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Oct 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Pacome Dadiet (4) dribbles up court against the Washington Wizards during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Knicks' Pacome Dadiet Earns Another Start

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Geoff Magliocchetti | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 1:00 PM ET

With their regular men sidelined, the New York Knicks sought a bit of a French correction in their latest preseason showcase.

Offering their reserves a extended workload against the Washington Wizards by resting franchise faces like Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks placed 20-year-old Pacome Dadiet back in their starting five for the occasion and his eventual fate was a talking point before and after the exhibition.

"He's just got to continue to understand how big he is," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said of the 6-8 Dadiet in the pregame lead up, per video from SNY. "He's long. He's a big wing and, at times, he doesn't utilize it ... That's just being young. At times, he's a little quiet because he's young and he's unsure at times of what he should be saying or doing. We keep trying to throw him in the fire as much as possible."

Dadiet is one of the attractions of the Knicks' preseason, which gives him an opportunity to take the floor after playing sparingly during his rookie campaign. The 20-year-old holds a bit of a special spot among amateur and professional observers considering he's the first recent first-round pick to take the floor for the Knicks, drafted 25th overall in 2024.

A pair of corner triples for Pacôme Dadiet pic.twitter.com/l9d0aSOSO2
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 13, 2025

The Wizards' visit and the mass exodus of the Knicks' regulars allowed Dadiet to make his second start of the preseason, previously getting the nod for the exhibition opener in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. Things started off well enough, as Dadiet was responsible for the Knicks' first six points through a pair of corner threes.

From there, however, Dadiet was not immune to the struggles that the rest of the makeshift starting five endured, as he missed his last five shots in the 120-103 defeat against the shorthanded Wizards. Dadiet did manage to lead the Knicks in rebounds with six (perhaps a damning indication on where their interior picture is without Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns) but there were a few too many instances of rookie mistakes amidst the Knicks' struggles.

Pacome Dadiet Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

"I had a couple of shots, took them in confidence," Dadiet said of his "flashes" in video from SNY. "I put a lot of work in this summer, so I just trust it, that's all I can do ... I think [Washington's lead] was more defensively, they made a lot of shots ... we gave them too much space, I think."

Only adding to Dadiet's plight is the fact that he may be one of the prime candidates for a cost-cutting trade, one that would allow New York to hang onto all of the depth acquisitions they made this offseason (i.e. Malcolm Brogdon, Landry Shamet). Those up for grabs, such as Dadiet and fellow 2024 draftee Tyler Kolek, have tried to put that aside as the Knicks press forward.

For his part, Brown hinted at trying to keep Dadiet's development in the Knicks' system, believing he's destined for Association longevity.

“He definitely has a chance to be a player in this league for a long time. You want to help try to speed that development up," Brown said, per Kris Pursiainen of ClutchPoints. "“He's a really young guy. He's got a chance to be really, really good, especially with his size.”

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

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