​Tyler Nickel entered the NBA with a reputation as one of the top shooters in the 2026 draft class, and two Summer League games into his Knicks tenure, the second-round pick has yet to do anything to dim that perception. After leading New York with 16 points in Saturday’s 70-49 Summer League defeat to the San Antonio Spurs, Nickel has totaled 34 points and hit 10 three-pointers through his first two games in Las Vegas.
When asked after his Summer League debut which current NBA players he sees as similar to him, the 22-year-old pointed to several of the league’s premier movement shooters. “I definitely feel like I have some comparisons in the league,” Nickel said. “I feel like I’m a mix of some different guys: my size, my strength, my shooting ability. I feel really comfortable shooting off the move, so like Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, 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.”
When it was noted that all three comparisons are white shooters, Nickel laughed. “Hey, listen,” he said. “They got roles in the league.”
Nickel’s hot start hasn’t gone unnoticed in the Knicks’ locker room. During his Summer League debut against the Brooklyn Nets, veteran forward Josh Hart reacted in real time on social media, posting, “55 got a chop,” a nod to Nickel’s smooth shooting stroke. Nickel knows the biggest question about his NBA future isn’t about his shooting but about his defensive effort. Before Saturday’s game, the Vanderbilt product emphasized that the part of his game he most wanted to showcase wasn’t his shooting but his defense.
“Mostly on the defensive side,” Nickel said during the Summer League broadcast. “Everybody knows I can shoot the ball. Just show my physicality and motor on the defensive end.”
He backed up that emphasis against San Antonio, posting 16 points and two blocks as the Knicks’ offense struggled, underscoring that he can impact games on both ends. The performance came one game after he scored 18 points on 6-for-10 from three-point range against the Brooklyn Nets in his Summer League debut. Nickel’s off-ball movement and willingness to contribute without the ball have also drawn praise from the Knicks’ coaching staff.
“He’s been shooting all right,” Summer League coach T.J. Saint told reporters in Las Vegas, per the New York Post. “His defense has actually been impressive in the camp.” Saint also highlighted a moment that stood out even before the team arrived in Las Vegas: “When we were in the airport the other day, I went over to talk to him, and he was studying our playbook. I already like where he’s at, getting ahead of the game.”
The organization’s comments and Nickel’s early results suggest more than just a flashy skill set. There’s a clear emphasis on his preparation and readiness to contribute in multiple facets of the game. As the summer unfolds, Nickel’s ability to translate this early showing into consistent NBA performance will be watched closely, with Knicks fans hopeful that his shooting stroke and developing defense can help him carve out a meaningful role in the team’s rotation.