NBA Draft 2011: 3 Reasons Raptors Should Draft Brandon Knight over Kemba Walker

Three reasons the Raptors should draft Brandon Knight over Kemba Walker:

1. Defense
2. Upside
3. Ability to transform into pure point

The number one reason the Raptors should opt for Brandon Knight over Kemba Walker is Jose Calderon—I mean defensive ability at the point guard position. At 6’3", Knight has great length for his position and has the necessary tools and work ethic to become a lockdown defender in the NBA. Kemba Walker, while still an upgrade over Jose, has been criticized for a lack of effort on the defensive side of the ball. Whether this is due to the amount of energy he expended on the offensive end, or due to skill set will hopefully be determined in the combine. What is for certain is that Knight undoubtedly has more upside in this category.

Brandon Knight at 18 years old to Kemba’s 21 years has significantly more upside, not only based on age, but also on the defensive side of the ball as mentioned above. I believe both players could develop into All-Star level point guards on the Raptors if given the opportunity to play 33 plus minutes per game. Kemba Walker is more NBA ready and is the better player now, but Knight has the chance to become the more special talent.

Brandon Knight appears to have an easier path to becoming a pure point in the NBA, whereas Kemba Walker would thrive on a team with another strong ball handler on the wings like Tyreke Evans in Sacramento, or Brandon Roy in Portland. Both players are considered combo guards, but Knight has been an elite point guard prospect since high school and was the No. 4 ranked prospect in the country by Scouts Inc, and the No. 2 point guard behind Kyrie Irving, while earning the same scouting grade. Walker and Knight’s college stats tell a different story as Kemba had a higher assist:turnover ratio and more high assist games. Knight by the time he is the same age as Walker should have the point guard position figured out, especially if he lands on a team like Toronto with a untradeable veteran point guard to learn some of the finer points of the position from.

Stay tuned for our Brandon Knight fit analysis and also our "Three Reasons the Raptors should draft Kemba over Brandon" piece.

This article can also be found on Raptors Digest.