Who is Tyler Kolek? Explore The 23YO Guard Who Could Be a 2nd Round NBA Draft Steal

With all the lights on Barclays Center on Wednesday night, it was all about the rookies of today and the stars of tomorrow. The tailor-made suits, the high-end watches, the chains, the sponsored hats, and the draft prospects brought the bling to Brooklyn. Amid all the lights and cameras, one name lost itself in obscurity. Who do you ask? He is Tyler Kolek, the nation’s leading NCAA assists provider, poised for potential stardom after being overlooked in the first round.

With the 2024 NBA Draft’s night two just a few hours away, this is your chance to find out who Tyler Kolek is. Born in Cumberland, Rhode Island, Kolek had basketball in his genes. His retired Police officer father was a big shot in the Little East conference back in his days. After playing three seasons at Cumberland High School, Kolek moved to St. George’s Prep. With an 18.6 PPG, he took home the Rhode Island Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year in his junior year. That was just the surface. Standing 6’3″ and 190-pound, the point guard joined Marquette in 2021 via George Mason and took the Big East by surprise, winning the conference’s Player Of The Year. Things only picked up thereafter as he recorded a 12.9-4.1-7.5 stat line in the 2022-23 season.

“F–k ’em,” was Kolek’s message to the doubters when he attended the Big East conference media day for the 2023-24 season. Just like his verse, his game was nonchalant and by the end of the season, Kolek was sitting atop the assists leaderboard with 7.7 per game. His impeccable shooting thoroughly complements his dime-dashing game as he made light work of Western Kentucky and Colorado Buffaloes in the first two rounds of the South Region championship.

Even with all those numbers behind him, none of the teams thought him to be worthy of a first-round pick. That could surely change on the second night of the event as it heads to ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in Manhattan. But where might Kolek potentially land? Let’s explore his potential landing spots and what each team might see in him.

Given the draft’s unpredictability, Kolek’s story could shift dramatically depending on which teams see value in his skill set and potential for growth.

Potential Landing Spots for Tyler Kolek

Tyler Kolek is an all-action point guard, adept at picking the lock. He is a capable shooter as well, with a healthy 49.6-38.8-85.1 shooting percentage split. So, who needs a point guard? Looking at the draft order, at 31 are the Raptors. Kolek had a pre-draft work-out with the Toronto side, so make what you want to make of this information. The Utah Jazz are next in line, and they could do well with the addition of a point guard. But the problem is, they already picked Isaiah Collier in the first round.

At 33, the Milwaukee Bucks also might have a use for Kolek. With Damian Lillard ahead of him, the franchise will have a capable like-for-like replacement waiting in the wings. The Blazers, at 34, probably would look to rope Kolek in as they’re in the process of a roster overhaul.

We can keep the Spurs out of the conversation due to the draft of Stephon Castle. That brings us to his final possible destination, the Timberwolves. As the franchise is staring at a power struggle at the ownership level, a solid draft pick won’t be a bad idea due to their salary cap issues. Assets might get traded away after the ownership battle concludes. Even then, a fresh draft pick can be thrown into the mix and Kolek certainly can be an enticing asset.

Where will Tyler Kolek’s unique skills and potential take him in the NBA? Comment below

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker, Leonard Armato, had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this video.