Kentucky basketball: Top 5 point guards in John Calipari era

2. Brandon Knight (2010-11)

One of the best one-and-done players in Kentucky basketball history, Knight also came close to a championship, as his Wildcats team fell to UConn in the 2011 Final Four.

Knight’s lone season in Lexington was incredible. The 8th pick in the 2011 draft, Knight averaged 17.3 PPG, 4.2 APG, and 4.0 RPG. He was a very reliable three-point shooter and just had an overall edge on offense. We saw that translate to the NBA.

When you talk about John Calipari’s best seasons, 2011 often gets forgotten about. People tend to forget the seasons where you weren’t expected to reach the Final Four, only to get there anyway. After the fact, the taste of disappointment may weigh heavy, but in the moment, Knight was part of an unexpected run in March. At 25-8, Kentucky was certainly a team to watch heading into the Big Dance, but they weren’t the team.

Knight may have been the biggest reason for the Final Four run. If his season averages didn’t impress you, he went off for 16.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 4.6 RPG in the five NCAA Tournament games. That included a 30-point performance against West Virginia.

One knock against Knight – especially in the tournament – was his inefficiency. He didn’t shoot all too well in that Final Four run, but regardless, was still the leader of the talented pack.