With social distancing still in effect, New York Knicks forward Kevin Knox should go all-in on film study. These five players would be great for him to learn from.
When the New York Knicks selected Kevin Knox with the ninth overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft, the general response was positive. Some wanted the Knicks to go after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Michael Porter Jr., but Knox was viewed by most as a low-risk, high-reward prospect.
Unfortunately, Knox followed a promising rookie season with a sophomore campaign that he and Knicks fans would likey prefer to forget.
Thankfully for Knox, the 2019-20 NBA regular season has been placed on hold. This offers a unique opportunity to take a step back and evaluate the year he’s pieced together, as well as how he can overcome the issues he’s been faced with.
From there, he can determine what it is that he has struggled with most and how it is that he can work around or even address those concerns.
The easiest way for Knox to do so would be to thoroughly evaluate his own film and then move on to that of the players he can pattern his game after. It’s easy to point to superstars in this instance, but there are others who are worth watching, as well.
If Kevin Knox were to spend serious time evaluating those who came before him, he could live up to the hype that comes with being a New York Knicks lottery pick.
The question is: Who exactly should Knox be studying?
Luol Deng
Luol Deng was the No. 2 scoring option for the Chicago Bulls when Derrick Rose led the team to 61 wins in 2010-11. As Rose battled incessant injuries, Deng became an All-Star as he became the offensive focal point for one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.
One of the defining traits for Deng was his ability to drive the lane and finish at the rim, despite somewhat rigid posture—something Kevin Knox can learn from.
Deng was a respectable shooter who could convert from beyond the arc and pull up from midrange. What made him so dangerous, however, was that he was a big forward who could take his man off the bounce and finish in traffic.
Knox has displayed a similar trait, but he’s relied too heavily on his floater and doesn’t show enough aggression to get to the rim and play through contact.
It would help Knox to bulk up in the way that Deng was able to, but the skill set is somewhat comparable—even if not the skill level. Deng was able to crash the offensive glass better as he grew stronger, and even saw more open perimeter shots because he was an inside threat.
If Knox can become more effective on the drive, it will open up the rest of his game—and Deng is proof that a rigid slasher who can get up is capable of scoring at a high level.
Knox should take notes.
Tobias Harris
Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris is one of the most well-rounded scorers in the NBA. It’s fair to question if he has a true go-to skill, but he’s managed to produce strong and efficient scoring numbers for multiple franchises.
Kevin Knox profiles similarly in arsenal and body type, which makes studying the advancements in Harris’ skill set essential viewing during self-quarantine.
Over the past three seasons, Harris has averaged 19.3 points and 2.0 three-point field goals on a slash line of .473/.393/.839. That’s remarkable efficiency across the board, which includes Harris’ 51.3 percent shooting on two-point field goals.
The latter number may be the most important for Knox, who has displayed the ability to convert on catch and shoot opportunities, but struggles to score through contact.
Harris has done an outstanding job of balancing his floor-spacing obligations with an increased level of physicality inside. He knows how to use his size and strength to his advantage, and was on pace for his third career postseason appearance because of it in 2019-20.
Harris took time to develop into the player he is today, but that’s exactly why Knox should be investing his time into film study.
Harris isn’t only a rival, but an archetype.
Rashard Lewis
The New York Knicks drafted Kevin Knox for his upside, but there were two traits that intrigued scouts from the beginning. For one, Knox displayed a unique comfort in lofting floaters over bigger defenders, albeit with a later discovered dependence on that shot.
The other was how comfortable Knox appeared to be launching three-point field goals—which makes Rashard Lewis the perfect player for him to study.
Knox currently plays the 3, but he has a wide enough frame to fill out and become a two-way stretch 4 in this era. Few players were more dynamic in that role in the 2000s than Lewis, who set the tone for the sharpshooting forwards of today.
Between 2002-03 and 2008-09, Lewis averaged 19.1 points and 2.2 three-point field goals made per game on 39.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Being that Lewis accomplished such during an era that still suppressed the urge to shoot the 3-ball, one can only imagine what he’d be able to do and produce today. He was an all-time catch and shoot specialist, as well as a capable scorer off the bounce.
If Knox is looking to develop a high release point and even higher efficiency as a three-point shooter, Lewis may be the best player to start with.
The style of play is possible to emulate.
Khris Middleton
If you’re looking for a realistic, but ambitious upside comparison, Milwaukee Bucks wing Khris Middleton may be it. Kevin Knox has a long, long way to go before he’s anywhere near Middleton’s level of play, but the comparisons in build and overall approach are noteworthy.
Middleton has become a two-time All-Star and the second-best player on the regular season’s most dominant team, and Knox has the raw ability to follow suit.
It will require a great deal of work, but it’s within the realm of possibility.
The foundation of Middleton’s success is his development from a 31.1 percent three-point shooter as a rookie into a genuine NBA marksman. He’s now a career 39.2 percent shooter from distance, which undoubtedly opens up avenues for his additional success.
Middleton actually prefers the midrange J, but it’s his ability to space the floor that forces defenders to close out so hard against him.
If Knox can master the 3-ball, he’d be able to focus more on developing other skills, much as Middleton has. That includes Middleton’s ability to back smaller opponents down in the post, and his midrange jumper that can hold even the best of defenders accountable.
Middleton isn’t the best at finishing at the rim or getting to the line, but he’s proof that a player like Knox can still become an All-Star and a key piece on a contender.
Middleton may be the No. 1 player for Knox to pattern his game after long-term.
Marcus Morris Sr.
It’s easy to get caught up in what he was able to accomplish in 2019-20, but former New York Knicks standout Marcus Morris Sr. has traveled a long path. He didn’t average double digits in points per game until his fourth season, and didn’t start full-time until his sixth.
Morris has developed into one of the more valued players in the NBA, however, due in large part to the tremendous strides he’s made as a scorer.
Morris bulking up and becoming a powerful force down low is one of the defining traits of his success. He weighs a muscular 218 pounds, which enables him to bully other small forwards in the paint and remain too quick for 4s to handle along the perimeter.
That may be the sweet spot for Knox, who has the quickness to overwhelm 4s, but lacks the strength to truly overcome the battles he enters with 3s.
Morris has also developed into an exceptional three-point shooter. He’s done so by learning how to pick his spots, work the corner, and keep his hands high on catch and shoot opportunities—all skills that Knox is capable of developing himself.
Morris may not be on the Knicks anymore, but that doesn’t mean Knox should ignore the opportunity to evaluate his former teammate’s game.
If Knox can develop a similar skill level in his early 20s, there’s no telling how far that could take him.
The New York Knicks should make it a point to ensure that Kevin Knox is studying these players ahead of a potential return to the court.