Tyler Nickel, formerly of Vanderbilt basketball, has signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, the team announced Sept. 27.
The announcement closes the door on Nickel returning to the Commodores or any other college program for the 2026-27 season.
In 2025-26 with Vanderbilt, Nickel averaged 13.5 points per game and hit 40% of his 3-pointers. He was the 47th overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft and played in the NBA Summer League with the Knicks, averaging 12.2 points per game.
There was some talk earlier in the offseason that Nickel could return to Vanderbilt when a judge in Colorado issued an injunction granting a fifth year of eligibility to every member of the high school class of 2022 who had completed four years of college sports without
using a redshirt. But the Commodores didn't have roster spots open after 4-star wing Gabe Nesmith enrolled early, and the Colorado injunction was later stayed. If Nickel had wanted to return to college, he would have had to receive his own court injunction granting him eligible, then find a school where he could still enroll that had open roster spots.
Some of those injunctions have also been stayed, including one that had former Vanderbilt teammate Jalen Washington set to transfer to Tennessee.
Instead, Nickel will join the reigning NBA champions.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tyler Nickel signs with New York Knicks, closing door on Vanderbilt basketball return
