Knicks Have Intriguing Youngster Showing Major Talent in G League

The New York Knicks' need for a long-term building block could be addressed with a member of their G League team.

February 14, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Team G-League guard Dink Pate (1) of the Mexico City Capitanes shoots the ball against Team C during the 2025 NBA Rising Stars Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Since Leon Rose took over the front office of the New York Knicks, a lot has gone right for the franchise.

They are no longer the laughingstock of the NBA. Rose has slowly but surely turned them into legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference with real championship aspirations.

There is a ton of talent on the roster, headlined by star point guard Jalen Brunson. Karl-Anthony Towns is as good a second option as there is in the league. A strong supporting cast exists with Mitchell Robinson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Deuce McBride and Jordan Clarkson filling roles behind the stars.

However, if there is one thing that stands out as a disappointment in the Rose era, it has been the Knicks' inability to develop young talent. Yes, plenty of draft capital has been used to acquire current key rotation pieces, making it challenging.

RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin were all eventually traded away, developing enough to become the centerpieces of deals. However, with injuries once again impacting their depth, the lack of controllable and affordable impact talent has become an issue.

Knicks need to start developing young talent to augment roster

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

That could change in the near future with a youngster who is showcasing some incredible talent in the G League with the Westchester Knicks.

Dink Pate was not selected in the 2025 NBA Draft after playing with the NBA G League Ignite in the 2023-24 campaign and Mexico City Capitanes for the 2024-25 season. The Knicks signed him to an Exhibit 10 contract this offseason, but he was waived before the regular season got underway.

A big-time high school prospect, he reclassified to the Class of 2023 but opted to forgo his college eligibility. He would have committed to either the Alabama Crimson Tide or the Arkansas Razorbacks had he gone the collegiate route instead of going to the G League Ignite.

Still only 19 years old, he represents a potential long-term building block for New York. A potential impact performer who provides relief on the salary cap and numbers on the court.

Dink Pate possesses immense upside for Knicks to unlock

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

On Wednesday afternoon against the College Park Skyhawks, he had a monster triple-double, scoring 37 points with 11 rebounds and 13 assists. It is the first triple-double of his career, while the points and assists are also single-game highs.

Performances like that certainly provide some hope that he could eventually be someone who can help the Knicks at the NBA level. He possesses incredible size and athleticism, measuring 6-foot-8 with a nearly 6-foot-10 wingspan, capable of playing multiple positions.

37 PTS 💥 11 REB 💥 13 AST 💥 5 3PM

FIRST CAREER TRIPLE-DOUBLE FOR DINK PATE! The 19-year-old registered career-highs in PTS and AST & season-highs in REB and 3PT for the @wcknicks. pic.twitter.com/IWxI3OD9Pf

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) December 3, 2025

Thus far, Pate has struggled a bit with his efficiency. He has an underwhelming .355/.278/.833 shooting split. But he is stuffing the stat sheet with 16.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.6 steals in 32.5 minutes per game.

If he continues performing at this level, an opportunity with New York may not be too far off in his future.

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