2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 23: The NBA Playoffs are upon us
By Chris Stone
De'Aaron Fox
PG, Kentucky
Draft Status: In with an agent
The New York Knicks were far from the superteam that point guard Derrick Rose proclaimed them to be prior to the season, finishing with a 31-51 record and in a tie with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the sixth worst record in the league. Perhaps somewhat humorously perhaps the biggest position of need for the Knicks is point guard in order to find a replacement for Rose who seems to have played his best basketball already.
Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox would fit the bill. The 6-foot-3 freshman averaged 22.6 points, 6.2 assists and 5.3 rebounds per 40 minutes this season en route to a near Final Four appearance for the Wildcats. His greatest asset is his quickness and it’s a skill that translates on both sides of the ball. Offensively, it allows him to get into the lane and attack the basket while on defense, he’s able to jump passing lines and pester opposing ball-handlers.
The key for Fox will be developing his jumper. He made just 24.6 percent of his 3s this season. Adding additional strength to his slight frame — he weighs just 187 pounds — should go a long ways as it would give him more lift and save him from using his upper body to propel his jumper forward.