Knicks to Add Alex Kline to Scouting Department
Leon Rose and the New York Knicks have made another addition to the team's new-look front office. Alex Kline, who describes himself as a "High School Basketball Manager/Waterboy turned National High School Basketball Recruiting Analyst turned NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans Front Office member", has now turned into a New York Knicks' scout - as first reported by Mike Vorkunov, who included that Kline will be assuming a "larger" scouting role with the team.
Vorkunov added in his report that Kline may only be 26 years old, but already has an impressive resume as a scout, which includes making the Forbes 30 under 30 sports list at the age of 19 when he was working as a reporter in the world of college basketball. Before joining the Pelicans as a scout in early 2016, Kline ran his own scouting website for four years, worked as a consultant under former NBA executive Leo Papile for two years, and has spent nine years running and directing charity events in memory of his late mother, Mary Kline, to help raise money to fight cancer.
When the Philadelphia Inquirer asked Kline about what he does with the Pelicans, he responded that his biggest responsibility is college scouting, and that he likes to "be the first one there, the last one there," because "you never know who you’re going to meet." Kline certainly seems to have the work ethic fans would hope that all of their team's staff members and players share.
While running the Mary Kline high school all-star game, Kline made connections with a multitude of players ranging from Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, Markelle Fultz, Michael Porter Jr., and Jamal Murray, to Derrick Jones, Mikal Bridges, Ryan Arcidiacono, and De'Andre Bembry. He raised over $130,000 for the fight against cancer over the first six years of the event, which he started at the age of 16.
This latest update from Mike Vorkunov may give fans another glimpse into what Kline may be like as a front office member; he has already begun making contributions to the team's efforts to build a competitive roster.
