Exclusive | Fran Fraschilla tells The Post why he trusts Knicks’ draft process as they seek title repeat
Exclusive | Fran Fraschilla tells The Post why he trusts Knicks' draft process
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Prime Day ends tonight! Score these last-minute deals NBA exclusive New York KnicksFran Fraschilla tells The Post why he trusts Knicks’ draft process as they seek title repeat
By Jared Schwartz Published June 25, 2026, 8:22 p.m. ETSee more of our coverage in your search results.
Add The New York Post on GoogleTrust in Knicks decision-making is at an all-time high.
President Leon Rose, his front office and the scouting department around him have brought a team out of purgatory and turned it into a champion. Their next challenge is to repeat as champions.
And their latest moves were to trade the No. 24 pick in the draft and out of the first round completely, make two second-round picks and trade two other second-rounders.
Usually, much shouldn’t be expected from players drafted in the middle of the second round — where the Knicks selected Jack Kayil (No. 39) and Tyler Nickel (No. 47). But this front office has delivered contributors from similar draft positions recently.
Can they do it again?
“I trust the Knicks — they have a great scouting department,” Fran Fraschilla, the former head coach at Manhattan, St. John’s and New Mexico and now ESPN’s college basketball analyst, who also is part of the network’s NBA draft coverage, told The Post. “They hit on guys like this. … Let’s put it this way, I’ll say this — Walt Perrin and Brock Aller, they know what they’re doing. It’s not a given that either of these guys is gonna be a home run, but I would trust their judgment given their recent track record.”
The 20-year-old Kayil was the higher pick of the two, but most know less about him, given that he has played overseas in Germany for Alba Berlin.
He just recently won the Bundesliga championship with Alba Berlin, recording 10 points, three rebounds and a steal — though on 2-for-11 shooting from the field and 1-for-9 shooting from 3-point range — in the title game against Bayern Munich.
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“He’s a big, strong but young point guard who gained a lot of experience in a relatively high-level European league,” Fraschilla, who is also respected as one of the most knowledgeable about overseas basketball, said. “It’s to his credit that he just led his Alba Berlin to an unexpected championship. That’s in his favor. Skillwise, he’s still a work in progress, but his athleticism and toughness give him a chance someday soon to be an NBA player. I’m guessing that the Knicks think he needs a little bit more seasoning. I would be surprised if he was on the roster, but he wouldn’t embarrass himself. But he’s not ready to be a contributor on an NBA championship team.
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$129.00+ New York Post Store Buy Now New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links.“He’s improving. He’s headed toward being an NBA player. I don’t know that he’s there yet, but he certainly made a big step this year, winning a championship. He was a focal point as a 20-year-old on a team with men, grown-ups.”
What’s his calling card right now, and where does he most need to grow?
“He’s a point guard. He’s a creative playmaker who has the ability to create his own shot, but his shooting needs to improve,” Fraschilla said. “Having said that, he takes a lot of tough shots, because his team gets low in the shot clock. His shooting definitely needs to improve for him to be viable at some point in the future. I’m sure he’ll work on it.”
Nickel, a 22-year-old forward out of Vanderbilt, perhaps has a lower ceiling but is more ready to potentially contribute right away as a sharpshooter.
“I like his size, his toughness and his shooting,” Fraschilla said. “He’s got the toughness to be an NBA player, and he certainly shoots it well. And I think that’s why they drafted him. He’s not a skinny, 170-pound kid. He’s well put together, very experienced, been to three schools, and was really a good player this year in the SEC. He’s got a quick release, deep range, and he’s fearless. The toughness and the fearlessness, off the bat, give him a chance to make an NBA roster.”
Nickel shot over 40 percent from deep the past two seasons in college. And his mechanics, along with his 6-foot-7 frame, make his shooting something that should be transferable to the NBA.
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“He’s got a quick release and he is fearless,” Fraschilla said. “Fearlessly tough with it. He has amnesia after every shot — make or miss. …. Right off the bat, his outside shooting is very translatable.
“I would say lateral quickness, defensively, in the best league in the world will be his primary adjustment. But if you watch YouTube, you’ll see some sneaky athletic dunks.”
There are usually reasons players fall to the second round. But the Knicks have found pieces — like Miles McBride, Mohamed Diawara, Tyler Kolek and Ariel Hukporti — there recently.
Perhaps Kayil or Nickel can be the next examples.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
