Cleveland ? Randolph Morris’ college season ended Sunday when Kentucky lost to Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

His NBA career, which he thought might begin two drafts ago, instead began Friday.

Once projected as a possible lottery pick had he entered the draft straight from high school, but then not chosen when he declared after one season with Kentucky, the 6-foot-11 forward-center signed Friday with the Knicks.

“It’s almost like another first-round pick in this year’s draft,” Isiah Thomas said.

Yet Morris was available now (and will practice this weekend) because of a quirk in the rules. Because he wasn’t drafted, the NCAA allowed him to play again after sitting out the first half of his sophomore season because of questions regarding his relationship with an agent.

He played the rest of that season and this one (averaging 16.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks) basically as a free agent, for by passing through one draft, he could’ve turned pro at any time.

“We had been monitoring his situation,” said Thomas, who worked him out before the 2005 draft. “Once (his) season was over, we thought it’d be a good time to try to make contact and try to sign him.”

Although the Knicks didn’t disclose terms, ESPN.com reported he received a $1.6 million deal for the rest of this season and next season.

That would mean they spent a portion of the low-level salary-cap exception on him that teams can use once every two years, for because they’re over the salary cap, the only other way to sign him would be via a minimum-salary deal.

That’s unlikely because Thomas said other teams were pursuing him.

Thomas believes Morris, 21, has 12- to 15-foot shooting range, but needs improvement on the boards and blocking shots. Still, he said, “This is a player that, if he was in this year’s draft, you’re talking about probably one of the top 15 to 20 players.”