Allonzo Trier says going undrafted was ‘absolutely shocking’

But he’s looking forward to his opportunity with the Knicks

Allonzo Trier begins his pro career Saturday when the New York Knicks take on the Atlanta Hawks in their Las Vegas Summer League opener.

While Trier went undrafted last month, he found a nice landing spot in New York, inking a two-way contract which means he will split time between the NBA and G League this season.

Trier will make a minimum of $77,250 and potentially up to $385,000 depending how many days he is with the NBA club. (His contract limits him to 45 days.)

Still, it’s not a situation Trier envisioned when he decided to forgo his senior season. The former Arizona standout expected to hear his name called on draft night, even if mock drafts projected otherwise.

“It was absolutely shocking (I didn’t get drafted),” Trier said (via the New York Daily News). “I definitely believe I belong in this league and I can play and I’m as good as all these guys who were drafted. But that’s done and over with, in the past. I’m looking forward to this opportunity here and taking advantage of it.”

The Knicks, who are coming off a 29-53 season, are in the middle of a rebuild and have a new head coach, so Trier has a chance to carve out a role with them.

While Trier’s defensive prowess was a concern coming out of college, he believes his scoring and play-making abilities can be a real asset for an NBA team, especially in this era of pace-and-space basketball.

To his credit, he was one of the most efficient scorers in college basketball last year, averaging 18.1 points per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3, and 87 percent from the free-throw line.

“I feel like I can space the floor, knock down shots, I think I’m very good with the ball in my hand, creating for myself, creating for others,” Trier said. “I know I can be a shot-maker. I just know I’m a guy who can fit in. I fit in with the way the game is being played today and I’ll continue to just learn and get better.”

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