By Chris Tomasson
For the Miami Herald
CHICAGO -- John Calipari seems to produce talented point guards wherever he coaches in college.
The latest off his assembly line is Brandon Knight.
In 2008, Calipari, then coaching Memphis, produced Derrick Rose, who entered the NBA after one season with the Tigers. Rose was named NBA Rookie of the Year for the Chicago Bulls, and by his third season, he was the league’s MVP.
In 2010, after moving on to Kentucky, Calipari’s NBA offering after one college season was John Wall, who was runner-up for NBA Rookie of the Year with the Washington Wizards.
Now Calipari has mentored Knight, who declared for the NBA Draft after his freshman year with the Wildcats. Knight, a former standout at Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest High, could be taken as high as No.3 by Utah in the June 23 draft.
Although he won’t be drafted No. 1 overall, as Rose and Wall were, Knight thinks he can make immediate impact like they did.
“Yeah, I believe so,’’ Knight said Friday at the NBA Combine, which began Wednesday and concluded Saturday in Chicago. “That’s my goal. That’s what I want to do with whatever team I go to.”
Many project Knight will end up with the Jazz, which traded All-Star point guard Deron Williams in February to New Jersey and might not be entirely sold on Devin Harris, who replaced Williams. That would be fine with Knight.
“I wouldn’t mind going there,’’ Knight said of living in Salt Lake City. “It’s a great city. They always have a great group of guys. I want to surround myself with a good group of guys. I like the things Utah is about. I’d enjoy going to Utah.’’
The Jazz has an impressive point-guard tradition. The position was manned by John Stockton from 1984 to 2003, with a one-year gap before Williams was drafted in 2005.
Knight was asked if he’s ready to become the face of whichever franchise selects him.
“I’m confident in the things I do,’’ said Knight, who is going through measurements and medical tests at the combine but elected not to compete in any on-court drills for reasons he wouldn’t disclose. “I’m a hard worker. So in three to five years I’m comfortable that I’ll be the player a lot of people expect me to be. So I’m confident on being the face of the franchise.’’
If he’s anything like the two previous star point guards Calipari has produced, Knight won’t need three to five years.
“He’s going to expect nothing but perfection,’’ Knight said of Calipari’s ability to develop point guards. “I think that pushes guys to be their best.’’
Knight wasted little time last season filling in for Wall. He averaged 17.3 points and 4.2 assists and shot 37.7 percent from three-point range. As soon as he stepped on campus, Knight began hearing comparisons to Wall. Once he declared for the draft after one season, Knight said he knew even more comparisons to Wall would be “something that’s going to happen.’’ But he insists it doesn’t create any extra pressure.
“I think he probably could [have an immediate impact on the NBA similar to Wall],” said guard DeAndre Liggins, who declared for the draft after his junior season at Kentucky and also is at the Combine. “He doesn’t have the leaping ability that John has and the notoriety like he has, but Brandon is a hard worker. They’re two different types of players.”
There was one thing Knight accomplished last season that Wall didn’t: He helped lead the Wildcats to their first Final Four since 1998.
“They’re both talented,” said Florida forward Chandler Parsons, who also is at the Combine. “You don’t see many players like John Wall with the quickness and speed. But Brandon can shoot the ball and he’s physical. They’re both tremendous players. Obviously, John Wall was great this year [for the Wizards]. But I think Brandon can duplicate that [in the NBA].”
The way things have worked out lately for Calipari’s one-and-done point guards, that wouldn’t be a surprise.
Read more:
https://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/22/2228258/is-pine-crest-grad-brandon-knight.html#ixzz1N9P6n15s
