Nobody expected to snag a future All-Star with that pick. There weren’t flashy names flying around the Knicks rumor mill. There wasn’t even much hope that the Knicks could trade up for anybody or acquire a second draft pick, much like they did last year.

The names that flew around our collective minds were the likes of Kim English, Scott Machado, Darius Johnson-Odom, William Buford, Quincy Acy.

Once the draft started, and names began flying off the board, the picture appeared to become clearer for the Knicks. The first round went without a flurry of trades, and no presence from the Knicks, besides their name appearing next to a Houston Rockets pick (from New York).

Into the second round, names began to fall that many didn’t anticipate. Even then, Acy came off the board at 39. English soon followed at 44. But, two names a lot of Knicks fans had eye-balled, Johnson-Odom and Machado, continued to fall. When both names were passed over at #47, there seemed to be some rejoicing for the New York fans. “We’re going to get one of the two we really wanted! How did this happen?!”

And then, something completely different transpired. The names we expected to hear from Adam Silver wasn’t the name that was read.

Kostas Papanikolaou, Greece.

Wait, what? Who? Why? Really? No…

That was the initial reaction. Look, I get it. The Knicks didn’t see any immediate rotational pieces with that selection. The took a player they can stash in Europe for two years before even entertaining the idea of bringing him to the states. It could turn out to be a fantastic selection by the Knicks, as Papanikolaou could develop into a lottery pick-potential type player by the time he’s NBA ready.

However, we’re also surrounded by the names of past European failures by the Knicks, names like Fred Weis and Macej Lampe. We’ve been down this road before. It is uncomfortable, bumpy and winding. You’re also asking for patience from Knicks fans, an often fleeting trait we all lack.

The good news, Machado, somehow, went undrafted. If the Knicks really saw any value in him at all, there is plenty of time to bring him into training camp and compete for a roster spot.

But, still. Its hard to feel disappointed when your favorite team only owns one draft pick, and it comes after 47 players had been picked.

Yet, if its so hard to feel disappointed in that scenario, why do I feel the way I do?

So, the remaining question is, what is a fair level of expectation to put on whoever the Knicks draft 48th overall?

Its easy to get wrapped up in the potential and hype every player has entering the draft. I’m sure plenty of fans are hoping the Knicks discover the next Monta Ellis or Dejuan Blair, both players that fell to the second round who have made a huge impact with their respective teams. Or, some fans may even be thinking the Knicks will find another hidden gem in the later round like they did with Landry Fields, who went from a relative unknown to a regular in the New York line-up.

A lot of scouts and insiders have painted this incoming draft class as one of the deepest in recent memory. However, don’t expect much of that impact talent to reach the Knicks patiently (or impatiently) waiting at 48th. Any player the Knicks are likely to bring in at their scheduled slot will not fill any immediate needs for this team as far as their 2012-13 gameplan is concerned.

What I mean by that is, say, for example, the Knicks are to draft Scott Machado, poing guard out of Iona. Bringing in Machado, who could one day very easily be a better-than-average back-up point guard who sees 20+ minutes a night, won’t exclude the Knicks from looking at players like Jason Kidd or Raymond Felton to fill an immediate gap with their Mid Level Exception. Machado, regardless of how much he impresses scouts or people in the organization, would not and should not be trusted with back-up duties as a green rookie. Jeremy Lin isn’t experienced enough himself for the Knicks to take a chance like that.

Even players with above-average scoring ability right now won’t keep the Knicks from other options on the free agent market. The best expectation to have on a second round pick this season is to have almost no expectations for them until 2013-14, when they’re one year wiser and have spent a full season in practice and in training sessions to prepare them for the beast that is the NBA season.

So, while I would personally love to see the Knicks selected Darius Johnson-Odm (how awesome would it be if Gus Johnson was still doing Knicks games? D! J! OHHHHHH!!!), I don’t expect him, or Machado, or a Kim English, or a William Buford to make a huge splash for the team next year. That would be unrealistic of me, or anyone.

Instead, let’s hope the Knicks select the right talent, and hope that player can make an impact one day, if not today.

Is English's scoring touch what the Knicks need in the second round?

We’ve covered two point guards that could make an impact as a back-up for the Knicks as a second round draft pick. One with experience playing in MSG (Scoop Jardine) and one with New York ties and a mean ability to create opportunity (Scott Machado). Now, its time to look at one of the most prolific scoring points in this year’s draft crop, Missouri’s Kim English.

Missouri’s last impression is unfair considering all the good the team accomplished throughout the regular season. I mean, they were the Big 12 Champions, lest we forget. However, its the crushing loss to 15-seed Norfolk State in the first, er, second round of the NCAA Tournament that destroyed their hard work and a ton of brackets.

What Missouri did throughout the regular season was remarkable considering they played almost exclusively with a four-guard starting line-up. English, along with Marcus Denmon, Phil and Max Pressley created a dynamic starting line-up that few teams were able to keep up with in a fast-paced offensive attack. When you include sixth man Michael Dixon, the Tigers were an incredible team to watch on a nightly basis, which made them easy picks to do well in the NCAA Tournament.

On the season, English’s best attributes were on the offensive end. He averaged 14.5 points, with a remarkable 52.1% from the field and an even more impressive 45.9% from beyond the arc. His defense was better than average, bringing in over a steal a game, but English was never the main distributor on offense, averaging only 1.6 a night for a team that dished out over 16 a night.

While I admire everything English can do for a team on offense and love that he played against some of the best competition the game had to offer (including going head-to-head with potential lottery pick Tyshawn Taylor numerous times), I can’t bring myself to seeing him as a fit for the Knicks, especially if Machado is available before him.

The problem mainly for English is he’s really not a point guard, but more of a combo-guard in the form of Iman Shumpert. He would be a luxury for the Knicks if they took him instead of someone that would fill a hole. In the draft, the Knicks should focus on one of three aspects: a back-up point guard with the potential to one day start, a defensive-minded block player or a combo guard with an emphasis on defense.

English is no bum when it comes to one-on-one defending, but Missouri did play almost strictly a zone coverage because of their lack of size inside, forcing teams to move the ball around the wing in order to create scoring opportunities. His best asset (scoring at will) isn’t something the Knicks are really short of. English would likely play with the second unit if he played at all, and his opportunities would be limited especially if J.R. Smith re-ups with the team in the off-season.

You can talk me into English fitting on the Knicks if Smith walks, but that’s the only scenario I truly see him working into the Knicks master plan. Would I be upset if the Knicks went with English at 48th overall? Absolutely not. I think he did more than enough at Missouri to prove he can be a scorer and a contributor in the NBA.

However, that late in the draft, it isn’t about taking the best player, but taking the best option that fills a need. Right now, Kim English wouldn’t fill a need for the Knicks the way they are currently constructed.

With no first-round pick and the Knicks not drafting until No. 48 overall, selecting the right guy becomes very important for general manager Glen Grunwald. Bringing in a rookie that can contribute a little can go a long way to not only improving depth on the club for next season, but also will help the Knicks stay younger for the future.

Grunwald drafted Josh Harrleson in the second round a year ago and with this being a very deep draft, he may have even more luck with this pick.

Here’s a look at a few guys the Knicks should target with their second-round pick come June 30.

Herb Pope, Seton Hall

Mar 13, 2012; South Orange, NJ, USA; Seton Hall Pirates player Herb Pope (15) celebrates making a play in the second half against the Stony Brook Seawolves in the first round of the NIT at Walsh Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Farrell/THE STAR-LEDGER via US PRESSWIRE

Adding a power forward with Pope’s skill set would be a steal this late in the draft. He’s a scorer and a relentless rebounder, averaging 15.2 points and 10.3 assists per game during his senior season at Seton Hall.

He’s very athletic and is a guy that could be developed for the future. Pope has first round type talent and it’s likely doubtful he slips that far down in the second round, but stranger things have happened.

Alex Young, IUPUI

Young is a scorer, averaging 20.4 PPG during his senior season. Depending on what happens to the Knicks depth at the 2-guard spot this offseason, they may be forced to address that need through the draft.

He can fill it up, but I worry about Young’s perimeter shot being a little bit inconsistent. He shot 40 percent from behind the arc as a sophomore, but that number dipped all the way down to 34 percent as a senior.

JaMychael Green, Alabama

Green is a solid power forward who averaged 14.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a senior. He’s 6’9″ and can give the Knicks a lift on the defensive end of the floor, blocking 1.5 shots per game.

He has a lot of upside due to his length, explosiveness and aggressiveness and while he may need to add some muscle, Green could be a project worth taking a shot on.

Mike Scott, Virginia

Scott really opened up some eyes towards the end of the season and finished his senior year averaging 18.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

He was at Virginia for five seasons and improved as a player every single one of then. Scott is 6’8″, 230 pounds and is a strong, physical, low-post player with a non-stop motor. Scott will turn 24 this year and is undersized, but other than those drawbacks, he’s a competitor who has score and rebound.

Robert Sacre, Gonzaga

Mar 15, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs center Robert Sacre (0) drives against West Virginia Mountaineers forward Dominique Rutledge in the second round of the 2012 NCAA men

Sacre makes a lot of sense as the Knicks need frontcourt depth and he can slide in as the backup to Tyson Chandler.

He averaged 11.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game at Gonzaga, but he’s a guy who’s very long and can block shots and rebounds, which is important as we saw how much different the Knicks defense was when Chandler wasn’t on the floor.

Sacre also has a soft touch around the rim, shooting 51 percent from the floor. He’s a all-around good player that could provide good value in the second round.

Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech

If the Knicks are looking for scoring, they can’t go wrong with a guy like Murphy.

Murphy can play the 2 or the 3 and is one of the better pure scorers in this draft class, averaging 20.6 PPG on the season, including a 50-point game. He’s a great shooter with range and also has an outstanding first step.

Murphy’s a fluid athlete with excellent length. He’s a very fun player to watch.

Kim English, Missouri

Fans didn’t get to see enough of English in the NCAA Tournament as Missouri was upset in the first round, but the guy is a shooter. He has a quick release an unlimited range, averaging 14.5 points and shooting 46 percent from behind the arc, but that’s really all he does well.

English is almost a Steve Novak-type of player. His ability to shoot the ball will keep him in the NBA, but he’s not a guy that can create his own shot, nor is he a great athlete, but the guy can shoot the ball.

Henry Sims, Georgetown

I’m a fan of the Knicks going with frontcourt depth in this draft and Sims is another possibility.

Sims stands 6’10″, weighs 242 pounds and is a very good athlete.  He’s very good 15-feet in, shooting 46 percent from the floor. Sims has good hands and is very athletic, but he isn’t very physical and isn’t a great rebounder, pulling down only 6.0 rebounds per game on the season.