Knicks Center Can Dominate Summer League

New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti flashed some potential during his rookie season in the NBA.

The No. 59 overall pick was the final player chosen in last year's NBA Draft, but the Knicks saw some potential, accepting the team option in his contract for the upcoming season.

Hukporti will have a chance to prove the Knicks right for doing that in the Las Vegas Summer League, where The Athletic insider James Edwards III has high expectations.

"I want to see him physically dominate at summer league. I don’t mean average 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks or anything. That’s not realistic. I want to see him contest any shot near him at the basket. I want him to make offensive players think twice about attacking him at the rim when he’s near it. I want to see him set hard, crisp screens. I want to see him be a hard roller and lob threat. I want to see him rebound like someone who already has NBA experience," Edwards wrote.

"Hukporti didn’t play a ton as a rookie but he did play more meaningful minutes out of any of the other youngsters. And like Dadiet, he was a pro player before coming to the NBA. Hukporti should have a leg-up on many of the players he’ll be going against in Las Vegas. You’d like to see that experience reveal itself."

Hukporti, 23, averaged 1.9 points per game in 25 appearances with the Knicks last season. Those numbers are expected to be similar in his second season as he sits behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson in the depth chart, but improvement should be seen.

Hukporti will have a chance to showcase his growth with a larger role for the Knicks in Las Vegas.

Hukporti and the Knicks will take on the Detroit Pistons on Friday at 6 p.m. ET.