Complete 2018 NBA Draft grades for all 30 teams
New York Knicks
- No. 9: Kevin Knox, Kentucky
- No. 36: Mitchell Robinson, USA
With Mikal Bridges, Miles Bridges and Michael Porter Jr. all available at No. 9, the New York Knicks went with…Kevin Knox. To be fair, MPJ’s physicals scared off a lot of teams, but passing on both Bridges for a late riser like Knox feels like a slight stretch.
At 6’9″ with a 6’11” wingspan, Knox does have the tools to be an excellent scorer in the league, and even better, if his best spot on the court is at the 4, he’ll push Kristaps Porzingis to his destined spot at the 5.
I love the Kevin Knox pick for the Knicks. Great fit next to Kristaps Porzingis. Knicks fans will be cheering, not booing, once they actually watch him play in MSG.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 22, 2018
Knox has an intriguing skill-set, but he still has a lot to work on in his game, needs to fill out his frame and is a very underwhelming rebounder, which hurts his ability to log big minutes as a 4. He could wind up proving a lot of people wrong, but passing on not one, but two more established Bridges feels like a slight oversight.
Still, he’s not a bad pick, and you’ve got to A) feel for an 18-year-old kid who got booed by the Knicks fans in the arena when his name was called and B) love that he didn’t give a s**t:
"They booed Porzingis and look where he's at now ... They can chant 'Michael Porter' all they want, they got Kevin Knox"
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 22, 2018
The next Knick isn't worried about the fan reaction in Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/6fAel7U2dE
In the second round, New York snagged Mitchell Robinson, an exceptional athlete who comes with a lot of question marks. Assuming the ankle injury isn’t anything serious, he could be a worthwhile gamble at this point in the draft.
Grade: B-