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martin wrote:

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Former coach explains how Knicks' undrafted rookie Jaylen Martin 'ticks a lot of boxes'
Ian BegleyNBA Insider7/07/2023 2:00pm
3-4 minutes

New Knick Jaylen Martin missed about two months of the 2022-23 Overtime Elite season with a hamstring injury.

Before he got hurt, Martin established himself as one of the program’s best players.

“At the start of the year, Jaylen was at the top, (one of) the top three guys in OTE,” Martin’s coach, Tim Fanning, said. “Obviously, the Thompsons were up there. But I thought that he was really trending spectacularly upwards on both ends – on offense, on defense.”

Martin’s injury likely impacted his draft status. But Knicks fans should be encouraged by Fanning’s assessment. The aforementioned Thompsons – twins Amen and Ausar – were selected in the top five of the 2023 NBA Draft.

New York signed Martin after the draft to a two-way contract. You’d think that there was a wide gap between a top-five pick and an undrafted free agent. But based on Fanning’s assessment, you shouldn’t judge Martin by his status on draft night.

“He just ticks a lot of boxes in terms of what you want from a basketball player, especially on the wing,” Fanning said. “He was shooting the ball at a great clip from three. His defense and rebounding - his floor game – was spectacular. His transition, (attacking the) close out, also was on another level from the rest of the competition outside of the Thompsons in that first month of the season.”

Martin, 19, averaged 14 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Before the hamstring injury, Martin had 27 points, 14 rebounds and three assists in the YNG Dreamers’ win over the Falcons. Martin, a 6-6 wing, enters Summer League with the Knicks fully healthy. Fanning believes Martin will only get better in an NBA setting.

“He can play off the ball. He’s really good spacing the floor. He’s really good moving without the ball. He understands spaces more than the typical 19-year-old American player,” Fanning said. “I see this guy stepping on the court and potentially being a really exciting and productive piece to a team.”

The Knicks watched Martin extensively during his stint at OTE. Martin entered the OTE program after starring at Florida High, which was coached by former Knick Charlie Ward.

Fanning said Martin’s approach to the game was advanced for his age.

“I think every time he stepped in the building, he carried himself and had a mentality that this is something that I want. I want to play professional basketball. I want to play at the highest level,” Fanning said. “He was up there with the best of them in terms of his consistency with his work ethic, his consistency with his day-to-day emotional intelligence. The guy gets along with everybody. He has a great balance of being a great person and then when he steps on the court, he’s tough as nails. That’s a pro skill in my opinion.”

Martin earned OTE’s first Valedictorian distinction when he graduated from high school. He also took classes at Morehouse College, which is near the OTE facility in Atlanta.

“He’s a little bit of an outlier in his approach to things,” Fanning said. “He was a guy that was constantly hungry for watching film. He’s got a great head on his shoulders, he’s going to do everything possible to make that roster and come out there and fight his way for a spot. I have no doubt about that.”

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martin wrote:

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Hot take - I know but watching some clips of Keels and his body and offensive game struck me as a right-handed Brunson.

Both thick players without elite quickness - Keels doesn’t have Brunson bag of moves obviously but his stroke is really solid, he can pass the ball ‘ see the floor and he gets to his spots in mid range, distance and even at the rim.

I get he looked heavy last year but at 19 - I think this kid could come on especially if he can get into best condition possible.

Hope he goes for 30 a game in Vegas and the replace Brunson chants begin

LivingLegend wrote:

martin wrote:

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Hot take - I know but watching some clips of Keels and his body and offensive game struck me as a right-handed Brunson.

Both thick players without elite quickness - Keels doesn’t have Brunson bag of moves obviously but his stroke is really solid, he can pass the ball ‘ see the floor and he gets to his spots in mid range, distance and even at the rim.

I get he looked heavy last year but at 19 - I think this kid could come on especially if he can get into best condition possible.

Hope he goes for 30 a game in Vegas and the replace Brunson chants begin

Any similarities to Marcus Smart other than height, weight and position?

martin wrote:

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What the latest greatest way to stream games like today’s? Without giving my browser seizures?

franco12 wrote:is no one watching the game?

Yes sir

I like how Jeffries look. Roby is quiet but showing some flashes. No real PG or 3 pt shooting. Games alittle sloppy but I like some of the players on Philly squad.

blkexec wrote:I’m trying to like keels but it’s very hard. I don’t know what he’s good at. Chunky combo guard.

Roby may force the Knicks to add a backup PF if he doesn’t show us something more. Or maybe that’s what you want in a Randle backup. But if Randle goes down we in trouble.

You can look at most of our recent draft picks and instantly see they have a chance at being good. Keels has looked booty from day 1. Not a single thing I can get excited about him with. After a week of watching him play I could tell he would not amount to much. Hopefully he can prove me wrong but I doubt it.

BigDaddyG wrote:

blkexec wrote:

franco12 wrote:is no one watching the game?

Yes sir

I like how Jeffries look. Roby is quiet but showing some flashes. No real PG or 3 pt shooting. Games alittle sloppy but I like some of the players on Philly squad.

I've seen enough from Jeffries. He's a legit NBA player who just needs a chance. Unfortunately, he's only 6'5". Disappointed in Keels. Martin is learning the crap he can get away with. Looks like a kid.

If we trade away one of our guards in a big trade scenario, I’m excited to see what Jeffries looks like at the nba level. So far he’s a legit two way player who plays hard on both ends. 3-level scorer.