He is a very young
Knox is the second-youngest player in his draft class behind Jaren Jackson Jr. Knox won’t turn 19 until mid-August — making him the youngest Knicks draft pick since Maciej Lampe in 2003. Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari says NBA teams were wary of taking Knox because of his age.
“He’s not even close to where he’s going to be,” Calipari told reporters at the NBA Combine. “But he’s young. You’re going to see this kid right now and it’s going to be, ‘Holy cow.’ But he’s young. You’re not getting a guy that’s 25 years old.”
Calipari was so concerned about how teams would perceive Knox, he made an unusual pitch to the teenager. UK’s coach has made “one and done” draft entries a linchpin of his program. But Knox’s father told SEC Country that Calipari suggested Knox return to Lexington for a sophomore season to improve his draft stock.
“He said, ‘Man, we want you to come back, but at the end of the day, if you end up leaving, we will not have been able to see the best of Kevin Knox in Lexington,” said his father, Kevin Knox Sr. “That is yet to come if you decide to leave.’ “
