth behind Brunson and with so many wings they can maybe play both at once.”
Leon Rose and the Knicks’ front office have stayed busy throughout the draft, making a number of deals. But this is the only trade they made to move up in the draft order.
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