Knicks training camp roundup- 09/30/17: Jeff Hornacek praises Frank Ntilikina’s basketball IQ

The New York Knicks held one more practice at the team’s Tarrytown facility on Saturday before they head to the big city for an open practice at MSG. And we have some real scrimmage footage this time!

Kristaps Porzingis was doing some work, blocking Kyle O’Quinn’s shot before the opposition grabbed the offensive rebound (let’s try to lock down those rebounds, fellas). Tim Hardaway Jr. took a charge and hit a three.

Oh, and Kristaps for the winnnnnnn...

Hell yes.

Frank Ntilikina was running point alongside Porzingis and Hardaway. Head coach Jeff Hornacek had some glowing praise for the Frenchise, according to the New York Post’s Howie Kussoy:

“Guys gravitate towards him. They see how he is with the game, and how he’s not playing selfishly, and how he’s trying to play the right way.

“I think the surprising thing for me as a coach is how knowledgeable he is about the game, and how he reads things. Coming in, you saw some of his raw talent, you saw his length on tape, but when you’re here every day watching him play, seeing the plays that he makes, finding the mismatches and getting the ball to that guy quickly. He comes down the court and realizes this guy didn’t get a shot the last three or four times. He seems to call a play that fits right there. It’s something that he’s probably not even necessarily thinking about. It’s just natural. Not many guys have that. That’s what’s been impressive.”

I once heard Ntilikina describe himself as a “High-IQ player”—perhaps that wasn’t mere braggadocio from the young point guard. Let’s hope he truly does have the goods.