NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tyler Nickel became the 43rd Vanderbilt men’s basketball player to hear his name called in the NBA Draft, going to the New York Knicks with the 47th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 draft in Brooklyn.
Nickel is the first Commodore to be drafted since 2020 when Aaron Nesmith and Saben Lee were selected in the first and second round, respectively.
“I am so happy for Tyler,” Vanderbilt head coach Mark Byington said. “He has earned this opportunity and I am confident this is just a start. I really feel that he can be impactful in the NBA, and I know the Knicks are getting an unbelievable person, unbelievable competitor and somebody who really wants to win.”
TNick to the champs 🏆🏆🏆
— Vanderbilt Men's Basketball (@VandyMBB) June 25, 2026
5️⃣ headed to @nyknicks pic.twitter.com/GfylbatqUb
In two seasons with the Dores, Nickel etched his name alongside the best shooters in program history with a .402 three-point shooting percentage. His 110 threes in 2025-26 marked the third most in a single season at Vanderbilt, trailing only Shan Foster and John Jenkins who co-hold the record with 134 made triples.
In his senior season, Nickel notched a slew of career bests, including shooting 44.5 percent from the field, 84.7 percent from the free-throw line, 117 rebounds, 28 steals and 19 blocks. He averaged a collegiate-best 13.5 points per game. He also hit eight threes in a game twice this season, joining Foster as the only two Commodores to ever accomplish the feat.
For his Commodore career, Nickel averaged 12 points per game and helped lead the black and gold to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in over a decade.
While Nickel is the 43rd Vanderbilt player to be drafted, it marks the 44th time a Commodore has been selected as Steve Turner was selected in both the 1972 and 1973 drafts.