During Summer League play, Douglas (left) led the Knicks in assists per game with 7.0 while Hill was high man in points and rebounds per game with 14.4 and 8.2, respectively. Ricky Henne/New York Knicks

Las Vegas, NV - Adjusting to life in the NBA can be a difficult journey for young men straight out of college. Luckily for Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas, the two newest Knicks who have known each other since their time on the courts as teenagers in Atlanta, they’ll have each other to lean on throughout their rookie campaign.

“I told him we’re each other’s wingman,” said Douglas. “We are going to be going through a lot of this together and experiencing it with each other, and I think it’s great. It’s really terrific to know you are not going to be the only one going through this adversity.

“We can help each other out with the situations that come around. He is a great player, but a great person too and for me to have to rely on when things aren’t going so good, I am really happy about that.”

It’s a notion Hill agrees with as well.

“Yeah, Toney came up with that,” Hill laughed. “But it’s totally true, and it’s a good feeling. He’s the type of person I want alongside of me. He’s a good person and a good friend.

“After we got drafted I kept in contact with him, because going to New York, it is going to be a different world for him just like it is for me. He’s from the South, and I’m from the South, so we’ve kept in contact and are trying to be there for each other when we need each other.”

Spending a week and a half together as the leaders of the Knicks Summer League entry in Las Vegas has only strengthened their bond. Over the Knicks five-game series, the dynamic duo showed glimpses of what they will bring to New York come October.

They both continued to improve with each passing game, Hill finished play in Vegas with 14.4 points and 8.2 rebounds to lead the summer squad while Douglas added 9.0 points and 7.0 dimes -- the most on the team.

Despite their 0-5 record at week’s end, the tandem each did enough to excite Knicks brass.

“They just need to play and try to get better,” said Head Coach Mike D’Antoni. “We will see which one we can use, and hopefully it can be both of them. I thought they have played really well and have gotten better as it went along.”

D’Antoni also buys into the notion that Hill and Douglas will benefit from having one another to rely on.

“Obviously they have known each other for a while and like each other, so they should be able to help [each other out] over the rough spots this year,” he added. “There are so many hurdles they are going to have to jump over, and they have already gotten over the little ones to this point. We will see how it shakes out for them, but I do think having someone to do this with is a good thing.”

Both players are going home now that Summer League has ended, but their stay will be brief as they are eager to relocate to New York and work out for the upcoming season – their first in what promises to be many by each other’s side.