How poetic would it be if Donnie Walsh chooses the next Reggie Miller with his final draft pick of his Knicks presidential career.
The next Reggie could be Washington State’s 6-foot-7 shooting guard Klay Thompson, who for weeks the Knicks felt wouldn’t be around at the 17th pick, but now feel there’s a chance.
Walsh had told confidants for weeks Thompson reminded him of Miller as they are both 6-7, lithe, silky smooth from the perimeter and grew up in Southern Califorina, both playing in the Pac-10. Sure enough Thompson said Wednesday the Knicks president told him the same thing.
“Donnie Walsh told me that after I worked out for the New York Knicks,” Thompson told the Racine Journal Times after working out for the Bucks Wednesday. “I shot the ball pretty well in their workout and, because we have similar builds and similar size, Donnie told me how I really, strongly reminded him of Reggie Miller.”
Thompson’s workout with the Knicks on June 2 flew under the radar because he was in the same group as BYU’s superstar Jimmer Fredette. But Thompson outshot Fredette that day during the 3-point drill, bagging a sensational 21 of 25 3-pointers. Thompson, a native of Orange County, averaged 21.4 points for Washington State.
The Knicks believe Thompson can start as a rookie at shooting guard, which would enable them to move Landry Fields into a sixth-man role. There was an Indy report the Knicks were trying to move up to 15, swapping with Indiana, and giving up Toney Douglas, but a club source said the Knicks feel confident they’ll get a good player at 17 even if Thompson doesn’t drop.
The Knicks, who have no second-round picks due to the Carmelo Anthony trade, are more likely to add at least one more pick. They have explored adding one late first-rounder and a second-rounder, with James Dolan’s cash the major pawn.
In 2009, the Knicks gave the Lakers $3 million for the rights to Douglas. Last year, Walsh paid $1 million to the Bucks for the rights to second-round center Jerome Jordan.