Kevin Knox, booed on draft night, wows in Summer League debut with 22 points, big dunks

New York Knicks fans were not happy about their team drafting Kevin Knox.

The fan base that famously booed Kristaps Porzingis on draft night gave the Kentucky forward the same treatment last month with the Knicks selected him with the ninth pick of the NBA draft while Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. was still on the board.

Kevin Knox starts off debut on a tear

His Summer League debut on Saturday may have those same fans giddily reconsidering their welcome of the SEC freshman of the year.

Knox came out on a tear against the Atlanta Hawks in Las Vegas, scoring seven points in the first six minutes before tallying 22 points and eight rebounds while racking up some highlight-reel dunks.

Knox slams home first professional points

His first professional points came after picking up a Hawks turnover to run full court for a thundering slam in traffic.

He showed off his remarkable athleticism again later in the first half, taking a half-court alley-oop heave for a highlight reel dunk.

Knox’s shooting touch wasn’t on point, as he finished 8-of-20 from the field and hit just 1-of-6 3-pointers in the 91-89 Knicks win. But the potential he flashed for Knicks fans far outweighed an off shooting night.

Knox is an athletic, 6-9 small forward with shooting touch and the size to be an effective defender at his position. The Knicks are hoping he can pair with Porzingis to anchor a versatile young frontcourt for the future.

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