Here is one way to measure the evolution of Mindaugas Kuzminskas, the 27-year-old Knicks rookie from Lithuania. Years ago, he was thrilled and a little nervous when he got to meet Arvydas Sabonis, a patriarch of Lithuanian basketball and someone whose towering size and handshake made the 6-foot-9 Kuzminskas feel almost small.

Then, last summer, Kuzminskas had that same feeling again, but this time it was after he had arrived in New York, ready to sign a contract with the Knicks and finally begin his N.B.A. career.

He walked into a room at Madison Square Garden, and there, to his surprise, sat Phil Jackson. These days, Jackson is the embattled president of the Knicks, with more critics than admirers. But to Kuzminskas, who grew up following the N.B.A. from afar, Jackson was the person who won a record 11 championships as an N.B.A. head coach.

So Kuzminskas was sort of speechless. Or as he put it: “I forgot to speak English.’’

Eventually, Kuzminskas remembered, and in a season with the predictable rookie ups and downs, he has nevertheless emerged as an intriguing addition to a team that can use help wherever it can find it.