LAS VEGAS — Ozyiah Sellers heard his name called 37 times as a starter for St. John’s last season. But on draft night, the phone never rang.
That silence didn’t last long. Sellers quickly agreed to join the New York Knicks for Summer League, and after three games in Vegas, it’s starting to look like a natural fit on both sides.
He went undrafted. He’s not sulking about it. Sellers told reporters at the Thomas & Mack Center that the chip on his shoulder has only gotten bigger. “I feel like I’ve played with a chip on my shoulder pretty much my whole life, but now it’s a little elevated,” he said. “Every chance I get, every opportunity I get, I try to make the most of it.”
Why the Knicks Make Sense for Sellers
There are four St. John’s players from the 2025-26 Red Storm roster in the NBA’s Summer League. Three of them — Zuby Ejiofor, Dillon Mitchell, and Bryce Hopkins — were actually drafted. Sellers is the fourth, the one who had to take a different path.
But the adjustment from Rick Pitino’s program to the Knicks has been surprisingly smooth. Sellers credits the culture. “Just how hard they play, how bad they wanna win,” he said. “Coming from St. John’s, I feel like we kind of have that same mentality. We wanted to win really bad. So it wasn’t too hard of a transition as far as mindset-wise.”
He called the fit “perfect.” Watching the Knicks in the playoffs, he said, felt like watching a version of his own college team. Same intensity. Same desperation. Same refusal to let up.
What He Brings to the Floor
Sellers averaged 10.3 points per game last season and started 36 of 37 contests. He’s not a flashy player, but he’s consistent. And he’s the kind of guy who doesn’t need to be the star to make an impact. He told reporters his approach is simple: “Regardless if I’m making shots, missing shots. I just try to bring energy, play hard, and just let the rest take care of itself.”
The guard still has at least one more preliminary game to convince Knicks brass he belongs. New York’s Summer League squad faces the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. That’s another chance to prove he’s more than just a training camp body.
Jalen Brunson has said that any NBA player who needs extra motivation is in the wrong business. Sellers won’t have that problem. He’s already carrying enough fuel for a whole roster.
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