NEW YORK, NY—Frank Ntilikina‘s recent emergence began during the summer when the 21-year-old helped kickstart France to a bronze medal in the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
The New York Knicks point guard was thrust into a starting role after veteran French point guard Thomas Heurtel succumbed to an injury in a preparation game. As he stepped into that role, Ntilikina’s confidence seemed to grow with every possession.
It wasn’t immediate, but with some prodding from his teammates and the French coaching staff, the young point guard started to bloom. Nicolas Batum was one of the experienced teammates who pushed Ntilikina to start taking more of an assertive role.