The New York Knicks selected former Vanderbilt University forward Tyler Nickel with the 47th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday, June 24.
Nickel became the first Vanderbilt basketball player chosen in the draft since 2020. He helped the Commodores reach two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
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The 6-foot-6 perimeter shooting specialist averaged 13.5 points and shot 40 percent from 3-point range across 36 games in his senior season under head coach Mark Byington.
Nickel, a Harrisonburg, Virginia native, previously played for North Carolina and Virginia Tech before joining Vanderbilt.
He emerged as one of the top distance shooters in the Southeastern Conference.
At the NBA Draft Combine, evaluators recorded his wingspan at 6 feet, 8.5 inches and his weight at 217 pounds.
These measurements position him as a complementary floor spacer at the professional level.
"We don't really have a ton of success stories, especially not in sports or anything like that," Nickel said.
"So, just being somebody that kids in sports back home can look up to and say 'he can do it, why can't I do it.'
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That means everything to me."
The forward tied for the SEC lead with 275 three-point attempts while maintaining elite efficiency during the 2025-26 season.
Data shows 95 percent of his perimeter field goals resulted from assists, highlighting his reliance on backcourt teammates.
"Where I kind of like grew up, dude, if you didn't believe in yourself to get to a certain level, it wasn't gonna happen," Nickel said.
"You kind of have to have almost, to other people, a delusional sense of confidence. I trust myself so much just because of my work."
The wing prospect registered limited playmaking numbers with 43 assists alongside 26 turnovers while rarely driving inside for paint touches.
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Knicks officials must decide whether to sign the draft pick to a standard NBA contract or a two-way developmental roster spot ahead of summer league adjustments.
