Kentucky associate coach Kenny Payne got a text from an NBA organization Sunday raving about how well Wildcats defensive center Willie Cauley-Stein shot during his workout there.
“They were floored,’’ Payne told The Post. “I forwarded the text to Willie. He said, ‘It’s amazing people are shocked I can shoot the ball.’ I told him, ‘You never showed it — only in spurts.’ ”
Concerns about Cauley-Stein’s offense (8.0 ppg, 6.2 rebounds in his Kentucky career) are why the junior will be available at No. 4 when Knicks president Phil Jackson is on the clock at the June 25 draft.
On Tuesday, Cauley-Stein will finally get his workout in Tarrytown in front of Jackson’s Knicks staff.
After the Chicago combine in mid-May and before the draft lottery, Cauley-Stein, according to a source, met with the Knicks in New York — an indication of Jackson’s anxiousness. Cauley-Stein had mistakenly said at the combine it would be a pre-lottery workout.
“Skillwise, the sky’s the limit on where I can take it,” Cauley-Stein said at the combine. “I’m athletic enough to do a lot of different things.’’
Much of that is on defense. Known as a modern-day Tyson Chandler, Cauley-Stein anchored Kentucky’s super-team that was stunned in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. He’s also 21 — a good age for Jackson’s Knicks, who prefer drafting a big who can contribute immediately alongside Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks don’t have a single traditional big man signed for next season.
Payne works specifically with Kentucky’s bigs and has helped advance Anthony Davis, Nerlens Noel and Julius Randle into the NBA. But he’s never compared those guys with former Kentucky point guard John Wall.
“Very rarely do you find 7-1 guys with his size and length who can move the way he moves,’’ Payne said. “Not quite at his level, but he’s John Wall-ish at 7-1. That kind of speed and athleticism. When you have a kid like that, the potential is there, talent is there. It’s just getting it where it’s shown.
“Willie can end up being an All-Star.”
Payne believes Cauley-Stein is more of a late bloomer because, as a wide receiver in Kansas, he was dedicated to his high school football team.
“Unlike most top recruits, Willie mostly just started focusing on basketball when he came to Kentucky,’’ Payne said. “He looked funny with a helmet on at 6-10. He was under-the-radar in high school, while [projected No. 1 pick] Karl-Anthony Towns has been great for five years.’’
A cocky Cauley-Stein said in May he goes against buddy Towns in practice and has always felt they were even. His role with the Wildcats just didn’t allow his offense to glow.
“He’s played with very good college scorers — not exactly what we needed for him to do was get 15 points every night,’’ Payne said.
Jackson said he wants to improve the Knicks’ interior defense, and an industry source said Knicks scouts were at many Kentucky practices to watch both Towns and Cauley-Stein.
“Defending 1 through 5 and with teams switching everything [on pick-and-rolls], he [Cauley-Stein] can totally disrupt a game by guarding a point guard to the 5,’’ Payne said. “He’s got that confidence and swagger about defending.’’
According to a source, Wisconsin’s Frank “The Tank’’ Kaminsky will have dinner with the Knicks Wednesday and work out Thursday.