The addition of Kenny Payne showed that the Knicks are willing to pull the strings they can to get a big increase in production from third-year Kentucky forward Kevin Knox as the season opener approaches.
Payne, who had been assistant / assistant coach at Kentucky since 2010, has been involved due to his inherent relationship with Knox and is currently seen as someone who can finally bring out his potential. Payne was instrumental in the development of current NBA stars, such as Anthony Davis and Karl Anthony-Towns. Legendary UK head coach John Calipari even said he would recommend Payne as his successor if he dropped out of school.
Meanwhile, in year 2, Knox has severely regressed from his rookie campaign. In 65 games, Knox scored 6.4 points per game, along with 2.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists. In his first season, Knox’s points per game were up to 12.8 and he averaged 1.1 assists with 3.7 rebounds. While anyone can sit back and make excuses as to why we’ve seen such a drop in the game, it’s nice to see the current front office ready to invest in its development.
It’s important to note that Kevin Knox isn’t the only player in orange and blue who will be influenced by Payne. In this most recent draft, the Knicks have selected Kentucky guard Immanuel Quickley with the 25th overall pick. Quickley is another wildcat to succeed under Payne, shooting nearly 43 percent from behind the bow on the way to winning SEC Player of the Year. Payne has a huge opportunity to help him become the dominant point guard the Knicks have wanted for so long. We are already seeing positive results with Quickley.
And Kevin Knox: After hitting 65 triples throughout last season, the Kentucky product has linked up to nine in the last five preseason quarters. Looks like Kenny Payne’s presence is already making itself felt.