{"id":131631,"date":"2025-03-30T11:20:53","date_gmt":"2025-03-30T15:20:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=131631"},"modified":"2025-03-30T11:20:53","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T15:20:53","slug":"perfect-brunson-understudy-predicted-to-land-on-the-knicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/30\/perfect-brunson-understudy-predicted-to-land-on-the-knicks\/","title":{"rendered":"Perfect Brunson Understudy Predicted To Land On The Knicks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/27\/knicks-realizing-slow-and-steady-wins-race-on-offense\/\" target=\"_self\">New York Knicks<\/a> may have found the perfect backup for <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/brunsja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jalen Brunson<\/a> in <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cbb\/players\/tahaad-pettiford-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tahaad Pettiford.<\/a> Pettiford, a 6\u20191\u201d left-handed guard, possesses the speed, athleticism, and scoring ability to thrive in the NBA. Projected as the 26th pick in the first round according to <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nbadraft.net\/nba-mock-drafts\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NBADraft.net<\/a>, Pettiford\u2019s March Madness performances for Auburn have skyrocketed his draft stock. His ability to attack the rim, finish with both hands, and create his shot makes him an ideal fit for a Knicks team desperate for bench scoring.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Perfect Brunson Understudy, Tahaad Pettiford Predicted To Land On The Knicks<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>NCAA Tournament Surge: Pettiford\u2019s Star-Making Moment<\/h3>\n<p>Pettiford has been nothing short of electric during Auburn\u2019s run to the Elite Eight. <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cbb\/players\/tahaad-pettiford-1\/gamelog\/2025#34-36-sum:player_game_log\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Averaging<\/a> nearly 20 points per game through three tournament wins, he showcased his ability to take over games. His performance against Michigan in the Sweet 16 was particularly eye-catching. Pettiford led a dominant 39-17 scoring run, finishing with highlight-reel plays that left defenders stunned.<\/p>\n<p>FanSided\u2019s Wynston Wilcox <a  href=\"https:\/\/fansided.com\/tahaad-pettiford-nba-draft-projection-auburn-star-march-madness-launching-pad\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">believes<\/a> Pettiford\u2019s outing against Michigan cemented his draft status. \u201cTahaad Pettiford might have single-handedly gotten himself drafted after his Sweet 16 performance,\u201d Wilcox wrote. \u201cHe was getting to the basket with hesitation moves, knocking down three-pointers, and making contested shots.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Tahaad Pettiford Sweet 16 takeover \ud83d\udd25\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/c_3OttRKDJE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3>What He Brings to the Knicks\u2019 Backcourt<\/h3>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/26\/josh-hart-karl-anthony-towns-knicks-record\/\" target=\"_self\">Knicks<\/a>\u2019 bench has been the <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/teams\/traditional?StarterBench=Bench&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=PTS\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">weakest<\/a> in the league in terms of scoring. Pettiford\u2019s ability to create offense would provide a much-needed spark. He plays at high speed but remains under control, a rare trait for young guards. His quick first step allows him to break down defenses, and he has the ability to stop on a dime for a pull-up jumper.<\/p>\n<p>His three-point shooting, while streaky, has shown promise. Over the Nike EYBL circuit, he shot 37.9% from deep on a high volume of attempts. While his free throw percentage dipped in 2023 (74.4%), his 84.6% mark in 2022 suggests he has the potential to improve.<\/p>\n<h3>Defensive Grit: A Match with McBride<\/h3>\n<p>Beyond his offensive skills, Pettiford is a strong defender. He averaged 2.2 steals per game in the Nike EYBL 2023 season, showing his ability to disrupt opposing offenses. His instincts allow him to jump passing lanes and turn defense into fast-break points.<\/p>\n<p>Pairing him with <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mcbrimi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Miles McBride<\/a> in the second unit could create a tenacious defensive backcourt. Both guards have the speed and intensity to pressure ball-handlers and make life difficult for opponents. The Knicks have struggled with perimeter defense off the bench, and Pettiford\u2019s skill set addresses that need.<\/p>\n<h3>The Brunson Blueprint: Why The Tahaad Pettiford Fit on the Knicks Makes Sense<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/25\/optimistic-brunson-injury-update\/\" target=\"_self\">Brunson\u2019s<\/a> rise to stardom has been fueled by his ability to navigate defenses with shiftiness and skill. Pettiford shares similar attributes but possesses an extra burst of athleticism. Learning from Brunson could accelerate his development, particularly in decision-making and shot selection.<\/p>\n<p>If the Knicks draft Pettiford, he will have the opportunity to develop under one of the league\u2019s most intelligent guards. He will get big-shot experience in New York, just as he has at Auburn. The transition from college star to NBA contributor is never guaranteed, but Pettiford has the tools to thrive as Brunson\u2019s understudy.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/27\/cam-payne-injury\/\" target=\"_self\">Knicks<\/a> need depth, athleticism, and scoring from their bench. Pettiford provides all three. If he lands in New York, he could be the perfect piece to elevate the Knicks\u2019 second unit and ensure Brunson gets the support he needs.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><label>Credit: <\/label>\u00a9 Junfu Han \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The New York Knicks may have found the perfect backup for Jalen Brunson in Tahaad Pettiford. Pettiford, a 6\u20191\u201d left-handed guard, possesses the speed, athleticism, and scoring ability to thrive in the NBA. Projected as the 26th pick in the first round according to NBADraft.net, Pettiford\u2019s March Madness performances for Auburn have skyrocketed his draft [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":131637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,773,12],"tags":[49375,50008,1412,1417,832,50042],"class_list":["post-131631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-college-basketball","category-knicks","tag-2025-nba-draft","tag-2025-ncaa-tournament","tag-auburn-tigers","tag-jalen-brunson","tag-ncaa-tournament","tag-tahaad-pettiford"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131631"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":131638,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131631\/revisions\/131638"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}