Former Missouri State forward Keith Palek III will be taking his talents to the Big Apple.
Palek has signed a Summer League contract with the New York Knicks, sources confirmed to 97.3 FM ESPN. The former Bear will join the reigning NBA champions for practice over the Fourth of July weekend before heading to Las Vegas for the 2026 NBA Summer League.
Palek signed the contract on June 25 — nearly two weeks after the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs to win their first NBA championship in over half a century.
The undrafted free agent had also reportedly received interest from the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics prior to signing with the Knicks.
Who is Keith Palek III?
The Woodbine, New Jersey, native played basketball for St. Augustine Prep before beginning his college career at Division II California University of Pennsylvania. Palek transferred to Missouri State for his final year and led the Bears in scoring and assists, averaging 17.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the 2025-26 regular season.
The 6-foot-9 forward became the first ever Missouri State player to record at least 500 points, 200 rebounds and 100 assists in a single season. Some of his other basketball accolades include:
- NABC Division II All-District Second Team (2023)
- First team All-PSAC (2023)
- All-Conference USA Men’s Basketball Second Team (2026)
- Conference USA All-Academic Team (2026)
When is NBA Summer League 2026?
The 2026 NBA Summer League will begin on Friday, July 3, and run until Sunday, July 19.
The Knicks Summer League schedule is as follows:
Preliminary round:
- July 10: New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets (5:00 p.m. CT)
- July 11: New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs (5:00 p.m. CT)
- July 13: New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons (3:00 p.m. CT)
- July 16: New York Knicks vs. Golden State Warriors (6:00 p.m. CT)
Following these games, the top four teams will advance to the playoffs, and the remaining teams will play a consolation game.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State’s Keith Palek signs with Knicks for Summer League
