Knicks’ 1st-round rookie fighting to make an impact this season

Following the injury to Landry Shamet, the New York Knicks suddenly are in need of wing depth, especially in the second unit. First-round draft pick Pacome Dadiet will be one of the players fighting for a potential spot in the rotation at some point this season.

Knicks’ rookie Pacome Dadiet made a strong first impression in his preseason debut

It is highly unlikely that the rookie from France will make the rotation right away, as he has only made one appearance in the preseason so far. However, he made a very strong first impression in that appearance, scoring 16 points on 6-11 shooting (3-5 from three) and grabbing five rebounds.

At 6-7 and 200 lbs, the 19-year-old has all the makings of being a solid wing piece for the Knicks. He profiles as an athletic wing with ball-handling capabilities and a decent three-point shot, all things that New York’s bench could use.

Dadiet still has to develop at the NBA level

Despite all of those tools, he is still very raw as a player and has a lot of skills to develop in order to be a solid NBA player. Prior to Tuesday’s preseason game, his only league experience had been in the Summer League over the offseason, where he went through some early growing pains averaging just 6.8 points on 30.8% shooting from the floor and 10.5% from three.

There is still a lot for the rookie to learn, but he thinks that observing a team that is expected to do a lot of winning this season can benefit him long-term.

“I have the opportunity to be on the team where we’re winning and we’ve got a lot of great players. I’m taking that opportunity just to learn every day,” Dadiet said (h/t SNY).

Learning from a team with title aspirations can benefit Dadiet

The Knicks selected Dadiet with the 25th overall pick in this past year’s draft. There was initial speculation that he was going to just be a draft-and-stash type of pick, as many wondered if he was going to return overseas given the lack of available playing time for him.

However, Dadiet insisted on staying in New York and learning from a team that is expected to be heavy favorites in the Eastern Conference this season. As previously mentioned, the Shamet injury provides an opportunity for Dadiet to make another impression in the Knicks’ preseason finale against the Washington Wizards on Friday.

Dadiet likely doesn’t make the rotation to start the regular season regardless of how he performs, and there is a chance that he will see some time in the G-league this year to enhance his skillset. However, Dadiet can take advantage of a thin bench unit and find his way into getting an opportunity at the NBA level at some point this season.