UK Basketball: Despite Kevin Knox leaving, the outlook for next season is still positive

With Kevin Knox making his final decision to enter the draft and hire an agent, it appears to have changed the mood about outlook on next season.

But should it?

Until Knox Sr. started making it seem as if Knox could be back, everyone always assumed next year would begin without Knox in a UK uniform, and everyone was fine with that idea before.

However, after the announcement from Knox, it appears some fans have gone into panic mode about next year and are worried about how good UK can be, and I believe that it’s a bit of an overreaction.

So, with Knox gone, what does this now mean for the upcoming season?

With some draft decisions still to be made, it appears that Cal is going to have to add another forward to the roster for next season. Someone like EJ Montgomery or maybe even a potential graduate transfer like Mike Daum, who performed at a very high level for South Dakota State this year, averaging around 24 points and 10 rebounds a game, should he decide to go somewhere else. KSR mentioned him as a possible grad transfer target.

One thing is certain for next season; Keldon Johnson will be on the team, and while it would have been nice for a duo attack of him and Knox, UK can find someone to play the other wing.

Someone like Tyler Herro could step in, or Cal could move Johnson to the 3 and allow someone like Jemarl Baker or Immanuel Quickley to play the shooting guard position. That is assuming Hami decides to enter the draft as well.

While I know everyone is disappointed that UK won’t be able to see a second year Kevin Knox again, I don’t think next season is ruined by any means. We don’t know what Cal has up his sleeve in recruiting, and we don’t know who may still return for next season.

Let me put it this way: Everyone was hyped up about next season when Knox was assumed to be a goner, so why would that change when what we assumed would happen happened?

All this means is someone is going to have to step up next season and play at a high level, but they were recruited to UK for a reason, and that reason is to play at a high level on the biggest stage in the country.

So, UK will be fine, and as long as John Calipari is at the helm, the Cats are always going to be a threat to make a run in March.