Putting in work: Why 3 ambitious rookies are giving Knicks hope amid rebuild

First-year New York Knicks head coach Dave Fizdale says he always believed in the team's crop of rookies this season. He drafted two of them, after all, and signed the third. But at the same time, NBA rookies are always a crapshoot to some degree. You don't know they belong until you know.

At this point, Fizdale knows.

"These guys are putting in the work. They've got the right mindset," he told theScore from the Knicks' suburban practice facility. “We've been seeing things lately from all three of them that has everyone excited.”

The "three of them" is comprised of forward Kevin Knox (this year's ninth overall pick), center Mitchell Robinson (36th overall) and guard Allonzo Trier (undrafted). It's a group that's underwhelmed at times, but the trio has increasingly displayed flashes of NBA-caliber consistency.

Those improvements since Day 1 have led Fizdale and the front office to feel bullish about their collective future, which is more important than the present amid a rebuilding season without injured superstar Kristaps Porzingis. At 9-25, the Knicks are prioritizing the development of players they view as long-term pieces - namely Knox, Robinson, and Trier, who've taken vastly different paths to the Association but are all hungry to prove they belong.

"People think that you go to a top college, then make the NBA, and it’s just easy breezy,” Knox, who was a five-star recruit out of high school before being named SEC Player of the Year at Kentucky last season, told theScore.

"It's not like that. Older dudes are coming after you every night. They look at you like fresh meat. It takes some adjusting to, but I think we're all learning to play within ourselves."

Indeed, the spotlight's been on Knox ever since his top-ten selection in June's draft and the ensuing expectations that he'd become the Knicks' new golden boy and Porzingis' star sidekick. However, the 19-year-old struggled out of the gate, forcing too many shots while scoring just 7.5 points per game on 33 percent shooting in October and November.

"We talked a lot about how tough it was going to be early on," Fizdale said. "You just have to ignore the noise and eventually it will take."

Knox seemingly took that advice to heart and worked with both the coaching staff and his family to find a playing style that better suits his skill set - specifically, attacking the basket.

"I had to focus on my inside-out game," he said. "I was settling for too many jump shots, too many threes. We came up with a way to get me more aggressive and going to the rim, (which) keeps me mentally strong."

The new approach forces defenders to respect all aspects of Knox's game, opening up more efficient jump shots while keeping his motor high. “You have to push back and be aggressive," he continued. "That’s what the veterans like to see.”

And as Fizdale hoped, the production followed - Knox is averaging 20.3 points and 6.6 rebounds over his last seven games.

Meanwhile, both Robinson and Trier are coming along nicely despite much lower expectations. The latter's story has been covered furiously in New York since his 15-point debut on opening night, which was punctuated with a poster-worthy dunk:

Originally signed to a two-way G League contract after going undrafted, the 22-year-old Trier never suited up in the minors and instead has solidified himself as a fixture in New York's backcourt since that surprising debut. Across 27 games - including three starts - he's averaging 11.3 points on 47 percent shooting.

The Knicks made Trier's promotion official on Dec. 13, inking the guard to a two-year NBA deal worth $7 million - the biggest ever signed from a two-way contract and considerably more than he would have made as a second-round pick.

"It’s obvious to you, me, everyone in this organization, that I wasn’t supposed to go undrafted," Trier said. "There's not 60 players better than me."

Trier may sound cocky on paper, but in person, he comes off as determined and mature beyond his years. And how could he not be? After appearing on the cover of New York Times Magazine as a 13-year old middle schooler, Trier moved all over the country in the AAU system, attending four high schools before heading to Arizona as a five-star recruit. There, he blossomed into an All-Pac-12 performer and a clear NBA talent.

But a variety of factors - team needs, projected upside, and lingering concerns over a performance-enhancing drug suspension at Arizona (Trier maintains he never knowingly ingested a banned substance) - caused him to fall out of the second round. Now, he's looking to prove everyone wrong.

“I want to be an All-Star,” Trier added. "I want to be one of the best guards and one of the best players in the NBA. That starts right now, as one of the best young guys in the league because there's a ton of great ones."

And then there's Robinson, the rawest of the bunch. Although he's been unavailable to the media while rehabbing a sprained ankle, the big man is clearly a favorite of coaches and veteran teammates alike. Seventh-year center Enes Kanter told theScore, "He's going to be scary. He's such a great shot-blocker, he makes me better every day in practice.”

Robinson was a McDonald's All-American with Knox in 2017 and then committed to Western Kentucky before withdrawing to train on his own. At 7-foot-1 and 240 pounds, he's an athletic specimen who's already averaging 1.8 blocks in just 17 minutes per game, but the Knicks are bringing him along slowly.

"Can you imagine coming out of high school, missing a year, and now you’re standing in the middle of Madison Square Garden?” Fizdale said of Robinson. "You’ve got Spike Lee and Forest Whitaker sitting right there. He's handling it well, and we coach him the hardest because he's the most raw.”

Fizdale's even developed a season-long competition to keep Robinson focused on improving his defense. If the big man commits a foul with his hands down, he does push-ups. If his hands are up, Fizdale drops and gives him 20. "I'm gonna be in shape here real soon,” the coach joked. "One of these days, I’ll make him do it at the Garden."

Along with Fizdale and his staff, several veteran players are doing what they can to help. For instance, Lance Thomas has run the rookies through conditioning drills while Courtney Lee, the Knicks' eldest statesman, has assumed a mentorship role.

“We spend a lot of time together, his locker is right next to mine," Knox said of Lee.

"When we travel, I hang with him, play (NBA2K) and go out for food, stuff like that. ... He’s a vet that I can talk to, ask questions about who I’m playing against.”

Still, for all the work the coaching staff and veterans have put in, Fizdale knew he'd landed the right rookies when they quickly displayed their own desire to improve.

“Early on (in the preseason), Knox grabbed Mitchell and he was showing him some things," Fizdale said. "Just some workouts and diet tips. Knox has seen stuff that (Robinson) has never seen before. So he grabbed M-Rob and went to work.

"They're all going to work.”