​Tyler Nickel didn’t need a dramatic finale to win Josh Hart’s endorsement. During Friday night’s NBA Summer League opener against the Brooklyn Nets, the Knicks’ first-year forward caught Hart’s eye as he heated up from beyond the arc, prompting a concise but meaningful reaction on X. “55 got a chop,” Hart wrote, referencing Nickel’s number and his smooth shooting stroke. The veteran forward’s in-game praise arrived as Nickel delivered one of the most impressive showings by a Knicks prospect in recent memory, showcasing the lofty perimeter shooting that helped him emerge as one of the top marksmen in the 2026 NBA Draft.
New York struggled offensively in a 91-65 loss to Brooklyn, but Nickel stood out with consistent three-point bombing. The No. 47 overall pick totaled 18 points and four rebounds in 22 minutes, going 6-for-11 from the floor and 6-for-10 from three-point range. Notably, every point he scored came from beyond the arc. Nickel also finished as New York’s second-leading scorer behind Pacome Dadiet, who contributed 20 points and seven rebounds. The contrast between Nickel and the rest of the Knicks’ roster was stark: while the Vanderbilt product connected on 60% of his three-point attempts, his teammates combined to shoot just 3-for-29 from deep.
Nickel saved his best for the fourth quarter, knocking down all three of his attempts from downtown while continuing to display the shooting touch that made him one of college basketball’s premier floor spacers. He entered the NBA after a college career at Vanderbilt in which he was among the nation’s elite shooters, hitting 40% of his three-point attempts in his final season. That ability translated immediately against NBA competition, and the Knicks selected the 6-foot-7 wing with the hope that his shooting could eventually complement one of the league’s deepest veteran rosters. Friday’s performance offered an encouraging glimpse of that potential.
The New York Daily News’ Kristian Winfield suggested Nickel could emerge as a strong candidate for one of the organization’s remaining two-way contract spots, particularly given the Knicks’ need to navigate beneath the second apron and their limited roster flexibility. Breaking into Mike Brown’s regular-season rotation won’t be easy, though. The defending champions return much of the structure that brought them the title, leaving fewer opportunities for rookies to crack the lineup. Still, Brown has demonstrated, even with a stacked roster, that players who consistently perform and embrace their roles can earn meaningful opportunities regardless of draft position. Nickel seems to be making an impression away from the court as well. The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III reported that Knicks Summer League coach T.J. Saint said he has been “most impressed” with Nickel’s defense. Saint also revealed he caught the rookie studying the playbook at the airport, a detail underscoring Nickel’s preparation and professionalism before Summer League play, and hinting at his readiness to contribute in more ways than just scoring.