Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, not Kevin Knox deserved first team SEC honors
By Drew Koch
The Southeastern Conference announced their SEC Men’s basketball postseason awards this afternoon. Kevin Knox received first-team All-SEC honors. While that’s a great accomplishment for the Kentucky freshman, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deserved that spot over Knox.
The SEC announced their Men’s postseason awards today. Congratulations to UK freshman Kevin Knox, who received first-team All-SEC honors. That’s a great accomplishment for the Kentucky forward, but if any member of the Kentucky basketball team deserved first-team honors, it was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA received second-team honors.
Okay, make no mistake, I’m not disparaging what Knox did this season. In 18 conference games this season, Knox averaged 15.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and shot 34.2% from downtown. Those numbers are actually better than that of De’Aaron Fox from 2017. Fox, who won first-team All-SEC honors last season, averaged 15.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and shot 27.6% from beyond the arc.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player on the Kentucky basketball team this season, period! Shai started 15 of the 18 in-conference games. In those SEC games, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 15.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 40% from behind the three-point line. Shai is also dishing out 5.3 assists per game. That’s more than the 3.9 that Fox doled out last season.
Chris Chiozza, Jaylen Barford, Yante Maten, Kassius Robertson, Tyler Davis, Grant Williams and Chris Silva all joined Knox earning first-team SEC honors. I have no problems with any of those players making the team over Shai except one, Kevin Knox. Fox and fellow freshman Malik Monk received first-team All-SEC honors last season. However, it’s rare that teammates get first-team honors together, especially from a team with a 10-8 in-conference record.
Shai was also missed out on winning SEC Freshman of the Year, an honor that went to Kevin Knox and Collin Sexton of Alabama. While Knox and Sexton had great season, the same argument for first-team All-SEC honors applies here. Again, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Kentucky’s best player, period.