NBA Draft 2012, New York Knicks: Kostas Papanikolaou 'Wants To Play In The NBA'

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2012 NBA Draft: New York Knicks' Pick Kostas Papanikolaou Likely To Play For Team In 2013-14

New York Knicks draftee Kostas Papanikolaou is likely to play for the team beginning in 2013-14, according to his agent Marc Cornstein.

Papanikolaou is currently signed with the Greek team Olympiacos, but has a $1 million buyout that would allow him to play for the Knicks starting in 2013.

"He definitely wants to play in the NBA, it's a lifelong dream of his,'' Cornstein told The New York Post. "He's playing at the highest level in the Greek League and it's the next step. He's anxious to play sooner than later. He wanted the right fit with the right team and the Knicks we would've handpicked.''

Papanikolaou, a 6-foot-8 21-year old, was named the 48th selection in the 2012 NBA Draft after succeeding at the highest levels of European play last season. Olympiacos won the Euroleague championship, and he scored 18 points in the finals while guarding Andrei Kirilenko on the other end of the court.

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NBA Draft 2012, Knicks: Kostas Papanikolaou A 'Draft And Stash Pick'

With the 48th pick in Thursday night's 2012 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks selected Kostas Papanikolaou of Greece.

The Knicks are expected to let him develop in Greece before luring him to the NBA a year or two (or three?) down the road. That technique has worked at the back end of the second round before (think Manu Ginobili), but Seth Rosenthal of Posting and Toasting isn't thrilled by the Knicks' decision.

The kid sounds pretty great, actually, and all the draft experts like him, but he won't have a buyout for a couple of years, so this qualifies as a "draft and stash" pick. Considering that the Knicks really need some actual human beings to flesh out the backcourt in particular, such a selection surprises and disappoints me. Guys like Darius Johnson-Odom, Scott Machado, and Hollis Thompson were all still on the board and could have helped more immediately. Then again, there are always undrafted guys to be signed and tested in Summer League, so perhaps the Knicks felt they'd be able to build the roster that way.

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NBA Draft 2012, New York Knicks: Draft-Day Updates on Mock Drafts, More

The 2012 NBA Draft is Thursday night, and while the national conversation is centered around how the lottery will shake out and what big-time draft day deals may take place, here in New York there are plenty of Knicks fans who are actually excited about the 48th pick, the Knicks' lone choice in this year's draft.

Some people (like myself) look at mock NBA Drafts all year. Others might start paying attention now. The picture becomes a bit clearer as we approach the actual draft, but the second round is always unpredictable. Throw in the fact that most people can't figure out this year's lottery, and we may be on the cusp of one of the zaniest drafts in a long time. Either way, most believe the 2012 draft to be one of the deepest in years.

DraftExpress, one of the top NBA mock draft sites, projects the Knicks taking Texas A&M small forward Khris Middleton, a 6-foot-8 junior. Middleton actually saw his draft stock plummet over the course of this college season, as a knee injury hampered him. He's an athletic guy and a decent offensive player, but his lack of catch-and-shoot ability raises a red flag, one that the Knicks should notice quite a bit since spot-up shooting is something the team desperately lacks.

The other top mock draft site, NBADraft.net, has the Knicks selecting LSU's 7-foot junior center Justin Hamilton. The site ranked him the No. 8 center in the draft, describing him as so:

He's not dominant in one particular area, although he sports a soft touch in the post and can get up and down the floor. Teams looking for size and some front court presence could give Hamilton a look in that 45-60 range.

I've never seen Hamilton play, but I'll say that you can never have enough size. If Hamilton is gritty and plays big, it could be a solid choice. The Knicks have Jerome Jordan as a project big man, but he's someone who needs to seriously bulk up and round into his enormous frame before he can be considered as a possible minutes guy. Maybe Hamilton is closer along that Jordan, and if so it wouldn't be a horrible pick.

The Knicks Blog made a Top-5 list of realistic picks for the Knicks, and I tend to agree with Tommy on Darius Johnson-Odom, who could be a steal at 48 if he gets there. The Marquette guard is a tough cookie who can score in a variety of ways. Personally, I just feel that the Knicks could do way worse than Johnson-Odom given where their pick is.

T'would certainly be nice if the Knicks had a clue as to whether or not they'll actually be able to bring back Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak, but the pair's Bird Rights case is being appealed by the NBA. Lin helps solidify the Knicks' point guard situation - even with him they need another good point guard but without him they are a disaster at the position - and Novak gives them a catch-and-shoot presence, and even if Novak is back the Knicks need more in that department.