Immanuel Quickley was scrolling his social media, because the Generation Z’ers are inclined to do, and he randomly pulled up a clip of Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett.
“Damn, I love Quickley too dawg,” Garnett mentioned on his SHOWTIME present, ‘Anything is Possible.’ “Quickley and Bones [Hyland] are two of my favorite young guys in the league. And Tyrese Maxey. I love watching them play. They’re my favorite guys.”
Quickley smiled when requested in regards to the sound byte, which, it needs to be famous, started as a result of Garnett’s visitor Paul Pierce floated Quickley as a bit to commerce for Damian Lillard.
Garnett was clearly immune to together with the Knicks’ level guard in such a deal.
“That was cool, man,” Quickley instructed the Daily News. “That was cool.”
Not too way back, Quickley most likely wouldn’t have been on Garnett’s radar. He began this season enjoying sparingly whereas averaging simply over 9 factors in October and November. He was the topic of commerce rumors due to a crowded backcourt and looming summer season contract extension negotiations.
But Quickley quickly rose to the highest of Tom Thibodeau’s minutes’ distribution, and out of the blue the University of Kentucky product is receiving loads of consideration as a high Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
“I always knew I could be this type of player,” Quickley instructed the News.
An enormous a part of Quickley’s latest surge is the unavailability of Jalen Brunson, who has been out and in of the lineup due to accidents to his foot and hand. Quickley stepped in because the starter and stored the Knicks within the East’s fifth spot, only one victory away from clinching the playoffs.
Even when Brunson returned for Wednesday’s victory over the Heat, Quickley closed the fourth quarter and led the Knicks with 24 factors — two nights after he dropped a career-high 40 at MSG. Quickley has averaged over 20 factors in March.
Brunson, the darling of this resurgent Knicks season, understood why he stayed on the bench towards Miami.
“[That lineup] rolled away with the game. The way they were playing was incredible,” Brunson mentioned. “They just found a way to keep fighting. Everything they were doing on both sides of the ball they were clicking so you’ve just got to go with that.”
Part of the gravitation towards Quickley — and maybe it’s what attracted Garnett — is the power dropped at his celebrations. Nobody on the court docket appears like he’s having extra enjoyable.
And in between the struts and dances, the 23-year-old has developed into one in every of New York’s most dependable items. So a lot in order that Garnett would assume twice about buying and selling Quickley for a celebrity.
“Best memories of KG I have is in Boston, the Big 3,” Quickley mentioned. “I don’t remember his Timberwolves days too much. But when he was in Boston, I definitely remember KG. He was an anchor. Midrange shots with ease. He’s a Hall of Fame guy. That was awesome for him to say that.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com