Interview Questions Knicks Must Ask Prospects Ahead of NBA Draft

The New York Knicks' front office will nitpick every draft prospect who visits Madison Square Garden, winding them through the wringer of physical tests and interview questions.

New York needs talent, so there is no one bad interview answer that should automatically disqualify the most talented player from contention. If DeAndre Ayton is (admittedly unrealistically) available at No. 9, the Knicks should not pass on him just because a rumor surfaces Ayton said Domino's makes the best pizza in the world. Nor should they pass on Luka Doncic because they heard he said Patrick Ewing was overrated.

However, the front office should nevertheless conduct their due diligence when interviewing the draft prospects who grant the team a workout. It isn't just a strong wing defender with a wicked longball Scott Perry, Steve Mills & Co. are looking for: They're looking for a Knick. Someone to wear the name, the blue-and-orange, someone to endure the bright lights and boos and someone to grind and glow. 

That requires both the right player and the right person. What questions should they ask to find him? Read on for a few. 

What Do You See?

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

In early May, Mills said, "In an ideal world, we'd like to get a wing player," per the New York Post's Fred Kerber. A few days later, when speaking about drafting a guard, Perry said at the NBA Draft Combine, "It would only make sense if you feel that guard is far and away better than what you have on the roster," per the New York Post's Marc Berman.  

Nevertheless, the Knicks will be looking closely at point guards and will want an idea of how good any player's court vision is. When Trae Young works out for New York (as he has agreed to do, per Berman on Wednesday) they don't need to just see if he can shoot a J and execute a pass.

When watching tape or other players practice, can a PG spot a missed scoring opportunity or a failed defensive assignment? Can they recognize a potential teammate's greatest strengths and weaknesses—who finishes stronger with the left hand, who will bobble a bounce pass every time, who never saw a shot he didn't like and who never saw a shot he did?

So when the Knicks ask a potential draft choice "What do you see?" the answer had better be good.

Related questions:

When you watch the Knicks, where do you see yourself and your skills fitting in?  

How do you feel about playing beside other point guards? (Maybe three of them.)

How Do You Take Care of Your Body?

L.G. Patterson/Associated Press

Not every draftee will grow up to be a 33-year-old MVP candidate in the NBA Finals after playing every game of the season. The long-term health of LeBron James and other hardy elite athletes requires a combination of both great luck and great discipline. 

Yes, Michael Porter Jr. missed nearly his entire college career because of spinal surgery and Cedevita small forward Dzanan Musa himself called his body "very, very questionable" in an interview with DraftExpress. That may or may not have already made them better prepared for the rigors of an NBA season.

Some prospects are already taking this seriously, even before they're surrounded by a team of professional nutritionists and trainers. Duke F/C prospect Wendell Carter Jr. spoke at the draft combine about cleaning up his diet and working out tired, telling ESPN, "At the next level, taking care of your body is one of the most important things you have to do." 

The Knicks should have an idea of whether their new players are disciplined to survive the year. Do they stretch and do yoga, or do they go to the gym solely to shoot online videos of themselves frying their abs?

Do they get plenty of sleep, or do they play video games until 3 a.m. on the nights they aren't partying? Do they eat avocados, drink water and take their vitamins, or do they hit Chick-Fil-A five times a week? 

What Is Losing Like? (Do You Know?)

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

The Knicks lost four times more games last season than Mikal Bridges did in his entire three-year Villanova career.

Most of the best draft choices have experienced far more winning than losing in college, but if they play in the NBA, they are going to lose...and if they play for New York, they are going to lose a lot.

Not every person responds to losing the same way. Some calmly abide it, not really needing to win. Others have their souls crushed again and again until they are only dusty remnants of their former selves. Some loathe it with the red hot intensity of a thousand suns until it fuels them to far greater performances. 

To know what sort of "winning mentality" a player has, the Knicks need to know what sort of losing mentality they have. 

Related questions:

Off the basketball court, what other losses and adversity have you faced, and how did you face it? 

How Do You Need to Improve?

Mary Schwalm/Associated Press

If the answer to "How do you improve?" is "Nothing, I'm perfect already," the Knicks should tread lightly. A healthy dose of cockiness can be a good thing for an athlete. However only two players in history have ever been league MVP their rookie year, and the last was almost 50 years ago, so chances are, every new draftee has room for improvement.

The Knicks should look for a player who is confident but coachable.  

Call them out. You can't fool us, Zhaire Smith, you'll never sink that new three-pointer in a real game if you need to drop your hands down to your shins first. You can't handle the ball, Miles Bridges, and you'll never be able to shoot off the dribble. Then see how they respond. 

Related questions:

What kind of coaching do you respond best to?

What's your best position and role?

You're going to play off the bench [even if he won't]. How do you feel about that? 

How Do You Plan to Survive the NBA (And New York)?

Lance King/Getty Images

Will Gary Trent Jr. find the transition to the pros easier because his father played in the NBA? Probably. Will Anfernee Simons find the transition to the pros easier because his parents named him after a man who played in the NBA? Probably not.

It's impossible to know for sure, but a player who's better prepared for the lifestyle change could have an easier rookie year and a better career. Are they willing to bring a friend or family member with them to the new town? How is their money being managed? How well could they handle the New York media? 

What are they willing to do and what are they willing to not do? Will they accept going from star to role player and getting less impressive stats? Are they willing to stop hogging the ball? Are they willing to stop playing the position they are most accustomed to? Are you willing to stop committing so many flagrant-foul-worthy plays, Grayson Allen?

Might they stop eating so much fast food, stop driving so fast, stop getting into online beefs with rival players or stop dating that Instagram model?

Basketball courts need a mix of characters, but so do locker rooms. These questions could give the Knicks an idea of if and where a player could fit not only in a lineup, but in a squad.