If you’ve watched any Kentucky basketball games this season, you can understand John Calipari’s frustration with his latest freshman-dominated team.
The Wildcats have fallen out of the Top 25 for the first time in nearly four years because of their erratic play, but they still have a number of talented athletes who are drawing the attention of NBA scouts.
At the top of the list is 6-foot-9 forward Kevin Knox, who possesses the inside-outside game that projects him as a capable NBA scorer. In watching his most recent game against Mississippi St., Knox reminded me of Chicago native Jabari Parker with his strong build and soft outside shooting touch. With so many freshmen still trying to find their way at Kentucky, Knox doesn’t get nearly the amount of touches or shot attempts he deserves in the offense, but he knocked down all four of this 3-point attempts against Mississippi St. and is shooting 45 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc. The upcoming SEC and NCAA tournaments should give us a better idea if Knox has the ability to elevate his game against elite competition.
How does he fit with the Bulls?
Well, it’s no secret the small forward position will be looked at closely this offseason. Justin Holiday is signed for next year and is a solid rotation player, but he might be better served coming off the bench, while Denzel Valentine and David Nwaba are undersized for the position. Knox would offer much better positional size and should be able to score in the post against smaller defenders. Kentucky plays with the kind of pace that Fred Hoiberg prefers, with should prepare Knox for a smooth transition to the NBA game.
After losses in New Orleans and Philadelphia, the Bulls moved up two spots to 7th in the current drafting order, based on won-loss records before the lottery. Knox projects to go somewhere in the 8-14 range, so he figures to be available if the Bulls wind up in the back half of the lottery.
At this point in the rebuild, the Bulls should be looking to add another athletic, high-upside player without being overly concerned about which position he plays. The scouting staff has been traveling all over the country and Europe to make sure they have thoroughly studied all the top prospects. Now, it’s just a matter of finalizing their evaluations and getting a consensus on how their draft board should line up.