Landry Hits to All Fields
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Landry Fields has shown the ability to score from anywhere on the court.
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In the days before the Knicks made him the 39th overall selection in this year’s NBA Draft, Landry Fields impressed the team’s staff by registering a 39-inch vertical leap during workouts.
He’s been impressing them ever since.
The athletic 6-foot-7 swingman has been one of the Knicks’ early success stories at the NBA Summer League, with noteworthy performances in each of New York’s first three games, over which he’s averaged 16.3 points on 17-for-31 shooting (.548).
In his first game as a professional, Landry came off the bench for 13 points (on 6-for-8 shooting) and five rebounds in 25 minutes in the Knicks’ loss to Denver. The next day, he went 7-for-11 from the field for 17 points in the win over the Lakers, adding five boards, three steals and two blocks in 23 minutes. Wednesday, he had a team-high 19 points (including 10-for-13 from the line) in 30 minutes in New York’s loss to Toronto.
“I’m taking it day-by-day,” says the Stanford product, who’ll turn 23 at month’s end, “trying to learn the system and find where I can be aggressive and most successful in the system.”
Fields was eighth in the nation last year (and first in the Pac-10) with 22 points per game for Stanford. He averaged 10.8 points over his four college seasons, and was named All-Pac-10 as a senior.
Last season, he averaged 25.0 points and 12.0 rebounds against Top-25 opponents, so he isn’t easily rattled. He’s taking the next step --- his first days as a professional – right in stride.
“Nothing’s surprising,” said Landry of his first Summer League days. “I sort of knew what to expect. The speed (of the game) was going to be a lot faster and guys were going to be a lot better.”
The face of the Knicks has changed at warp speed just over the time since Fields came aboard in late June. Since then, the Knicks have signed Amar’e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton and made the multi-player deal with Golden State. Whatever the makeup of the team around him, Fields intends to contribute.
“I’m excited for the potential (with), really, any team they put out there,” he says. “It should be exciting.”
Just as exciting in the near future should be the California native’s first real glimpse of the Big Apple. So far, he’s been a suburbanite.
“To be honest, I haven’t even been downtown yet,” says Landry. “I’ve just been in Westchester working out. I’ve never been in Manhattan, I’ve got to see what it’s all about. I’ve seen it on television and in the movies.”
All in due time. The personable youngster, who’s trying to teach himself to play the piano --- “You don’t, you just remember songs. I’ve got to get on that a little better.” – might be making his own sweet music a few months down the road.
WEDNESDAY’S GAME: In addition to Fields’ 19 points, Marcus Landry (14) and Patrick Ewing Jr. (11) also had double-figure scoring games off the bench in Wednesday’s 102-89 loss to Toronto, which dropped the Knicks’ Summer League mark to 1-2. Toney Douglas had 13 points and six assists. Second-year pro DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with a game-high 23 points. . .Knicks will hold a light practice on Thursday, then return to Summer League action on Friday against Detroit at Cox Pavilion. Game time is 4 p.m. Eastern on MSG Network. . .In memory of the legendary Hall of Fame Knick, the 2010 Summer League all-tournament team will be named the Dick McGuire All-NBA Summer League Team.
He’s been impressing them ever since.
The athletic 6-foot-7 swingman has been one of the Knicks’ early success stories at the NBA Summer League, with noteworthy performances in each of New York’s first three games, over which he’s averaged 16.3 points on 17-for-31 shooting (.548).
In his first game as a professional, Landry came off the bench for 13 points (on 6-for-8 shooting) and five rebounds in 25 minutes in the Knicks’ loss to Denver. The next day, he went 7-for-11 from the field for 17 points in the win over the Lakers, adding five boards, three steals and two blocks in 23 minutes. Wednesday, he had a team-high 19 points (including 10-for-13 from the line) in 30 minutes in New York’s loss to Toronto.
“I’m taking it day-by-day,” says the Stanford product, who’ll turn 23 at month’s end, “trying to learn the system and find where I can be aggressive and most successful in the system.”
Fields was eighth in the nation last year (and first in the Pac-10) with 22 points per game for Stanford. He averaged 10.8 points over his four college seasons, and was named All-Pac-10 as a senior.
Last season, he averaged 25.0 points and 12.0 rebounds against Top-25 opponents, so he isn’t easily rattled. He’s taking the next step --- his first days as a professional – right in stride.
“Nothing’s surprising,” said Landry of his first Summer League days. “I sort of knew what to expect. The speed (of the game) was going to be a lot faster and guys were going to be a lot better.”
The face of the Knicks has changed at warp speed just over the time since Fields came aboard in late June. Since then, the Knicks have signed Amar’e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton and made the multi-player deal with Golden State. Whatever the makeup of the team around him, Fields intends to contribute.
“I’m excited for the potential (with), really, any team they put out there,” he says. “It should be exciting.”
Just as exciting in the near future should be the California native’s first real glimpse of the Big Apple. So far, he’s been a suburbanite.
“To be honest, I haven’t even been downtown yet,” says Landry. “I’ve just been in Westchester working out. I’ve never been in Manhattan, I’ve got to see what it’s all about. I’ve seen it on television and in the movies.”
All in due time. The personable youngster, who’s trying to teach himself to play the piano --- “You don’t, you just remember songs. I’ve got to get on that a little better.” – might be making his own sweet music a few months down the road.
WEDNESDAY’S GAME: In addition to Fields’ 19 points, Marcus Landry (14) and Patrick Ewing Jr. (11) also had double-figure scoring games off the bench in Wednesday’s 102-89 loss to Toronto, which dropped the Knicks’ Summer League mark to 1-2. Toney Douglas had 13 points and six assists. Second-year pro DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with a game-high 23 points. . .Knicks will hold a light practice on Thursday, then return to Summer League action on Friday against Detroit at Cox Pavilion. Game time is 4 p.m. Eastern on MSG Network. . .In memory of the legendary Hall of Fame Knick, the 2010 Summer League all-tournament team will be named the Dick McGuire All-NBA Summer League Team.
