Jericho Sims made a splash online before the Knicks used their last pick (58th overall) on the Longhorns center during Thursday’s NBA Draft.
The 22-year-old Minneapolis native was a trending topic on social media earlier this month when he appeared to smack his eye off the rim during a wild dunk at Klutch Pro Day.
The viral video sparked responses from Grizzlies star Ja Morant and NBA champion-turned-ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins, who said Sims can “come in and play right away,” and “when it comes to Athleticism he’s DIFFERENT.”
While he has yet to suit up in his first NBA game, Sims proved he’s got hops for days — and is tough enough to handle a face collision off the rim. After the contact, he immediately paused to self-check his eye before running back down the court.
In all seriousness, the way Sims exploded to the rim was just a glimpse at how powerful he can be on the offensive end. At the NBA Draft Combine in May, the 6-foot-10 and 245-pounder raised eyebrows with a 44.5-inch max vertical jump.
Sims, with an impressive basketball IQ, has the ability to become a solid two-way player, especially after finishing the season strong and confident on both ends of the floor.
It’ll be interesting to see how Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who loves tough defenders, utilizes Sims’ athleticism.
Coming off their best year season since 2013, which included an impressive playoff run, the Knicks also selected Houston wing Quentin Grimes (25), Lithuanian point guard Rokas Jokubaitis (34), and Miles “Deuce” McBride from West Virginia (36).
