It looks like the Knicks are so good that they have the worst Summerteam.
Conversely, the Spurs are doomed as they reached the Finals but then beat the SummerKnicks by 21 in Las Vegas. Not good news for San Antonio.
Anyway, here’s the latest to cap the weekend from Sin City.
TJ Saint
On Tyler Nickel’s shooting, defense and preparation:
“He’s been shooting all right. His defense has actually been impressive in the camp. When we were in the airport the other day, I went over to talk to him,
and he was studying our playbook, so I already like where he’s at, getting ahead of the game.”
On his first impressions of Jack Kayil:
“Really liked him. Started watching him on film after the draft. Thought he could get in the paint. Thought he had a quick burst.”
Jack Kayil
On not wanting to go back overseas:
“My goal is to play in the NBA. That’s why I went into the draft.”
On whether he will remain with the Knicks or return to Europe:
“It’s not my decision, so I’m just trying to show myself in the best way, and it is what it is. I’m super happy I also got drafted, and we’ll see what happens in the next days, weeks, whatever.”
On the reported contractual issues with Alba Berlin delaying his Summer League debut:
“There were things going on that I don’t want to get into.”
On adjusting from basketball in Germany to the NBA Summer League:
“It’s difficult to say [what the differences are from the German league]. It’s only one game. For me, it still feels like basketball, and [I] try to play the right way. And everywhere, it’s kind of the same. It’s obviously different players to play against and a different kind of speed and everything. But I’m used to different systems, so it wasn’t difficult to adapt to that. So for me, it wasn’t that big of a difference.”
Jose Alvarado
On looking up to his father:
“I just looked up to my dad… I saw somebody that I really love struggle and still work hard every day and continue to grind it out.”
Jose Alvarado Sr.
On the championship gear his son gave him:
“He gave me his whole uniform, his jersey, shorts, sneakers, headband, the champion shirt… He said, ‘Pa, hold this. It’s wet, but put it on.’”
On watching his son win a championship with the Knicks:
“He’s from New York and to win in New York with his team, it was just amazing.”
On keeping his son away from trouble while growing up:
“Williamsburg now, it’s not the same, but when I was growing up, it was drug-infested, gang-infested, a lot of killing. So I was trying to keep him out of the streets.”
On traveling from Brooklyn to Staten Island for his son’s football games:
“I came out of work at 1:30 p.m., got home at 3, got on the bus to the R train, and then back on a bus to go over the bridge, and then walk from Hylan Boulevard.”
On getting his son into Christ the King’s basketball camp:
“I said, ‘Yeah, how much is it?’ He goes, ‘It’s about $225 a week.’ I said, ‘Alright, I’ll take a week.’ When I went to pick him up for the last day, Coach Joe Arbitello came to me and was like, ‘Can we keep him here for another two weeks?’ I said, ‘As long as it’s free.’ He said, ‘I’ll take care of it.’”
On taking his son to Knicks games at Madison Square Garden:
“When I had enough money to take him to the games [at MSG] … we were sitting all the way on top … And I remember him saying, ‘I can’t wait to be one of these players,’ and I said, ‘You just got to work hard.’”
On the sacrifices required to support his son’s AAU career:
“I used to hope at times they lost. I was like, ‘I gotta go to work tomorrow. I can’t drive at 12 o’clock at night and get to work at 4 in the morning.’ The first person that came to me was Georgetown. And then, after that, it just started flooding. Then, one day, Coach Pastner [of Georgia Tech] came by and rang my bell.”
On supporting his son during his career at Georgia Tech:
“So I supported him through the TV. I texted him before the game, after. I was his hype man.”
On his son’s reaction to being traded from New Orleans to New York:
“He had mixed emotions, because he loved the Pelicans; he’s a loyal kid.”
On why he believed the Knicks would win Game 5:
“He got traded on the fifth. His daughter’s birthday is on the fifth. He’s representing the five boroughs. We live on the fifth floor.”
On his son’s new contract with the Knicks:
“He can take care of his family forever now.”
On Patrick Ewing joking with him:
“He sits right next to me, and he looks at me and goes, ‘Who you with?’ I said, ‘With Alvarado.’ He goes, ‘Who?’ I said, ‘GTA 5, the small guy on the team.’ He goes, ‘I’m only messing with you man, I love that kid.’”
On seeing children react to his son at the championship parade:
“They were like, ‘Don’t touch my hat, he signed it!’ That’s when I was like, ‘This kid could change people’s lives.’ It was beautiful.”
Austin Reaves
On the Knicks’ chemistry and selflessness leading them to the title:
“They care for one another. They play for one another.”
On Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges:
“I got to know some of those guys when I played with the USA team—with Mikal, Josh and JB. Great dudes. You couldn’t ask for better humans. I think that shows on the basketball court. They care for one another. They play for one another. And that’s, like you said, something you want to build.”
