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New York Knicks: NBA Draft Shooting Guards To Watch In 2016-17

By Maxwell Ogden

Mar 11, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; LSU Tigers guard Antonio Blakeney (2) waves to fans as he leaves the floor after defeating the Tennessee Volunteers in game seven of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. LSU won 84-75. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; LSU Tigers guard Antonio Blakeney (2) waves to fans as he leaves the floor after defeating the Tennessee Volunteers in game seven of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. LSU won 84-75. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 23, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; LSU Tigers guard Antonio Blakeney (2) dribbles the ball in the second half of a game with the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. The Razorbacks won 85-65. Mandatory Credit: Gunnar Rathbun-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 23, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; LSU Tigers guard Antonio Blakeney (2) dribbles the ball in the second half of a game with the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. The Razorbacks won 85-65. Mandatory Credit: Gunnar Rathbun-USA TODAY Sports /

Antonio Blakeney, LSU Tigers

Class: Sophomore
Age: 20 (10/4/1996)
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’4.5″, 197 pounds, 6’7″
2015-16 Slash Line: .425/.335/.748
2015-16 Season Averages: 30.8 MPG, 12.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.6 3PM

Coming out of high school, Antonio Blakeney was praised as one of the most explosive scoring threats in the country. He played more of an off-ball role alongside Ben Simmons, however, which didn’t exactly fit his skill set.

In 2016-17, Blakeney will have a chance to prove what so many have said about him before: he has the tools to be a dominant scorer.

Blakeney is an instinctive scorer who can be great if he’s able to become more decisive with the ball in his hands. He knows exactly how to hit an angle and has proven beyond capable of pulling out a secondary move to catch his man off guard.

The next step in his development as a scorer will be responding to that second move without hesitation—shooting without second-guessing himself.

Blakeney still needs to improve his jump shot, defensive consistency, and overall decision making as a playmaker. He’s athletically gifted and naturally talented as a scorer, however, and his upside can be extracted by the right coach.

Blakeney may take time to develop in the NBA, but the Knicks are the perfect organization to give him the chance to develop with the right coach and mentor: Jeff Hornacek and Carmelo Anthony.

If all else fails, Blakeney has a 45.0″ max vertical leap.

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