Is Kevin Knox Kentucky's best player?
Many people seem to believe that he is after watching three exhibition games.
The Cats Illustrated staff discusses Knox and what we'll see from him this season.
What did you think about Kevin Knox's performance in the preseason?
T.J. Walker, Basketball Recruiting Analyst: While P.J. Washington may be UK's most important player, it's clear after three exhibition games that Knox will be the Cats best player. He has a world of potential and is just scratching the surface. I was impressed with his ability to attack the rim and score from anywhere. I still need to see more of his defense.
Jeff Drummond, Managing Editor: It was spectacular at times. Kentucky newcomers typically don't match the hype, initially, because they are adjusting to John Calipari's coaching and higher expectations at the college level, but Knox may have been even better than I had anticipated in the Cats' three exhibition games. It's exciting to see UK with a prototype NBA small forward. That spot has frequently been the missing piece to the puzzle in Cal's otherwise dominant recruiting, but he's landed a dandy with Knox.
Justin Rowland, Publisher: It was all I needed to see to come to the conclusion that he is definitely their best player. Knox really put it all on display from knocking down jump shots to finding ways to maneuver his big body to the rim, drawing contact and getting to the line. Because he can get to the line so often, he should be able to put up points consistently even when his shot's not falling.
How do you think he helps Kentucky in the 2017-18 season and what role does he play on the team?
T.J. Walker, Basketball Recruiting Analyst: Knox will be the offensive leader for UK. He will be the go-to-guy in crunch time and will likely lead the Cats in scoring. It's unclear what he will bring to the table defensively, and he's not a Malik Monk or Jamal Murray like scorer, but he's probably not too far off. He will have some off nights and that will hurt the Cats, but when he's on UK may be unbeatable.
Jeff Drummond, Managing Editor: I would be surprised if anyone other than Knox leads this team in scoring. I've seen enough already to determine he'll be the go-to guy. A couple of months ago, many may have expected that to be Hamidou Diallo. Knox is a nightmare matchup for opponents. At almost 6-foot-10, he can shoot over smaller defenders. If you put a big on him, he's going to drive past him and finish at the rim. He appears to be a great free-throw shooter as well, which makes you feel good about him having the ball in his hands at crunch time.
Justin Rowland, Publisher: He's got to be "that guy." Weeks ago when Calipari was asked who "that guy" will be - you know, the one with his ball in his hands at the end of a game - he said they didn't know yet. They have to know it's going to be Knox more often than not. This is a team with a lot of capable scorers but within that cast, Knox is definitely the most capable and the most prepared to take his offensive game to the next level.
What do you believe is his ceiling and his floor?
T.J. Walker, Basketball Recruiting Analyst: Knox can be one of the better players in the conference but he's reliant on scoring and if the shots aren't falling he may find himself on UK's bench. I don't foresee that being the case, but that is the floor for Knox.
Jeff Drummond, Managing Editor: Knox will have a chance to be an All-American and the Cats' latest in a long run of high NBA Draft picks. I think there's a chance you could see him lead the SEC in scoring this season, although that's not typically a thing you see a UK player accomplish due to the amount of talent on the roster and the way the Cats share the ball. The ceiling is sky-high, the kind of talent Josh Jackson showed at Kansas or Jayson Tatum displayed at Duke. The floor is not very low. I can't see this kid going wrong.
Justin Rowland, Publisher: I think Knox can be fantastic. In fact, if I were betting on a National Player of the Year candidate, I might be tempted to lay some down on him. He certainly won't be the favorite, so the odds wouldn't be especially strong, but it's not a ridiculous thought. So I believe in a best-case scenario he could be a fantastic, almost unstoppable scorer and a very high draft pick. Worst case scenario, he's part of an offensive team that falters and he settles for too many jump shots. But I would be shocked if he's not, at the very least, an All-SEC player. Knox only has to show the kind of maturity it will take to know what he has to do each night.
