Daily Knicks
Fansided

2017 NBA Mock Draft: New York Knicks Embrace The Sleepers

By Maxwell Ogden

Jan 10, 2017; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Jonathan Isaac (1) celebrates during the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2017; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles forward Jonathan Isaac (1) celebrates during the second half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 7
Next
Feb 25, 2017; Athens, GA, USA; LSU Tigers guard Antonio Blakeney (2) reacts on the court against the Georgia Bulldogs at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2017; Athens, GA, USA; LSU Tigers guard Antonio Blakeney (2) reacts on the court against the Georgia Bulldogs at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports /

Alternative Options

In this scenario, the New York Knicks would be looking at shooting guards and athletic big men at No. 58 overall. L.J. Peak fits the bill at the 2-spot, but he’s not the only option for the Knicks if a shooting guard is the focus.

Two under-the-radar options at the position are Antonio Blakeney of the LSU Tigers and James Blackmon Jr. of the Indiana Hoosiers.

Blackmon is a deep sleeper, but he overcome his 6’3″ stature with a near 6’9″ wingspan and a lethal outside shot. Over the course of his three seasons at Indiana, Blackmon averaged 16.3 points per game and 22.2 points per 40 minutes.

Most importantly, he sank 205 3-point field goals in 76 games—an average of 2.7 per—and shot 41.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Blakeney isn’t the shooter that Blackmon has proven to be, but he’s an elite athlete with an evolving skill set. LSU measured his max vertical leap at an insane 45″ in 2015, and he looks every bit as explosive on game film.

On the court, Blakeney jumped from 16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per 40 minutes in 2015-16 to 20.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per 40 minutes in 2016-17.

He also improved his slash line from .425/.335/.748 in 2015-16 to .458/.358/.724 in 2016-17, which is a clear display of his work ethic.

Must Read: Frank Jackson could be a 2017 NBA Draft steal

The question is: who will the New York Knicks actually take in the 2017 NBA Draft?

Home/Knicks Draft