Knicks rookie guard Immanuel Quickley is under heavy consideration to be named to the USA Basketball Select Team, according to multiple sources. The Select Team will scrimmage against the Olympic team in Las Vegas.
Quickley, the former Kentucky guard who was selected last November at No. 25 overall, was one of the draft’s big surprises. He earned second-team all-rookie recognition as the top vote-getter on the second squad.
The Select Team, made up of young American prospects, will practice with the Olympians before they head overseas. The Knicks consider those scrimmages terrific learning experiences. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mitchell Robinson, then young Knicks, have been part of the team in the past.
The Olympic training camp begins Tuesday.
In 2019, Robinson was named to the Select Team to practice against the World Cup Team. But he spent some of that time on the sidelines with an injured knee.
Coming off a broken foot that cost him a chunk of the 2020-21 season, Robinson would only be a possibility this July if he’s fully completed his rehab. Robinson’s last game was March 27.
Quickley, who played both guard positions as a reserve, averaged 11.4 points, shooting 38.9 percent from 3-point range. A sensational free-throw shooter, Quickley became a fan favorite because of his animated enthusiasm on the court.
On Tuesday, Team USA announced the coaching staff for the Select Team: Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few, and Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley,
Knicks power forward Julius Randle was not selected to the 12-man Olympic roster, though three participants — the Bucks’ Kris Middleton and Jrue Holiday and the Suns’ Devin Booker — won’t begin camp on time as they are competing in the playoffs. All three guards could withdraw if their teams make the NBA Finals.