Kevin Knox shined among the baby Kentucky Wildcats last year. He is an interesting bundle of athleticism too. But questions remain about where he fits.
The Kentucky Wildcats are always full of talented freshman. Coach John Calipari is able to bring in top recruits and somehow mold them into a functioning and great team by the end of the year. They always seem to find a way to peak just before the NCAA Tournament. With so many top seeds falling down, the Wildcats were suddenly the favorites in their region (they did not make the Final Four).
Someone had to begin the year carrying the scoring load. One of those young players always finds a way to step up to the plate. Whether that is enough to help them accomplish their ultimate goal of reaching the NBA or becoming a high draft pick is another story.
That was the role Kevin Knox stepped into very early on in the season.
Knox led the Wildcats in scoring with 15.6 points per game and shooting 44.5 percent from the floor. At 6-foot-9, he has the rangy perimeter length teams quickly fall in love with. But he has the smoothness and fluidity of a guard too.
Knox has all those measurables going for him. And plenty of highlights to boot.
He hit the ground running in Lexington, scoring at least 10 points in the Kentucky Wildcats’ first eight games and 20 points against the Kansas Jayhawks in the third game of the season. He was a steady scorer and player for the Wildcats as they figured out who they would be as a team.
Knox has all the fluidity and athleticism the NBA asks of wings. He runs the floor well and can finish at the basket. There are very few athletes like Knox in the Draft.
His shooting still needs to improve — 34.3 percent from beyond the arc — and he still struggles some in half-court settings.
Knox is still a bit raw. He does not have the total refinement to his game. But the talent and explosiveness are there. As is the measurables that any team would like at the 3.
Knox probably still goes in the Lottery and he remains a dark horse to crack the top 10.
The Good
Kevin Knox’s length and athleticism in transition is the first thing that pops out on tape.
When he gets out in transition, he looks natural and aggressive in the way he attacks the basket. Knox in transition is about as good as it gets. He will finish above the rim and work around defenders beneath it with an array of finishes.
That is all good in the open court. But Knox also looks to have plenty of comfort on the ball, something good in a player as big as he is at 6-foot-9.
Knox has a lot of fluid and natural movements on the ball. He does not look like someone who has had trouble growing into his body. He is very coordinated.
In that way, he looks similar to Michael Porter Jr. when he was healthy. Knox does not quite have the natural shot creation and scoring ability that Porter has, but he has a solid few moves to set up his jumper.
More than that, he works surprisingly well off the ball. He comes around cuts and curls well and in rhythm either to set up his jumper or to curl around into the paint for a drive or dive to the basket.
This is a credit to his athleticism. And that might be his best attribute.
Knox’s control is impressive. He can start and stop pretty quickly and change his shot angle in mid-air with ease. He can get his jumper off in a short amount of space and remain fairly accurate.
That is all an impressive thing for a 19-year-old player. And he could put things together for a long stretch of time for Kentucky.
And the best thing of all is if a defense leaves him open, Knox will hit the open shot. He is an effective enough 3-point shooter to keep defenses honest. Those are a lot of offensive tools to work with.
Throw in those physical attributes and he projects as a solid enough defender too. There is a lot to like even if it is still in an incomplete package as of now.
The Bad
Kevin Knox is an interesting physical package. And he has put together a solid reel of highlights. But he is still an incomplete player in a lot of ways. Knox does not have a lot of consistency working in the half court or breaking defenders off the dribble.
Knox displays his athleticism in space really well, but tighten up on him and he tends to settle and make quick, sometimes rushed decisions.
He has a limited amount of dribble moves and tends to use them to create space for mid-range jumpers rather than getting to the basket. If Knox is not already going downhill, he is not likely going to get to the basket. That leaves him shooting a lot more inefficient shots.
Knox’s play style suggests someone who should have the ball in his hands a lot more. He is likely to take a shot when he attacks. If the play is drawn for him, it seems like he is going to take his shot. And the shot selection is not always going to be great.
Knox probably projects more as a 3-and-D wing type player. And that does not work best with his skill set.
While Knox can hit 3-pointers when open, he is not an overly reliable 3-point shooter. He made just 34.1 percent of his outside shots.
His shooting motion also is not particularly encouraging. He starts the ball kind of low and that leads to a slow release. Longer defenders might be able to bother him or close out on his shot before he can get it up.
That will be something he has to continue to improve. That mid-range game is not good enough to rely upon fully.
And despite all his athleticism and his decent build and wingspan, he is still not a great defender. He was fine for college — a 1.4 defensive box plus-minus according to Sports-Reference — but it does not project well to the NBA level.
That begins to ruin that potential 3-and-D role for him. And begs the question of what role does he play?
Knox has athleticism and can attack in the open court, but finding an actual tangible NBA skill for him right now is a bit of a stretch. Teams will have to be patient with his development as he rounds his game into form.
Draft Sites Say
Jonathan Givony, ESPN.com
"“Knox didn’t have an efficient freshman season, partially due to his playing out of position, but there’s a significant market in the NBA for combo forwards in his mold who can make an open shot, defend multiple positions and offer offensive versatility. He’s one of the youngest players in this draft, so he still has plenty of room to grow.”"
Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer
"“Skilled finisher around the rim; uses either hand, can yam on defenders, and has fluid body control driving around opponents. . . . Displays pick-and-roll scoring upside; can pull up, get to the rim, or take advantage of smaller players on a switch. . . . Flashes shooting skills spotting up and running off screens, though his percentages are mediocre. . . . Settles for too many midrange jumpers and floaters early in the shot clock. . . . Lacks passing instincts. . . . Average rebounder; teams will be hurting on the boards if they choose to play Knox as a 4 in smaller lineups.”"
Mike Gribanov, The Stepien
"“Knox has the ideal physical profile for a modern combo forward, and while he isn’t the high level athlete that I had hoped he would be coming into the year, he still moves quite well at his size.”"
Eric Yearian, NBADraft.net
"“Solid frame, standing 6’9”, 218 pounds, with 7.14% body fat … Size and length can result in matchup problems for opposing teams. 7’ ¼” wingspan. 36 ½” vertical allows him to rebound over smaller players with relative ease … Has solid shot mechanics that should translate well to the next level as he already has NBA range. . . . Motor can run hot and cold, when engaged he is very good, but when not fully engaged he can disappear completely … His overall game can be affected by his shot, when the shot isn’t falling he can start to lose focus … Possesses poor court vision mainly due to keeping his head down when handling the ball, which can lead to turnovers and offensive fouls.”"
Final Word
Kevin Knox is a really intriguing bundle of athleticism. There is a lot to like from looking at him and watching him play.
With a head of steam in transition, Knox is solid finishing at the basket. This is where his athleticism is at its peak and where he can make the most of his play.
When Knox has space and room for comfort, he is a solid shooter. Even out to the 3-point line.
Those tools are all there. Knox looks like an impressive player to the eye and he put up good numbers for Kentucky last year. He still has a ton of room to grow as a player as one of the younger players in the Draft.
This is a guy who already seems like a natural scorer and someone who can grow into a solid game.
But he still has a long way to go to get there. Right now, his game is still pretty basic — finishing in transition and taking basic pull-up and dribble moves. At Kentucky, it worked with the ball in his hand. But that is not his role in the NBA. He will have to be better off the ball — especially improving his 3-point shot.
Knox right now is going to get the ball and when he drives looking to score. That means hoisting a lot of ill-advised mid-range jumpers and forcing a lot of drives. That is not his best attribute right now.
In fact, it is hard to point to anything that he does quite at a NBA level yet. He just has the potential to get there. All the tools are available.
Knox was still putting all the pieces together. He had things more together than a lot of players in Kentucky’s young crew. But Knox still has a lot of work to do.
Next: 2018 NBA Draft Preview: Who is Collin Sexton?
Still, his length and athleticism are promising. He does show flashes of the skill that could make him a really solid player. Finding his role if he is not the featured player will be the big question for his ultimate success.