There’s no task more important for a rookie to accomplish than earning the respect of their head coach. It may not lead to immediate playing time, but as New York Knicks guard Ron Baker can attest to, it can result in future opportunities and a decent payday.
A November 1 blowout loss to the Houston Rockets provided the platform for 2017 second-round draft pick Damyean Dotson to make progress towards achieving that vital feat.
New York selected Dotson at No. 44 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. Dotson appeared in four of the Knicks’ first six regular season games, amassing a grand total of 20 minutes played and zero field goals made on six attempts.