Knicks announce Summer League squad; Josh Hart boosts NY Wildcats World Cup presence

The Summer League Knicks are set.

With no first-round draft picks in the last two years, the roster for Vegas, which was announced Monday with two notable omissions, is short on players with a chance to make an impact on the senior roster. Jaylen Martin, an undrafted rookie, is probably the most intriguing prospect because of the unknown factor. The 19-year-old wing, who signed a two-way contract with the Knicks, played last season at Overtime Elite, a pay-for-play academy in Atlanta with top-shelf high-school aged competitors.

Martin is joined on the roster by two players who were at the end of the Knicks bench last season: Trevor Keels, a 2022 second-round pick, and DaQuan Jeffries. Isaiah Roby is the most experienced player on the squad after logging 151 career NBA games with OKC and San Antonio.

Roby is contracted with the Knicks through next season and is a darkhorse candidate to serve as Julius Randle’s backup.

But the absences from the roster were more noteworthy.

Rokas Jokubaitis, the 34th overall pick in 2021, wasn’t on the list for a second straight year. A source said Jokubaitis has commitments to his Lithuanian international team, which is preparing for the FIBA World Cup.

Jacob Toppin, the younger brother of Obi, was also missing from the Summer League roster despite agreeing to a two-way contract with the Knicks. According to the team, Toppin isn’t playing because of a “minor injury.”

The timing raised eyebrows because Toppin’s brother, Obi, was traded from the Knicks to the Pacers over the weekend. Jacob is considered the lesser talent of the brothers and went undrafted after a season at Kentucky.

The Knicks open up Summer League on July 8 against the Sixers, then face the Nets (July 9), the Magic (July 12) and the Celtics (July 14).

Here is the entire Knicks Summer League roster:

Charlie Brown Jr. (6-6 Guard, G-League), Michael Foster Jr. (6-8 Forward, G-League), Marcus Garrett (6-5 Guard, G-League), Justyn Hamilton (6-11 Center, Switzerland), Jalen Harris (6-5 Guard, G-League), DaQuan Jeffries (6-5 Forward, NY Knicks), Trevor Keels (6-4 Guard, NY Knicks), Jaylen Martin (6-6 Guard, Overtime Elite), Khalid Moore (6-7 Forward, Fordham), QJ Peterson (6-0 Guard, China), Isaiah Roby (6-8 Forward, NY Knicks), David Shriver (6-6 Guard, VCU), Dmytro Skapintsev (7-1 Center, G-League), Race Thompson (6-8 Forward, Indiana University).

VILLANOVA’S INTERNATIONAL TAKEOVER

If Team USA redeems itself in the basketball World Cup, it’ll be on the backs of the New York-Villanova connection.

Josh Hart took the final roster spot for the American squad for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, joining former Wildcats teammates Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges for the tournament that starts in late August.

It’s the first major competition for new Team USA coach Steve Kerr, who replaced Gregg Popovich after his 2021 Olympic gold medal. Popovich coached the Americans at the last World Cup in 2019, which ended with a disastrous seventh-place finish after defeats to France and Serbia.

Like in 2019, USA is sending a ‘C’ squad with zero players who were selected to All-NBA.. No matter, the Americans are always favored for gold and should breeze through a group that includes New Zealand, Greece and Jordan.

The tournament is hosted by Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. USA’s first game is Aug. 26 against New Zealand.

For Hart, the selection was another indication that he’ll be locked into an extension after becoming eligible in August. Playing in an international tournament without that security isn’t advisable.

On the eve of free agency, Hart opted into the final year of his contract at $12.9 million. It provided the Knicks financial flexibility to sign Hart’s other former Villanova teammate – Donte DiVincenzo – while simultaneously setting up Hart for an extension in the summer worth up to four years, $80 million.

Brunson (Knicks) and Bridges (Nets) also play professionally in New York.

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