J. R. Koch was so excited to be taken by the Knicks in the second round of the NBA draft Wednesday night that he bought a Knick cap yesterday at an Iowa City mall.
But the salesman was so impressed to have the former Iowa star in the store, he asked Koch for a favor.
“I had to sign another [Knick hat], too,” Jason Robert Koch said yesterday by telephone. “It’s all starting.”
Actually, it really started for the 6-foot-11, 225-pound forward at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in April, an event for lesser-known college seniors to prove themselves to NBA scouts. By averaging 19.3 points and eight rebounds during the series of games, Koch, 22, was named to the all-tournament team.
His stature continued to grow with an impressive performance in the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago last month. And Knicks Vice President of Player Personnel Ed Tapscott liked him enough to choose him with the 46th pick.
Koch, who grew up near Peoria, Ill., and has never been to the city, can’t wait to become a New Yorker.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “They were just in the Finals. I’m hoping to come in and make the team. You have to prove yourself.”
Koch said he will fit in well with the Knicks’ new up-tempo style.
“Someone said I’m a poor man’s Keith Van Horn,” he said. “That’s a good explanation. I’m a runner and a shooter. I’m not a guy who’s going to back someone down. I get up and down the court.”
In his senior year at Iowa, Koch averaged 10.4 points while shooting a very un-Knick like 52.5 percent. In addition, he averaged 4.2 rebounds and led the Hawkeyes with 32 blocked shots. Considered a strong defensive player, he was the front man on Iowa’s full-court press.
Koch said he hadn’t spoken yet with Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, but expected to talk with him today. However, he did speak yesterday with Tapscott, who attended American University with Koch’s assistant coach at Iowa, Frank Dileo. Tapscott told him that he bumped into Dileo recently at an airport.
“Tapscott asked him about me and [Dileo] must have said some nice things because I’m a Knick today,” Koch said.
Koch said he was told by Tapscott that they expect him to be used at both small and power forward.
“They think I can help,” said Koch, who would probably play behind Marcus Camby and Larry Johnson.
The Knicks will likely have three roster spots to fill, considering that Herb Williams, David Wingate and Rick Brunson will probably not be re-signed. That will give Koch a good chance to make the team.
