Tyler Kolek fighting for my life with Knicks and his goofy energy is what they need

As T.I.’s “Bring Em Out” blares about Madison Square Garden, the Knicks gather in the tunnel and line up behind … Tyler Kolek.Not any of the stars, but rather the reserve guard who leads them out onto the floor — and is the first face fans see when they emerge for warmups — prior to every game.“I always look back because I’ve seen videos of Deuce [Miles McBride] running out [before he was there], the first guy runs out and they all stay behind,” Kolek told The Post.“So every time I go around that corner, I look back to make sure they’re running out with me.”Kolek might be worried about his teammates pranking him, but it’s his own affable personality that has allowed him to emerge as a popular glue guy in the locker room.“He’s a goofball, he’s a funny dude, but he takes his job really seriously,” McBride told The Post.

“I’m happy he’s here.He has a personality that he knows how to mess with everybody the right way, in the sense of he can get under your skin a little bit but you always know it’s all love and he’s joking.“He’s a great dude off the court.

I feel like the front office has done a great job bringing guys that want to win, want to put the team first, and that’s one of the guys.”On the court, he comes across as straight-edged and intense.But it’s behind the scenes and away from the court where he lets loose.“He’s goofy, fun-loving, always picking guys up,” Josh Hart told The Post.

“You need someone like him in the locker room.Always upbeat, got a personality and a good sense of humor.”Malcolm Brogdon’s sudden retirement just before the season started left the Knicks thin at point guard and paved the way for Kolek to earn a role as Jalen Brunson’s primary backup.

He got that chance to start the year, averaging 12.0 minutes across the first four games of the year.But there were rough results, and Kolek largely fell out of Mike Brown’s rotation.He averaged just 3.2 minutes across the nex...