Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Top Players at Each Position in the John Calipari Era
Dec 1, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (3) reaches for the net during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
#2 Brandon Knight
The second best point guard to command the offense for Coach Calipari was a score first guard. When the Cats would need a clutch basket, say a game winning lay up against Princeton or a jump shot to knock off the number one ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. He just received a max contract and his name is Brandon Knight.
Knight came into Lexington with a lot of high praise. Fresh off of a National Gatorade Player of the Year, he still had the likes of a John Wall shadow to move past.
Brandon never had the flash or speed of Wall, but what he did have was offensive consistency. With not much of another legitimate scoring threat on the offensive side, often times he would have to carry the team behind his all around scoring. In his one and only year at Kentucky, he averaged 17.3 points per game and could even dish it out with 4.2 assists per game as well.
It was not always fun and games for Knight and Calipari in 2010. Losing eight games in the regular season had many fans worrying how they would fare in the NCAA Tournament. Behind Knight, the Wildcats went on one of the most exciting March Madness runs in recent history. The wise words of Doron Lamb remind us of his March greatness.
Knight, who knocked down a winner in Kentucky’s second-round victory over Princeton, drove to his right then hit a silky 15-foot jumper.
“I think Brandon does it on purpose,” said Kentucky guard Doron Lamb. “I think he misses every shot in the first half then hits the game winner. If he keeps hitting the game-winner we’ll take that.”
These shots became the legacy of Knight and won him huge love and support from the Big Blue Nation. The Final Four finish was such a great surprise, and we owe most of that to the ice water in Brandon’s veins.
Next: Who Else?