Depending on how the board falls, Spanish guard Sergio de Larrea could be available when New York is on the clock on draft night next week. Should the Knicks consider him with their 24th or 31st selection?
The Basics
- Team: Valencia Basket (Spain’s Liga ACB)
- Position: Guard
- Height: 6’6″
- Weight: 204 lbs
- Age: 20
- 2025-26 Stats: 8.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 40.9% FG, 36.7% 3PT, 81.3% FT (in ACB play)
- Projected Draft Range: Late first to early second round (Picks 25–35)
The Numbers
De Larrea has built one of the cleaner international profiles heading into the 2026 NBA Draft. He played meaningful professional minutes for Valencia Basket in Spain’s ACB and a bit smaller role at the EuroLeague. In any case, he gave scouts more than a large sample against professional, older,
stronger, and truly more experienced competition for the past few months.
His ACB production stands out because it came in a rotational role, with De Larrea averaging around 18 minutes per game while shooting 36.7% from three and 81.3% from the free-throw line. At the end of the day, however, this is a guard whose value is found in his passing and decision-making.
De Larrea averaged 3.6 assists per game in ACB action, showing good court vision and building him into one of the more intriguing bigger guards in the class, and the best guard outright coming from overseas. That said, De Larrea is not a high-volume scorer or explosive downhill athlete. But he has size, polish, shooting indicators, and something the Knicks might like in his professional experience, giving him a strong baseline.
Making things more intriguing is the fact that the Knicks have already been linked to him, as Jake Fischer reported New York’s interest in the Spanish guard, writing, “I’m told that the Knicks, like the Timberwolves, have interest in Spain’s Larrea.”
What Does He Do Well?
- Advanced Playmaking: De Larrea’s biggest appeal is his feel. He sees passing windows early, plays with pace, and can operate in ball-screen actions without rushing. At nearly 6’7”, he can see over smaller guards and make live-dribble reads that many late-first prospects cannot consistently make yet.
- Reliable Shooting: The shooting profile looks a bit of a work-in-progress, but his three-point shooting in ACB play, combined with his free-throw touch, gives him a strong foundation as an NBA spacer in time. He can punish defenders who go under screens, hit spot-up looks, and operate away from the ball.
- Positional Size: De Larrea has legitimate guard size. He is big enough to play next to a smaller lead guard and skilled enough to handle secondary creation duties.
- Professional Polish: He has already played in a structured European system against veteran competition, both at the domestic and continental levels. That does not guarantee immediate NBA success, as we very well know around these places, but it lowers the developmental risk compared to prospects who still need to learn some basics of the pro game.
What Are the Concerns?
- Limited Burst: De Larrea is not an explosive athlete. He does not consistently win with a lightning first step, and NBA defenders may test whether he can create separation without a screen.
- Physical Strength: He still needs to add a good deal of strength, which matters as a finisher, ball-handler under pressure, and defender against bigger NBA guards and wings.
- Defensive Ceiling: His size will help on D, but he is not a high-level defensive disruptor for now. De Larrea projects as a smart positional defender more than someone who blows up actions with elite athleticism.
- Scoring Creation: De Larrea is more of a connector than a takeover scorer. He can shoot, pass, and make smart reads, but he is unlikely to become an offensive engine.
The Knicks Fit
The Knicks enter the 2026 NBA Draft with picks No. 24, No. 31, and No. 55, and there has already been reporting that New York could look to move one of its first-rounders if only to save themselves some dough.
If the Knicks keep one of their late first-round picks, de Larrea fits the type of cost-controlled, high-IQ contributor who makes sense for a team smacked right in the middle of their contending window and coming off winning a championship. De Larrea would not need to dominate the ball at all, could play next to Brunson, splitting minutes with Deuce McBride and Tyler Kolek, and function with the second unit while honing his skillset in Tarrytown and watching from the pine most of the time.
The most obvious angle to consider regarding the little Spaniard has to do with the Knicks’ long-term roster building. If New York wants to maintain some flexibility while managing an expensive championship core, a late-first/early-second rookie who can provide guard depth on a controlled contract has real value.
NBA Comparison
- Best-Case Comparison: International Malcolm Brogdon (Steady guard who wins with strength and decision-making but lacks burst)
- Median Outcome: Tomas Satoransky (Tall European guard who can pass, organize, play on or off the ball, and survive as a rotation player without scoring that much)
- Low-End Outcome: Frank Ntilikina (Welp)
The Verdict
Pass at 24. New York may have access to higher-upside prospects, especially if someone like Meleek Thomas, Isaiah Evans, Chris Cenac Jr., or Morez Johnson Jr. slips. But at No. 31, de Larrea’s combination of size, shooting, passing, and professional polish is hard to ignore.
Think twice at 31. If Sergio de Larrea is still on the board when the Knicks pick early in the second round, he makes some sense. The Spaniard may not have star upside nor a legit role during his first days in Manhattan, but that is not necessarily what the Knicks need right now. De Larrea profiles as a smart, skilled, low-maintenance guard who can help a good team stay organized, space the floor, and develop into a reliable rotation piece. We don’t know what will happen to Deuce McBride once his deal expires, and the only long-term option at the point is Tyler Kolek. Considering de Larrea will likely be gone at No. 55, the Knicks would need to make a tough decision here.
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Go Knicks!
