Knight would be welcomed around league
by Vince Ellis, USA TODAY Sports
SALT LAKE CITY — When you talk to front office personnel about Detroit Pistons second-year guard Brandon Knight, opinions vary wildly.
Few think he will become a top-notch lead guard. More think that, while he has talent, he lacks the instincts to be an elite point guard.
But even detractors agree with those bullish on his future about one thing: They would love to have him on their team.
The reasons have been evident the last few weeks, with Knight’s maturity, toughness and competitiveness on display.
From the way he politicked to return from the right ankle sprain he suffered Feb. 20 to his response to becoming joke fodder for a nationwide audience after DeAndre Jordan victimized him on a dunk Sunday, Knight is gaining fans.
His latest setback — a severely sprained right ankle suffered in Monday’s loss to the Utah Jazz — is another opportunity to show resolve.
“Everything happens for a reason, so just take the good with the bad,” Knight said quietly, after the Pistons’ winless March continued Monday. “I’m the type of guy that, whatever happens, that’s what’s supposed to happen.
“I put in the time and effort, so it’ll go the way it’s supposed to go when you do that.”
Knight on Monday made his first extensive comments to the media since Jordan put him on dunk highlight reels for the next century.
If you were anywhere near a TV set Monday, you saw Jordan dunking over Knight again and again. Twitter and Facebook were on fire with jokes. ESPN put together a film noir segment on the play, with Knight the victim in a serialized crime drama.
But as he sat in a chair in the bowels of Energy Solutions Arena, with crutches for his injured right ankle nearby, Knight said he won’t hesitate when faced with trying to stop a dunk again.
“It was a good play,” Knight said. “I can laugh at it now. It was funny to me. (Jordan) is very athletic.
“But if I was in the same situation, just based off the type of person I am and how hard I play, I’d jump again.”
Knight did note the size differential, … [For more on Brandon Knight would be welcomed around league, click here.]
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