As the Knicks continue to struggle and their playoff hopes evaporate, fans are clamoring to see more minutes for the team's youth, to at least get a better look at who can be contributors to a winning team in the future.
After calling for more Cam Reddish minutes, fans now want to see more of rookie point guard Miles McBride, especially with Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose sidelined. Currently, Tom Thibodeau is using Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley at the point, but Burks is out of his element and Quickley has struggled in the role.
As for McBride, who has been setting the G-League ablaze this season, he can only wait for his chance.
"It's definitely been challenging," McBride said during Wednesday's shootaround. "Obviously growing up, never had to deal with sitting a lot. But it's the NBA. It should be challenging. The task they're giving me, being able to play in the G-League and being able to come back to the team, it's been fun. So just trying to enjoy every day and taking the challenge head on."
McBride was recalled before Wednesday's game, but played just 75 seconds when the game was well out of reach. He hasn't played more than three minutes in a game since Jan. 2, and hasn't played at all in 15 games since then.
"The feedback is, 'You're young, you're a rookie, the opportunities you get, take them,'" McBride said of the messages from the coaching staff.
McBride seemed to be getting opportunities back in December, especially when he logged heavy minutes in a win over the Rockets on Dec. 16, finishing with 15 points and nine assists on 55 percent shooting over 36 minutes of action. But he ended up in COVID-19 protocols the next day and missed five games, and when he returned, shot just 21 percent from the floor while averaging 21 minutes over his next three games.
McBride isn't sure if that poor stretch coming off the COVID list played a part in his exile from the rotation, but he believes other factors came into play as well. Now, the second-round pick is still fighting for more playing time.
"I think it was also guys were coming back at the same time and coach just trusting the veterans," McBride said. "So no problem with it."
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