John Shurna is frequently compared to Steve Novak because of his height, shooting prowess and appearance.
At one point during Knicks practice yesterday, in fact, the two marksmen basically matched one another shot for shot at each end of the practice facility.
Yet Knicks head coach Mike Woodson has been more impressed with the all-around game of Shurna — the former Northwestern star — than merely his long-distance accuracy.
“I just like his makeup,” Woodson said. “He can make shots, that’s what he does, but he’s a basketball player. He can put the ball down, he rebounds for his position, I like him so far.”
The 6-foot-9 Shurna takes particular pride in doing the little things. He brings energy and hustle, Woodson said, attributes all teams need.
Shooting, of course, is still Shurna’s calling card. He shot 44 percent from 3-point range last year for Northwestern while averaging a conference-high 20 points per game — and 3-point shooting is a Knicks weakness.
After going undrafted, Shurna played with the Hawks in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and signed a partially guaranteed, one-year contract with the Knicks in early September.
Assuming recently signed power forward Rasheed Wallace makes the team, Shurna is one of five players competing for the 15th roster spot on the club. The group includes rookies Chris Smith (the younger brother of shooting guard J.R. Smith), Henry Sims and Oscar Bellfield, overseas veteran Chris Copeland and second-year pro Mychel Thompson.
“My main goal is just to go in and play as hard as I can each day, that’s all you can do,” Shurna said. “Try and compete, try and win in every form of competition out on the court, and at the same time listen to all these guys. You can take in a lot.”
Shurna said he is more focused on improving on a daily basis than concerned with where he stands among the other hopefuls. He has made a point of putting in extra time shooting after practice, frequently one of the last players to leave the facility.
“There’s always room for improvement,” he said. “I always want to get better.”
Shurna has played at Madison Square Garden before, twice during his junior year at Northwestern in the Holiday Festival. Because of the Garden’s renovation, the Knicks don’t have any preseason contests there, so Shurna would have to make the team for a return to the World’s Most Famous Arena.
“It would be a huge honor,” he said. “Playing [with the Knicks] at Madison Square Garden would be a dream.”