Zak Irvin Excelling In Second Stint With Westchester Knicks

Two years ago, Zak Irvin suited up in his final collegiate game as a Michigan Wolverine. The first chapter of his professional career took him to Italy and Israel before he returned to the states. He joined the NBA G League and called Westchester his new home.

He made an immediate impact early in his professional career. Irvin became the fourth Westchester Knick to record a double-double in his debut and played a significant role in the team’s depth. When the G League season came to an end, the Westchester guard was ready to seize his next opportunity.

He took his talents to the Dominican Republic and joined Metropolitanos de Mauricio Báez. Irvin started out his second chapter of his career in Mexico with Abejas de León where he continued to show he could perform at a high level. While it was difficult to adjust to a new situation playing in a new country for the first time, he made the most of his time in new countries and expressed his joy in returning to New York.

“It was difficult at first just going overseas and not playing here, but I made the most of it,” Irvin said. “I’m able to adapt to my situations pretty easily but I was happy to be able to come back here to Westchester.”

The Westchester guard spent a month in Mexico then returned to New York. He stated how the organization expressed their desire in having him return to the team.

“When I was done in Mexico, Westchester gave me a call and said they would love me back,” Irvin said. “I thought it was a good opportunity for me to come here and add to this team, so I was excited to get here. Some familiar faces were here and I think we’re doing alright so far.”

Irvin has spent more than half the season with the Dub Knicks and has been a valuable contributor since he has rejoined the team. He has been rebounding the ball at a high rate— leads the team and is top 15 in rebounds per game— and is a high energy player who has been efficient with his shot. Irvin can move off the ball well and uses his defense to help create offense for the team.

He has notched seven double-doubles. While his numbers are high, his goal is to continue to go out on the court and help lead the team to wins and continue to progress.

“I just try to go out there and help the team out as best as I can,” Irvin said. “I think I’m doing a good job of that so far and hopefully we can string together some wins. I’m just out here trying to get better each day. That’s what the G League is for. I just wanted to be more aggressive coming into this second stint with the them and I think I’ve done that so far.”