The New York Knicks turned heads during the 2020 NBA Draft with their second pick of the first round. After selecting Dayton’s Obi Toppin at No. 8 — a move that had been widely speculated in the lead-up to the Draft — the team decided to reach and nab Kentucky’s Immanuel Quickley at No. 25. While he was a nice player in college, the thought with Quickley is he didn’t do all that much other than shoot, and as a result, he was more worthy of a second-round selection.
Of course, that has not been the case, as Quickley is among the most productive rookies in his class. He’s averaging 12.2 points in 18.8 minutes a night off the bench while connecting on 38.1 percent of his triples, and while he still has a way to go as a rookie guard in the NBA, the early returns are more promising than anyone could have expected.
Well, almost anyone, at least. A new story by Yaron Weitzman at the New York Post details the Knicks’ brain trust entering this season, and as it turns out, executive vice president and well-documented NBA power broker William Wesley — known for his nickname “World Wide Wes” — kept repeating “we need Quickley, get Quickley” as the team went through the 2020 Draft.
Wesley had entered the night giddy, FaceTiming friends and passing out key lime pies from a bakery he loves in Margate, N.J. But now he was furious. He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. His face twisted into a frown. He stood up and paced around the room.
“Coach says we need shooting, Quickley’s the best shooter,” he said out loud, referring to Tom Thibodeau, who due to the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols had to participate in the draft via Zoom. Wesley joined Walt Perrin, the team’s assistant general manager, Aller and Rose for a huddle at the front of the room. Wesley kept pushing his case. Finally, Rose relented. A few minutes later, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that Quickley was being selected with the 25th pick.
Wesley, apparently, is known for holding Kentucky prospects in ultra high regard, and when it comes to Quickley, a source told Weitzman that he “pushed him like crazy.” As the saying goes, the only rule is it has to work, and while Quickley’s at the very beginning of his career, banking that World Wide Wes saw something no one else did has paid off so far.