Damyean Dotson is proving that he is a capable player on both ends of the floor for the New York Knicks this season.
Over 26.8 minutes per game, Dotson is averaging 11.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and nearly one steal per game while shooting 38.5 percent from 3-point range.
Dotson told amNewYork that “staying focused, playing hard, working on my game all summer, [and] doing what the coaches want me to do, playing the right way" are his keys to taking advantage of increased playing time in his second NBA season.
"That means a lot when you can play the right way and be selfless and play for your teammates," Dotson said Monday while hosting a holiday sneaker drive at Sneakersnstuff in Manhattan alongside teammate Lance Thomas. Proceeds of the more than 400 new and slightly worn sneakers will be donated to the Department of Homeless Services in the Bronx.
Thomas, who played alongside the 2017 second-round pick last season as well, is not surprised by Dotson’s emergence this season after a limited role as a rookie.
“He’s a beast!” Thomas told amNY. “Damyean has been working non-stop. I’m not surprised by any of the stuff that’s happening to him right now. I think he knows that I’m not surprised by it, because I knew, one, that he’s capable of it, and two, this is what he was doing in practice last year, and it just took time to translate in the game and once you put together a crazy work ethic with confidence. [The] sky’s the limit.”
Dotson is working with a new coach this season, David Fizdale, and spoke well of their relationship.
“He’s a great coach,” Dotson said. “Great players’ coach. It’s easy to relate to him, and he can relate to our game and the way the game is now. The different styles of the game, 3-point shooting, small ball, all that, he can relate. It’s easy to connect with him.”
