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Jeremy Sochan recently made a splash with his new hair dyed in Knicks colors, signaling his eagerness to leave behind a rocky chapter in San Antonio.
“I felt like I didn’t really get a chance,” Sochan said, reflecting on his recent stint with the Spurs before being released last week and quickly picked up by the Knicks. “It’s a very competitive team, and perhaps the coach and I didn’t see eye to eye on how I fit into the puzzle. But that’s in the past now.”
He added, “I’m just grateful for the opportunity to grow and thrive here.”
Seeing Sochan available in the buyout market was unexpected, especially considering his impressive track record. Before this season, he had consistently averaged over 25 minutes of play and earned a spot on the 2023 All-Rookie First Team.
However, his relationship with head coach Mitch Johnson, who succeeded Gregg Popovich, never quite clicked. Before the All-Star break, Sochan found himself frequently benched. Sources close to the team suggest that his limited playing time was largely due to his struggles with jump shooting, a critical skill for his role.
His career efficiency from deep is under 30 percent. Sochan’s defense, which had previously facilitated a large role, was uninspiring this season in limited action.
“It’s tough. In my whole career even looking past the NBA I’ve never really been sitting on the bench and getting DNPs. So you go through a process of questioning why or what’s happening,” Sochan said. “It can get stressful. But at the end of the day, I’m from England, where basketball is not big. So I know my worth. I know what I can bring to the team, and I’m blessed that the organization here [in New York] has seen that. And I’m super excited to get a fresh slate and show what I can do.”
The Knicks were interested in Sochan at the trade deadline, according to sources, but the Spurs had no interest in their offer of Guerschon Yabusele.
So the Knicks pounced when Sochan hit the market.
The plan is to give Sochan a chance as the backup power forward, with coach Mike Brown saying Wednesday that he wants to test the new player before the playoffs. Sochan — who often dyes his hair and settled on orange and blue before his Knicks debut — is getting a fresh start on a bigger stage.
“Very excited. The culture here, at the Knicks and New York in general, is crazy and very global. And I feel like I’m global, too,” said Sochan, who was born in Oklahoma to a Polish mother and grew up in England. “So I’m just super excited to be here and just grow with this city and the club.”