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NBA Draft 2017: Knicks take Frank Ntilikina at No. 8

By Chris Stone

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 18: Phil Jackson looks on during his introductory press conference as President of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 18, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 18: Phil Jackson looks on during his introductory press conference as President of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 18, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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The New York Knicks have a new point guard after selecting Frank Ntilikina with the No. 8 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft

The New York Knicks used the No. 8 pick of the 2017 NBA Draft to select Strasbourg guard Frank Ntilikina. The franchise had been linked to Kentucky’s Malik Monk and North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith Jr. in the lead up to the draft as well.

Ntilikina will be a nice fit for the Knicks who still seem intent on rolling out the triangle offense. His biggest drawback as a point guard is his lack of individual creation ability, but with the triangle’s emphasis on passing and cutting, he won’t be tasked with trying to attack out of the pick-and-roll as often. In a sense, the scheme maximizes his strengths and minimizes his weaknesses.

The other positive that Ntilikina will bring on the offensive end is his outside shooting. After struggling for much of his career, he seemed to click this season, improving immensely from behind the arc. If he can maintain a decent percentage from deep, he’ll be a solid offensive player for New York.

Outside of his offensive game, Ntilikina will bring some much needed defense to Madison Square Garden. He has a rumored 7-foot-1 wingspan, quick feet and a competitive spirit that keeps him playing tough even against larger opponents.

Next: FanSided 2017 NBA Draft Tracker

In order to guard NBA opponents on a nightly basis, though, Ntilikina will need to improve his body. Right now, he has a slight frame that will need additional weight to handle the rigors of physical play that he’ll face in the NBA.

For the Knicks, this is about as good as they could do with the No. 8 pick. Now, everything will shift towards the trade rumors surrounding Kristaps Porzingis, but if the front office ultimately keeps both Ntilikina and Porzingis on the roster, they’ll have a young duo to build around that could produce big things down the line.

Check out Daily Knicks for more New York Knicks NBA Draft analysis.

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