Feb 12, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks president Phil Jackson and general manager Steve Mills look on during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks fell one spot to No. 8 in the 2017 NBA Draft. Are the Knicks now perfectly set up to draft the guy they wanted all along?

The ping pong balls have spoken and the New York Knicks will have the eighth overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft. Although the outcome was not seen as favorable by Knicks fans, there’s still someone who should be available and checks off every box on the wishlist for this year’s draft.

His name is Frank Ntilikina.

The 18-year old French point guard is highly regarded by Knicks management, as he is seen as the perfect fit for Phil Jackson’s triangle offense. A report came out recently about how “enamored” the Knickerbockers are with the french guard.

Ntilikina measures in at 6’5″ and 190 pounds with a projected 6’11” wingspan, which is elite size for an NBA point guard. Ntilikina uses every bit of his length to his advantage, as he’s seen by many as one of the best defenders in this year’s draft.

Scouts have also recognized that the Frenchman is a much-improved shooter, which is essential for the triangle offense.

The performances Ntilikina put on during the U18 European Championship (for which he was named MVP), and the rave reviews that he receives from his current team in Strasbourg are all pointers to how special this kid may be.

Defense must be the Knicks’ No. 1 priority this summer after the embarrassing performance put forth on that side of the floor last season. Their defense was so atrocious that they earned rankings in the bottom 10 of the NBA in nearly every defensive category.

If the Knicks can grab one of the best perimeter defenders in this draft with the eighth overall selection, they shouldn’t even hesitate to do so.

Overall, I think the Knicks are actually happy with landing this 8th pick. Since all of the reports were reading that Frank Ntilikina was their guy all along, they can now justify the fact that they took him because there really seems to be no other fit.

I wouldn’t put it past the Knicks to have selected Ntilikina over De’Aaron Fox, and now since it seems as if Fox is out of the question. Can you imagine if Jackson passed up on a guy like Fox to select ANOTHER player from overseas?

I don’t think he would be able to walk the streets of New York until his contract expired.

Phil Jackson may have just gotten exactly what he wanted by dropping out of the range of controversy, as he can now justify the selection of his guy without any questions asked.

The New York Knicks have a target worth considering at No. 8.