When rookies come into the NBA out of college, the pace of the game and the knowledge needed to understand offensive schemes is a shocking change. Often it can take a year or two for players to finally get comfortable within the game speed of an NBA game.
Players aren't able to use their sheer athleticism to get by like they once did. These are the best athletes and basketball players in the world. It's a stepping ground for improvement.
For the New York Knicks and Kevin Knox, it's not surprising that he came into the league unseasoned. At Kentucky, they hardly ran pick and rolls for anyone. In the NBA, a complex offense instilled by head coach David Fizdale has Knox moving off-ball. He has doubled the possessions as a pick and roll ball-handler he served as a pick-and-roll ballhandler at Kentucky (35) with the Knicks (71).
Pick and roll coverage is complex and nuanced – Knox has slowly become more acclimated to the offense over time.
“I just think the game is slowing down for me. You can see I’m a little bit more patient now coming off pick and rolls. (Tuesday) my shot was a little bit off but I got to my spots on the floor, got my little floaters, got some easy buckets in transition, got to the free-throw line a little bit in the first half, too. The game is starting to slow down. I’m starting to figure out where my spots are. Where I can get to, be able to make the right reads, have some nice passes. The game is overall just being a lot more patient.”
On the season, Knox is averaging 12.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.9 assists while shooting 37.6 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from deep. He's slowly but surely improving.
The Knicks are 9-27 and currently sit 14th in the NBA's Eastern Conference. They will face off against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City this upcoming Saturday.
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