Adding depth to their backcourt, the Knicks selected 18-year-old French point guard Frank Ntilikina with the eighth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Get to know the newest Knick with these eight facts about this year’s eighth pick.
1- According to NBA.com, Ntilikina is listed at 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds.
2- Although he represents France internationally, Ntilikina was actually born in Ixelles, Belgium on July 28, 1998. He moved to Strasbourg, France when he was three.
3- Ntilikina began playing with his French club team, Strasbourg IG and turned pro at the age of 15.
4- He began his professional career on April 4, 2015 in a LNB Pro A game against Boulogne-sur-Mer.
5- The young guard led France to a gold medal at the FIBA Europe U-16 Championship in 2014 and a FIBA Europe U-18 Championship in 2016.
6- During the U-18 Championship, Ntilikina averaged 15.2 points, 4.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds en route to the MVP award during the tournament.
7- Ntilikina was named the French League’s Best Young Player in 2016 and 2017.
8- Currently, Ntilikina’s Strasbourg team is in the LNB Pro A Final in France.
What They’re Saying
“We like his aptitude for the game, athleticism and his ability to incorporate himself in a winning situation,” Knicks President Phil Jackson said. “We felt that he had a good feel for his team and how to play with guys.”
