LAS VEGAS — The were jitters, understandably, for Jaylen Martin early on in his NBA Summer League debut.
The last organized basketball game Jaylen Martin had played in came against high schoolers.
Now the former Overtime Elite standout was facing grown men, wearing a Knicks jersey and hoping to impress his new team.
It didn’t start well, but by the end of the game, the 6-foot-6 wing had made an impact.
The Tallahassee, Fla., native nearly helped the Knicks rally from a 16-point, second-half deficit before they lost, 110-101, to the 76ers at Cox Pavilion on Saturday night.
“I feel like as the game went on, I loosened up and was able to play my game,” Martin said after he scored 12 points on 3-for-8 shooting and added two rebounds. “Just get comfortable on the court.”
The 19-year-old Martin is one of the more intriguing names on the Knicks’ roster this summer, which may not include a player who will make the rotation once the 2023-24 regular season begins.
After he went undrafted, the Knicks signed Martin to a two-way contract, meaning he will split next season between the NBA squad and their G-League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks.
On Saturday, Martin really picked up his play late.
He was aggressive and made quick decisions, getting to the free-throw line seven times. On one play in particular, he flew in for a big right-handed slam that drew oohs and aahs from the crowd.
“He did some good things and some things he needs to work on,” Knicks Summer League coach Dice Yoshimoto said. “Anybody coming into this league either from college or OTE … has to learn how to be a pro. Since the draft, he’s done that. He’s been in the gym all day. He’s a gym rat. He wants to learn. He wants to get better. Sky is the limit for him.”
Said Martin: “I just look at it as a blessing, being able to compete at the highest level, taking it day by day. Being thankful for the opportunity.”
One major advantage Martin has is a strong support system, which includes former Knicks point guard Charlie Ward. Martin played for Ward at Florida High for three seasons and the two have remained close. Ward spoke to Knicks higher-ups about Martin leading up to the draft, and has done his best to prepare his former player for the next level.
“He’s a great role model. We talk day by day, explaining how the league works and what to expect,” Martin said. “Not to get too low or too high. He’s been there, in the exact position I want to be in. It’s just great to learn from him.”
DaQuan Jeffries’ was the Knicks’ best player before he suffered a right hip contusion late in the third quarter and did not return.
He finished with a team-high 20 points and added four rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes. The Knicks listed him day-to-day.
Charlie Brown Jr., a former St. Joseph’s star who played in the G-League last season for the Delaware Blue Coats (the 76ers’ affiliate), added 17 points and six rebounds. Trevor Keels, the Knicks’ lone draft pick the last two years, was limited to two points on 1-for-6 shooting in only 14 minutes.
Race Thompson (sore right knee), an undrafted free agent signee out of Indiana, didn’t make the trip and won’t play for the Knicks this summer. … Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, center Isaiah Hartenstein and executives William Wesley, Gersson Rosas and Brock Aller were in attendance.