The Knicks worked out Tyson Etienne (Marcus Camby’s godson), Orlando Robinson, Jordan Goldwire

In Wednesday’s Daily News, Stefan Bondy reported that a group of six promising players worked out for the New York Knicks at their Tarrytown facility this week. Among the participants were Orlando Robinson, Jordan Goldwire, and Tyson Etienne. The latter is noteworthy because he is the godson of former Knick, Marcus Camby.

As a sophomore, Etienne, a 6’2” guard, was named the 2020-21 AAC Co-Player of the Year but skipped the NBA Draft to spend another year at Wichita State.

The gamble didn’t pay off, as the New Jersey native’s numbers dipped across the board and the Shockers underwhelmed this season, finishing 15-13. Etienne’s averages for the 2021-22 campaign were 14.9 points, 2.9 boards, two assists, and 1.1 steals per contest. He shot 36% from the floor and 33% from deep on 8.3 attempts per game. The previous season, he had delivered 39% from beyond the arc.

This season, he did have seven games of 20 points or more, peaking with 28 against UNLV in November. As a playmaker, however, his assist totals never topped a best of six, and his lackluster shooting may have knocked him entirely out of the draft.

Etienne remains extremely close with Camby and is a lifelong Knicks’ fan. According to our man Bondy, Tyson played “AAU for the PSA Cardinals out of the Bronx.” Landing a spot on the Knicks’ roster of 15 would make for a sweet story, but Etienne might get a shot with the their G-League club in Westchester instead.

Seeing Orlando Robinson named in the group caught my attention. The 7’0”, 235lbs junior out of Fresno State averaged 19 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 33 minutes per game this season. He’s listed as a forward but is big enough to cover the five. Robinson can fill up a scorecard, with 18 games of 20 or more points this season. He threw 34 down on Wyoming. Huzzah!!

Robinson had a Player Efficiency Rating of 30.6 this season and is in the mix to be drafted. For a big man he’s got a decent shot that could be broadened out for more dependable perimeter scoring. He went 48% from the floor this season, and 35% from deep on almost three attempts per game. Not bad! Orlando has a proven ability to score off the dribble or with off-ball motion plays. Thanks to his size and 7’3.5” wingspan, he’s a good rebounder, and his defense has the potential to verge into good / very good territory.

In college, his scoring was inconsistent, so fewer cold spells is surely on his goals list. His low post game need attention, and he should either add a little muscle or learn to capitalize on what God’s already given him (which isn’t shabby). Another concern is that his Mountain West Conference competition ain’t exactly elite, so there’s some uncertainty about how he would fare against NBA-quality opponents.

Taking a deeper dive on him, the scouting reports that I’ve read paint him as a smart young man with strong character and coachability. Sign me up. Robinson could be a real steal, and I’d love to see him play some Summer League ball for the Bockers.

Blue Devil fans will recognize Jordan Goldwire. He played four seasons at Duke before spending a bonus year at Oklahoma. The 6’2”, 184lbs guard played a total of 151 college games. His best stats came with the Sooners this season, with averages of 10.4 points and 3.6 assists on 45% from the floor, 29% from Threetown. Goldwire seems unlikely to reach the MSG bench but, like Etienne, could be a candidate for some Westchester burn.

Read Bondy’s full article here. Good luck, fellas!