New York Knicks Draft Recap: 3 Things NYK Fans Will Love About Jerian Grant

Mar 26, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Wichita State Shockers guard Tekele Cotton (32) is guarded by Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Jerian Grant (22) during the first half in the semifinals of the midwest regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive Upside 

If there’s one thing that stands out about Grant as a prospect, it’s his elite athleticism and length. With that 6-foot-4 frame and a 6-foot-7 ½ wingspan, Grant has potential to be a better defender than he was in college.

Like many players in the NBA, his On-ball defense in inconsistent but he thrives off the ball. His great foot speed and agility helps him chase players off of screens. Grant has great hands and anticipation. His 1.7 steals per game at Notre Dame this season confirms this.

He’s not going to be Mike Conley on the defensive end, but he’s shown that he can and will be an above average defender in the NBA. That’s good news for a team that was ranked 28th in opponent FG% allowed this season.

Grant will be 23-years old before the season starts, so expect the Knicks to play him a lot from the get-go. Jose Calderon will be turning 34 in September and is a huge defensive liability. Depending on how training camp and the summer league go, I wouldn’t be surprised If we seen Grant begin the season in the starting lineup.

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