Knicks' Quentin Grimes selected to Rising Stars game for All-Star weekend
Quentin Grimes of the Knicks lays up a basket during the second quarter against the Pistons at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 11, 2022. Credit: Jim McIsaac
It was just a few games ago that Quentin Grimes hit a mark — his 82nd NBA game, a sign of experience and growth. And Tuesday he got a reward for his growth as he was named to the Rising Stars competition and headed to All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City.
“It’s kind of one of the goals I had coming from a personal standpoint,” Grimes said. “Definitely a great honor to make the Rising Stars game.”
“Great for him, great for our organization,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s worked really hard. I think people recognized his contributions to the team. We’re happy for him.”
Grimes became a starter this season, entrenched in a key role in Thibodeau’s rotation. While he is a skilled offensive player with a high ceiling, it is his defense that has earned him his role — defending the best perimeter player on the opposing team no matter the size or speed.
"Yeah definitely. I just hit 82 games a couple of games ago, kind of got my first whole season under me,” Grimes said. “Last year was learning, a learning curve and you’ve got to figure out the league. But this year I came in with a mindset that I knew what to expect from a coverage standpoint, a league standpoint. So one of the things I wanted to accomplish for myself.”
While some players get to their obligations — media session and the event they are a part of — and get out on the next flight to a tropical locale, Grimes said he wants to enjoy this opportunity.
“It’s my first time ever going to an All-Star Game in general,” he said. “So I’m definitely going to take it in, soak it in and treat the game like it’s a regular game. They have a different format so it’s more competitive. I’m going to treat it like a regular game, going in there to win.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
