New York Knicks: 2017 NBA Draft Point Guards Who Can Replace Derrick Rose
De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky Wildcats
Age: 19 (12/20/1997)
Class: Freshman
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’3.5″, 171 pounds, 6’6.25″
2016-17 Slash Line: .479/.246/.736
2016-17 Season Averages: 29.6 MPG, 16.7 PPG, 4.6 APG, 4.0 RPG, 1.5 SPG
De’Aaron Fox was regarded as the Kentucky Wildcats’ star facilitator during the 2016-17 college basketball season. Yet, during the 2017 NCAA Tournament, it was Fox who took over as a scorer—and the results were quite intriguing.
On the heels of dominating Lonzo Ball in head-to-head competition during the Sweet 16, Fox will enter the 2017 NBA Draft.
Fox’s upside lies somewhere in between Indiana Pacers point guard Jeff Teague and Washington Wizards point guard John Wall. He’s an explosive athlete with the speed to be a blur in transition, the court vision to facilitate an offense, and the finishing ability to take over games as a scorer.
If he falls somewhere in between Teague and Wall on the NBA spectrum, then the Knicks would have a point guard who garners perennial All-Star consideration.
For the New York Knicks, Fox would be the ideal replacement for Derrick Rose due to his uncanny ability to create penetration and finish at the rim. He’s also a far more willing facilitator than Rose and has the potential to be a better on-ball defender.
Fox’s 3-point shot is as much of an issue as Rose’s, but at 19 years of age, it’s also far more developable than it would be for a player who will turn 29 before the 2017-18 season.