NBA Draft 2011: Kentucky Wildcat Brandon Knight's NBA Future

The maybes and the maybe-nots of the NBA draft now include clutch Kentucky guard Brandon Knight, Terence Jones and DeAndre Liggins.

Though all three players have declared for the NBA draft, none have hired agents; therefore, they still hold the opportunity to reject their golden tickets from Willy Wonka a.k.a. NBA commissioner David Stern.

John Calipari should understand now that Kentucky has become the place, if not breeding ground, for the one-and-done athlete to play out their freshman year, get a few collegiate level wins under their belt, create a stir in the university athletic circuit and move along to broader opportunities in the professional league.

Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight were looking like the DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall of the 2010 NCAA basketball season, with Knight’s speed and clutch jumper gene coupled with Jones’ ability to attack from each side of the basket and contest the most accurate shots.

Both were speculated to come out Kentucky after their first year before they even stepped onto the UK stage. The program still held the highest of expectations stemming from Wall’s days as a freshman and Calipari was nothing short of thankful with both of these young men coming in and showing out.

What will Brandon Knight’s career look like?

Brandon Knight averaged 35.9 minutes per game, rarely being seen on the bench. During the NCAA Tournament run, Knight was Kobe Bryant-like with some game-winners including one against the Ohio State Buckeyes edging seniors David Lighty, William Buford and Jon Diebler in a 62-60 victory to make their way into the Final Four.

He only scored nine points in the meeting, but his jumper in the last seconds to trump the efforts of the overall No. 1 seed in the tourney.

Surprised? Why? During a interview before Jared Sullinger and Knight entered OSU and UK, the question was asked which would be the better freshman and Sullinger alluded to his comrade Knight.

Who knew he would be right, however?

Although, the team did not advance farther in the tournament being halted by Connecticut, Knight proved himself in ways that many did not think possible against opponents that were more athletic and talented than Kentucky.

Knight will be an automatic game changer if he allows himself to be. The offseason work ethic, as properly showcased by the coronated MVP Derrick Rose, no matter how premature that coronation may be, is one of the greatest landmarks of a player’s career.

He does need to work on his accuracy beyond the arc. Even though those jumpers were during crunch time, he needs to become an asset throughout the game to keep games from entering those moments.

Knight will weave through his defenders to the basket with a finesse that guards at the next level need to combat properly and be recognized as a lethal piece of their roster.

Brandon is not a freakishly athletic player, but he contains the intangibles necessary to contend. The competitiveness edges him past his any opposition, his court vision allows him to finish at the basket with the best of his class. While his stroke may not be the greatest, he still has the ability to hit a jumper when it is needed the most.

He will excel in the NBA and it will be amazing to watch the Rookie of the Year race in the 2011 season.