Knicks' William Kyle Draft Visit Might Just Be the Start for Him and New York

Syracuse forward William Kyle III dunks during a game. | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Though the Knicks are preparing for what could be a future-changing playoffs, that's simply not the only iron they have in the fire right now. New York's front office has an entire offseason to plan for, and the 2025-26 regular season likely helped provide a better picture of where they want to go from here.

That clarity is especially pertinent when it comes to June's draft. New York currently owns three picks, including a late first-rounder and the first selection in the second round. This provides a valuable opportunity to secure quality young players who can raise their ceiling or improve the floor of their depth, and do so on cheap deals with multi-year control.

As it turns out, Leon Rose is already putting some official draft prep into motion. SNY's Ian Begley reports a group of prospects workouts have been scheduled, including Syracuse big man William Kyle III. Considering what he brings to the table, this has the makings of a visit that turns into something more down the line.

Knicks' William Kyle workout gives them up-close look at possible frontcourt prospect fit

New York's guard- and wing-heavy roster has made the frontcourt a bit of an afterthought. That's especially so with an All-Star center in Karl-Anthony Towns leading the way and quality backup center in Mitchell Robinson right behind him, making it possible to devote fewer resources there.

However, with Towns' struggles this season and always-present trade possibility, coupled with Robinson looking at a potential exit this summer, the need for investment is clear more than ever.

Enter Kyle, who's the kind of high-motor, athletic and highlight-making player that would add a welcomed dynamic element to the Knicks' big rotation.

“I don’t have an accurate vertical because the machines I’ve used maxed out”

Knicks worked out Will Kyle today

PF coming out of Cuse

Insane athleticism

Rim runner

Rim ruinerpic.twitter.com/PWQ7rLNLT9

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 14, 2026

The Nebraska native first burst onto the scene in 2023-24 as a sophomore for South Dakota State, averaging 13.1 points (on a conference-leading 62.3% from the field), 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. His energy helped set the tempo for SDSU, which made the NCAA Tournament that season for just the seventh time in school history.

After a quiet following campaign at UCLA, he then reemerged again this past year in a huge way for Syracuse. The senior set his college career high with 7.1 RPG and 2.5 BPG while adding a solid 8.4 PPG across 32 starts in the grueling ACC.

Looking at Kyle's highlights, they are littered with plays where he gives more effort and outworks his opponents. His knack for rebounds shows he never throws in the towel on any possession. Meanwhile, his high-flying nature that resembles Kenneth Faried shows his team has the chance for a momentum-changing block or dunk any time he's on the floor.

Though he checks in at 6-foot-9, he also reportedly boasts a 7-foot-3 wingspan and 44-inch vertical, which makes him the type of talent who seems larger on the court. That allows him to contest bigger opposing players in the paint as many issues, making him less of a clear matchup for opponents to willingly hunt.

There's certainly ways in which Kyle resembles Robinson in terms of where his strengths are, even if he doesn't have the same height. They also have similar weaknesses, as Kyle attempted just one three-pointer and shot 54.5% from the free throw line throughout his entire college career.

So this is the kind of mold New York has had success with before, and Kyle's different packaging also opens up new possibilities given the double-seven-footer lineup of Towns and Robinson never has been fully adopted.

Best of all, Kyle is still a bit under the radar at the moment. The Athletic had him pegged as the 78th overall prospect in mid-January, and without a March Madness run to prop up his stocks, Kyle shouldn't be difficult to attain. That works out perfectly for Rose, who has picks on opposite ends of the second round at his disposal that are perfect for taking a flyer.

But given Kyle's athleticism and willingness to do anything to help his team win, he's the kind of player who could surprise in the pros, especially within the right environment. He'd likely have that with the Knicks' need for a frontcourt boost and more than competent scorers surrounding him, allowing him to focus on what he does best on the court.

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