John Calipari has had his fair share of superstar guards. Two years ago, he had Derrick Rose; we all know how that turned out. Last year he had Tyreke Evans, and this year, he worked with John Wall.
All three of these guards are on to their NBA future, and will be, or were selected, in the lottery of the NBA draft.
What makes these guards so interesting is that each of them came in back-to-back years. It almost seems like the new trend. Coach Calipari attracts the top point guards in the recruiting class and helps them curb flaws to become potential lottery picks.
I believe that theory is the reason why Brandon Knight is under Calipari’s wings. Not only did he like the fact that he could be working with a great coach, but his parents also liked the cycle of guards Calipari has produced.
Can Brandon Knight follow in the same footsteps as other great players coached by Calipari?
Brandon Knight is a lot different from the former Calipari greats. He is equipped with the ability to knock down jumpers consistently. This is something that most of the guards still lack and have yet to improve.
He likes to shoot long-range bombs a lot, but is more comfortable shooting off the dribble, or in mid-range. This is why some scouts would rather see him play at the two because he is something like a combo guard.
He has great ball-handling skills that he uses to get in the paint as he pleases. Many scouts thought that this was going to be a problem transitioning to college because he was much smaller before, but now he has continually added bulk and his frame is looking better than ever.
Standing at 6'4'', he has the size advantage over most point guards in the NBA and college games. With that, he uses his body to advantage. He goes up strong at the rim and finishes off plays consistently.
He also uses his frame defensively to knock point guards out of their sets. He gets down low and prevents dribble penetration as well as creating turnovers with his length.
Many scouts still question his true point guard ability. They believe he is just a scorer in every sense of the word.
However, I remember watching the Nike Hoops Summit where he put on a show. He played the point most of the time in the scrimmage and showed every doubter what he was able to do.
Knight was more of a leader running the point guard position. He looked more in control than I have ever seen him and he displayed some athleticism that everybody said he lacked.
Now answering the question in the title: Yes, Brandon Knight will follow in the footsteps of other Calipari Alums.
Knight needs to improve his vision and passing techniques and he will no doubt become one of the better players in this upcoming college basketball season
Written by DeAnte Mitchell
Written by DeAnte Mitchell
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