Knicks’ second-round pick Tyler Nickel already showing his 3-point prowess

LAS VEGAS — For obvious reasons, Tyler Nickel prefers to wear No. 5.

But that uniform was taken by Knicks guard Jose Alvarado. So Nickel settled for double-nickel.

“T-Nick is my nickname, but a lot of people call me T-5,” said Nickel, the No. 47 overall pick in last month’s draft. “So [No.] 5 has been me. So when [No.] 55 was available, I was like, ‘OK, I can’t get [No.] 5, so [No.] 55 is cool.’ “

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If Nickel carves out an NBA career, he’ll be defined by a different digit — 3.

Knicks second-round pick Tyler Nickel shoots a 3-pointer during the Knicks’ 70-49 Summer League loss to the Spurs on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas. NBAE via Getty Images

As the second-round pick demonstrated in his first two summer league games, his greatest asset is his proficiency from beyond the arc.

Nickel dropped six treys on 10 attempts Friday against the Nets, the lone positive in a blowout defeat that featured ugly performances from summer league vets Mohamed Diawara, Pacôme Dadiet and Dillon Jones.

On Saturday, Nickel again was the Knicks’ leading scorer with 16 points on 6-for-14 shooting in 30 minutes in the Knicks’ 70-49 loss to the Spurs.

“I definitely feel like I have some comparisons in the league. I feel like I’m a mix of some different guys: my size, my strength, my shooting ability,” Nickel said. “I feel really comfortable shooting off the move, so like [Detroit’s] Duncan Robinson, [Cleveland’s] Max Strus, [Boston’s] Sam Hauser. But then I have my own type of way of being. So it’s kind of a mix of a lot of people but also myself.”

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All those players, including Nickel, have two things in common: They’re catch-and-shoot specialists, and they’re white.

Tyler Nickel, who scored a team-high 16 points, looks to make a move during the Knicks’ Summer League loss to the Spurs. NBAE via Getty Images

“Hey, listen,” the 22-year-old Vanderbilt product laughed when told he was making just white-player comparisons. “They got roles in the league.”

Nickel, who is from Virginia and talks with a Southern twang, will struggle to stay on an NBA court if he can’t competently defend.

It’s considered his weakness, but the 6-foot-7…

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Publish date : 2026-07-12 06:23:00

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