Excs around the NBA are beginning to take notice. New York Knicks first round pick is baller. The 18-year-old Kenrtucky alum scored an efficient 22 points in 30 minutes of play against the Atlanta Hawks in his NBA Summer League debut Saturday evening. One NBA exec spoke with Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic minutes before the start, saying "He's f--king really good," of Kevin Knox at this stage of his career.
The anonymous exec also described Knox as a "stud," and a player he envisioned making an impact right out the gate. Knox shared his winning strategy with reporter after the game: "They wanted me to be able to attack the basket, get to the free-throw line. That's kind of what I did. I settled myself in. I got to the free-throw line, hit some shots and next thing I know, I was playing really well. I want to keep staying aggressive, keep getting to the basket."
The only thing missing from his performance on Saturday was his stroke from three point range, but even that stands to improve as he develops his skill set with NBA-level coaches. His head coach David Fizdale labelled Knox a "freakish athlete," reinforced by Knox's monstrous dunk in the opening frame, the first bucket his Knicks put on the board.
If you recall, Knicks' fans at the NBA Draft booed his selection, after treating Porzingis with the same regard. Sometimes it takes a long time for emotional wounds to heal.
