New York Knox
With buzz surrounding National Basketball Association (NBA) free agency ebbing, news in The Association has shifted focus on the ongoing Summer Leagues featuring young and upcoming players as well as journeymen vying for roster spots.
And like any NBA fan, this writer has taken some time to take a peek at some of these talents “auditioning” for various teams and is actually impressed with some of them.
One of those I got a kick watching is New York Knicks rookie Kevin Knox.
While the Knicks did not go far in the Las Vegas Summer League, still University of Kentucky product Knox had me taking notice and excited over how he could be another key piece in Gotham as it tries to get back to league respectability.
During their run in the tournament, Knox, all of 18 years old, was one of the top scorers, averaging 21.3 points, tops among rookies, to go along with 6.5 rebounds in five games.
He has a good mix of size and athleticism and has shown ability to play both inside and out.
The 6’ 9”, 212- pounder Knox also has good handles for his size, which should give New York flexibility in playing him in multiple positions.
Efficiency was still an issue for him but that was expected since he is still testing the waters and I expect him to improve on his shooting clip as he carves his niche in the league. Apart from the talent he possesses that signal potential All- Star down the line, what I also like about Knox, selected ninth overall by the Knicks in the recent rookie draft, is how he approaches the game and his career in the NBA.
He has shown great respect to the game of basketball and the people that came before him and shown great interest in learning and improving himself.
While his Knicks team was eliminated from the tournament and most of his teammates were already gone in Vegas, Knox is still around, saying he was supporting those that were still playing and taking the downtime to study the game some more and find ways to develop his game. You say a true student of the game? Yes.
Interestingly, when the Knicks drafted him, a lot of boos were heard at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with some fans stating their preference instead for Michael Porter, Jr. of Missouri.
But you know what? New York might have done well in selecting Knox with the kind of skills set he brings to the table.
I see him flourishing under new coach David Fizdale, who has shown the ability to bring out the best in his players who are willing to work with him, and his partnership with resident Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis has tons of potential as a cornerstone that the New York faithful could look forward to.