Sean Kilpatrick is back.
After finishing his career in Cincinnati, Kilpatrick missed the NBA Scouting Combine with a knee injury, which contributed to going undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft. The Bearcats’ #2 scorer of all-time then played with the Philadelphia 76ers Summer League team, averaging 11.5 points. It was a strong showing from a guy overlooked by most of the NBA, but any shot he had at taking the next step was wiped out when he went under the knife in August. SK had surgery on his right knee to repair a slight tear of his meniscus, sustained some time during his senior year at UC.
It looks like he’ll get another shot, as Bill Koch is reporting that Kilpatrick is expected to sign with the Golden State Warriors this weekend. It should be noted that this is nowhere near a guarantee for SK. Having missed a chunk of training camp to rehab, he’ll have just a few weeks to make his case with the Warriors before the season starts on October 29th.
In the likely event that he doesn’t make the NBA roster, he’ll be sent to Golden State’s D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz. While the D-League doesn’t have the glitz and glam of the NBA, it’s the next best thing, and a gateway for players in Kilpatrick’s situation.
Opening day roster or not, this is an awesome opportunity for a guy who’s going to work hard to make a name for himself. He did it coming out of high school, he did it as a Bearcat, and he’ll have to do it again to begin his pro career. If there’s a player who’s used to proving himself, it’s Sean Kilpatrick.