Fellow rookies have high expectations for Knox
Kevin Knox just got some love from his fellow rookies, but perhaps a few more chips for his shoulder, too.
Knox’s dominant summer league appeared to impress his fellow rookies, but not enough to move to the top spot in any of the categories in a recent NBA.com survey of 36 rookies.
The Knicks’ No. 9-overall draft pick in June tied for third in a prediction of who would take home Rookie of the Year honors. Suns forward Deandre Ayton and Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton led the way, each with 18 percent of the vote, but Knox and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic were next, each garnering 9 percent of the vote.
Knox also came in second in a vote for the rookie who would have the best career. Bulls big man Wendell Carter Jr. took home top honors with 13 percent of the vote — the fifth straight Duke player to win the category — but Knox and Clippers guard Jerome Robinson were close behind with 10 percent each.
Last year, Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina didn’t receive a single vote in any of the categories.
Knox made the all-summer league first team, showing off a natural scoring knack that sometimes was not there at Kentucky. But Knox has said the Knicks’ success is more im- portant to him than his own.
“I’m pretty confident I can be one of the top rookies,” Knox told The Post earlier this month. “But one of my goals this year is just to win in New York. I’m not really worried about winning the rookie award. I just want to win as a team, take road games, play some of the top teams and beat them to make the playoffs. Ultimately, I want to win. That’s my main focus as my rookie year.”