Former lottery pick Trey Burke is tearing up the G League with the Westchester Knicks

By Kels Dayton
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Updated: November 30, 2017

He’s a former lottery pick, National Player of the Year and the biggest little thing to happen to Michigan basketball since C-Webb and Jalen Rose killed short shorts once and for all.

You wouldn’t have expected to find Trey Burke in the G-League, but there he was, setting the Westchester Knicks’ franchise scoring record in just his third game with the team (43 points), then going for 29 and 9 in a commanding performance on Monday night.

In the short time he’s been in Westchester, it’s been painfully obvious that Burke is not only the best player on the team, he’s one of the best in the G League–for however long he stays.

Burke says he’s staying patient, biding his time and working on some of the things the NBA has shown him he needs to improve on.

“Allan Houston told me, ‘everyone knows Trey Burke can score. They want to see you run the team like you did when you were younger, back in college,'” Burke said. “They want to see you orchestrate guys, get guys in position. Calling the right plays, and finishing out games. For me, that’s one of the main focuses, as well as defense.”

His defense might be the main reason he’s no longer in the Association, as it’s incredibly tough for a 6-foot, 191-pound (albeit lightning-quick) dude to guard the giants that populate even backcourts now.

But the Michigan legend says he’s taking pride in his performance on that end of the court.

Westchester Knicks head coach Mike Miller raved about him after he went for 29 and 9 on Monday against the Windy City Bulls.

“I think he’s working on all of the things that he needs to do to get back where he wants to be, and he’s been great for our team, he really has,” Miller said. “We’ve played 10 games now, a little over three weeks, and I have seen these things that he felt like he wanted to work on, and he’s doing it every day. He’s making the big plays, but he’s also involving and engaging his teammates well, and that was something that he wanted to work on.”

#Michigan basketball legend @TreyBurke‘s journey has taken him to the @nbagleague‘s @wcknicks. #Knicks fans could see him soon, though: pic.twitter.com/VSD6hUrvo1

— Roundball Daily (@RoundballDaily) November 29, 2017

Burke passed on a chance to sign with the Thunder before the season, opting instead for the Knicks. He didn’t make the team out of training camp, but with a lack of quality depth at point guard, you’d have to think he’s got a chance to land on the roster at some point soon.

“I’m anxious. I definitely am,” Burke said. “But at the same time, I’m patient. There’s a thin line between being anxious and being patient. I’m honest with myself, I’ve looked myself in the mirror and I’m not ashamed of anything.”

“I know this process is just for the beauty of my story,” he said. “It’s kind of a testimony for the young guys who look up to me, knowing that you can have some bumps in the road, but you can get back to where you want to get back to, with hard work and faith.”

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