Remember the Knight: Brandon Knight’s Emergence Lifting the Young Bucks
By Julius Lasin
After an enigmatic first season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Knight looks poised to blow up
Through 10 games, the Milwaukee Bucks are a surprising 5-5, with wins over playoff contenders like the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies. And a lot of that success can be attributed to head coach Jason Kidd doing an adroit job mixing and matching his lineups to wreak havoc on defense and pose mismatches on offense.
However, the focal point that enables Kidd to play the mad scientist is the ever-so-consistent Brandon Knight. So far this season, the oft-forgotten Knight has emerged as the calm and collected floor leader that he was touted to be coming out of Kentucky in 2011, making Bucks fans forget about Brandon Jennings.
However, the focal point that enables Kidd to play the mad scientist is the ever-so-consistent, Brandon Knight.
On offense, Knight has shown better court vision and poise as a creator, averaging a career-high 6.4 assists per game. The field goals off of those assists account for on 37.4 percent of the Bucks’ total field goals—a percentage that ranks fifth among all players who have played at least five games and average at least 20 minutes per game.
In addition to his growth in passing, Knight has also kept defenses honest by improving his jump shooting. Even though Knight has shown minimal improvement in overall field goal percentage—a 2.7 percent increase—it’s his three-point shooting percentage that makes him dangerous now. Despite only averaging slightly less three-pointers this season, Knight’s has transformed himself from a sub 33 percent three-point shooter last season, to a 40.5 percent shooter this season.
However, it is not only his shooting that has made him and the Bucks a more effective offensive team. Knight’s willingness and effectiveness driving the ball has also been huge for the Bucks, especially when they go through dry spells on offense.
Entering the week, Knight ranks eighth in the league in drives per game with 10. More often than not, those points result in positive plays for the Bucks, with the team averaging 10.3 points per game off of drives by Knight, which ranks 11th in the NBA among players who have played at least five games. As a result of Knight’s aggressiveness, he is getting to the free throw line at a higher rate than he ever has (4.8 attempts per game) which bodes well for him and the Bucks because he is shooting a career-high 87.5 percent at the charity stripe.
A lot of Knight’s ability to control and contribute to the offense stems from his large jump in efficiency this season, which can be attributed to learning from one of the most productive and efficient point guards of all time, Jason Kidd.
After 10 games, Knight’s Player Efficiency Rating (PER) is 20.6, which is a significant improvement from the 16.5 rating he posted last year. Even though it is early in the season, it isn’t farfetched to believe that Knight will continue this success because he has increased his PER every year he’s been in the league, including a 4.5-point jump in the category last season.
Live Feed
Behind the Buck Pass
Although a large portion of Brandon Knight’s improvement has been on the offensive side, he is also rounding out his game and becoming a more complete player by showing marked improvement on defense and in rebounding.
In his fourth season, Knight has finally begun using his lanky 6’3″ frame to force turnovers, averaging a career-best 1.3 steals per game. His size has also helped him become a force on the boards, where he is hauling down 6.4 rebounds per game.
But maybe most importantly, the Bucks have shown significant defensive improvement when Knight is on the floor compared to seasons past. Last year, Knight’s defensive rating was 114, which was the worst of his career. This season, Knight has become more of an effective leader and perimeter defender, which has resulted in a 98 defensive rating, which is another career-best.
As the season progresses, much of the narrative and attention surrounding the Bucks this season has and will be centered around the development of young studs Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo. But while those two are going through growing pains, it is Brandon Knight’s rise and consistency that will be keeping the team afloat and relevant.
Next: The top international 2015 NBA Draft prospects, featuring Emmanuel Mudiay
More from Sir Charles In Charge
- LeBron James working to assemble super team for USA Basketball in 2024
- Dillon Brooks proved his value to Houston Rockets in the 2023 FIBA World Cup
- NBA Trade Rumors: 1 Player from each team most likely to be traded in-season
- Golden State Warriors: Buy or sell Chris Paul being a day 1 starter
- Does Christian Wood make the Los Angeles Lakers a legit contender?