New York Knicks: 3 options for the No. 27 pick in the NBA draft

New York Knicks NBA draft option No. 1: Tyrell Terry

Tyrell Terry would be a perfect fit for the Knicks. He’s an elite shooter with NBA range and supreme confidence from beyond the arc. The 20-year-old shot 40.8 percent from 3-point range on a healthy 4.9 attempts per game.

Terry was an even more impressive 48 percent on catch-and-shoot triples, and he averaged 1.02 points per jump shot in the half-court (76th percentile) — per Synergy Sports. Terry’s long-range prowess combined with his accuracy from the free throw line and the mid-range makes him one of the best pure shooters in the draft.

Despite his small frame, Terry was good around the rim last season. He averaged 1.29 points per shot around the rim in the half-court and he didn’t shy away from contact either. Terry was exceptional in the fast break — ranking second in the Pac 12 in transition scoring.

Terry attempted 28 percent of his field goals at the rim and converted at a 60.4 percent clip, per Hoop-Math. Geoffrey Campbell notes that Terry’s percentage at the rim is higher than fellow guard prospects Cole Anthony and Kira Lewis Jr.

The long break between the college basketball season shutting down and the NBA Draft was a big help for Terry. It allowed him to become another riser in this unique draft. He used the opportunity to add muscle and go from second-rounder to potential lottery pick.

When Terry declared for the draft in April, his coaches at Stanford thought he would return to school. Terry was 6’2″ barefoot and weighed 155 pounds. The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor wrote about Terry’s strict diet that led to him bulking up to 170 pounds by the October NBA Combine.

Terry’s weight gain is a big deal because he has a lot to prove on defense. He was lucky enough to play his one year of college on one of the best defensive teams in the country — surrounded by elite defenders Bryce Wills and Daejon Davis.

O’Connor notes Fred VanVleet and Patrick Beverley as guards that have succeeded on defense despite their size. Terry still has a long way to go to get to either Beverley (180 pounds) or VanVleet (197 pounds), but with the work ethic he’s already shown, there’s no reason to believe the Minnesota native can’t succeed in New York.