New York mayor Zohran Mamdani stood at the podium on Thursday and mentioned Walt Frazier, Patrick Ewing, Willis Reed, and John Starks before a crowd that had waited 53 years for the moment. Down on the parade route, one member of the championship roster was having a rather different experience of the celebration.

On Thursday, Tyler Kolek decided to go down from the float to run along the barricade and high-five fans in the front row. Not 30 seconds in, two NYPD officers stopped him. They almost took him down to the ground before some people from the team came around to sort out the situation. But Kolek has only found humor after being so close to one of the most embarrassing arrests in a championship parade’s history.

“I swear I’m on the team bro,” Kolek posted on X with laughing emojis.

The NYPD deployed thousands of officers for the parade, with cops on high alert to prevent fans from breaking through the barricades. There have been several reports of the breakdown of law and order in the city, including shootings and injuries, after the Knicks clinched the title. So, the police were only doing their job. However, the confusion is not entirely without explanation.

Kolek did not play a single minute in the NBA Finals, with his last postseason appearance coming in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Cleveland. Across eight playoff games, he had 53 total minutes. Tyler Kolek was a deep-rotation player during the Knicks’ championship run. While what happened was unfortunate, his low minutes volume last season may have played a role. 

What’s Next for Sophomore Guard Kolek?

He now enters the offseason as a 25-year-old point guard trying to become good enough to be trusted to deputise for Jalen Brunson. All that depends on how he develops while improving his defense. The former Marquette star signed a four-year, $9.06 million rookie contract with New York in July 2024. At the time, it was reported as the largest guaranteed contract ever given to a second-round pick, with over $6.5 million guaranteed.  

Furthermore, he is set to earn about $2.3 million next season, and New York holds a team option, which is worth approximately $2.49 million for 2027-28. If the Knicks pick up that option, he would become a restricted free agent in 2028, which would allow the organization the chance to match outside offers. James Dolan’s stance on WFAN Sports Radio earlier was clear.

“I mean, we’re willing to stretch, right? But there are certain things in the NBA that you have to be, you know, suicidal to do, and we’re not going to do those. The one is called the second apron. You cannot go into the second apron.”

That decision might just work in his favor. He will be promoted to a more trusted position in the team and given a chance to prove himself.