New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson brings the ball up the court in the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Knicks Need More Tyler Kolek, Less Jalen Brunson

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jan 4, 2026 8:30 AM ET

The New York Knicks have one of the best players in the league in Jalen Brunson, who is averaging 30.6 points while shooting 40.5 percent from beyond the three-point line.

While Brunson has been good, the Knicks are also getting a boost from second-year backup point guard Tyler Kolek. Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes pointed out why the Knicks have succeeded with both Brunson and Kolek.

"Even with new head coach Mike Brown moving Jalen Brunson off the ball more as part of an egalitarian offense, the New York Knicks spent most of the early season short on secondary ball-handlers. New York's overall offense is among the best in the league, but it was among the worst whenever Brunson was off the floor," Hughes wrote.

"As the calendar flipped from November to December, second-year guard Tyler Kolek made himself a more consistent presence in the rotation. Though his Christmas outburst against the Cavs generated attention, he'd been a helpful playmaker for several weeks before that.

"The result: New York's numbers with Kolek on the floor and Brunson off are actually excellent. Three of the four most-used lineups with Brunson out and Kolek in are scoring at rates higher New York's full-season figure."

New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek brings the ball up court against the New Orleans Pelicans Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Kolek Shining in Brunson's Shadow

This doesn't mean the Knicks need to ditch Brunson for Kolek, but it more so proves that the former Marquette guard is carving out a role for himself with the Knicks. Kolek looks a lot more comfortable than he did in his rookie year, and a big part of it could be his confidence but also being in Brown's new system.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was notorious for not playing rookies, and Kolek was no exception to the rule. He only played in 41 of his 82 rookie games, but this season, he's already made 30 appearances for the team in 35 possible contests.

Kolek is slowly making himself an important part of the Knicks. If he continues to play along this trajectory for the second half of the season, he will go into the playoffs as a necessary bench piece for the Knicks. He will build a case to carve out a decent role for the Knicks in the playoffs.

There is still a lot of time in the regular season, so Kolek could take a step back, but everything we have seen from him so far indicates that this is only just the beginning.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: