The Kentucky Wildcats have a rich tradition of lottery picks in the John Calipari era and Kevin Knox will likely add to those very impressive lottery numbers in the 2018 NBA Draft. Knox had the opportunity to forgo college all together back in high school when he received an overseas offer but turned them down in favor of playing in the NCAA.
Size and Ability:
Kevin Knox is the dream size for a combo forward especially with the “small ball” lifestyle that has infused itself into the NBA. The forward stands at six feet nine inches and has a very impressive wingspan that comes to six feet 11.5 inches. Kevin Knox also posses a certain level of fluidity that should serve him well at the NBA level. Finishing above the rim in transition and in the half court are skills that Knox has available to him that can transfer up to the NBA fairly well. Quick leaping ability and tools should move up very well.
Knox posted a respectable 15.6 points per game in his lone season at Kentucky. His ability to convert his slashing ability to the NBA should have teams ready to add him to their rotation of talented wings.
Potential:
The most used word describing the traits of Kevin Knox is very likely the word potential. Kevin Knox has several attributes that with the right amount of training and mentoring could make him a scary talented combo forward in the NBA. It looked shaky in high school and at Kentucky, but Kevin Knox has the form and mechanics to have a great looking shot with the proper shot training. Knox also posses the frame and possible ability to rebound well a the NBA level especially in small ball lineups.
Knox shot 45.5 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from the three-point line. The young forward struggled to find his shot at times but came up big in late moments for the Wildcats late in the season. His defense could also lead to him being able to guard two or three positions when he makes the jump to the NBA. Kevin Knox is one of the younger prospects in this class compared to his former freshman counterparts.
Kevin Knox sinks his first NCAA Tournament three-pointer!pic.twitter.com/ni1P4XMXWB
— Def Pen Sports (@DefPenSports) March 23, 2018
Weaknesses:
Listed at 215 pounds, Knox will have some problems with traditional bigs and larger small forwards. His lower body is perhaps the biggest concern for teams that hope to use him as a ‘small ball” power forward. Knox can overcome his frame, but his shot selection and overall shot IQ has to get better before he can see sustained success at the NBA level.
The NBA almost demands good ball handling from the small forwards of the brotherhood and Knox will need to make vast improvements in this area of basketball. He will not become a player that creates for himself often enough for him to add it to his arsenal, and finally, Knox needs to start playing harder on defense. He has the skill to guard several positions, but he needs to buckle down and do it on a regular basis.
Kevin Knox NBA Comparison:
Tobias Harris
This could almost be considered a perfect comparison, but Harris is a much better ball handler than Knox. That being said both combo forwards have a similar height and frame to pair with very similar play styles. The other option could be Paul George, but Knox is severely lacking in ball handling and pure shooting ability comparatively to George. Harris and Knox are both power forwards that just so happen to be in the body of small forwards. The “small ball” era was born because of players like these two guys.
