Kevin Knox II

Early Life and High School Career

Born on August 11, 1999, Kevin Devon Knox II has established himself as a notable figure in the world of American professional basketball. Raised in Tampa, Florida, Knox’s talent emerged during his time at Tampa Catholic High School, where he excelled as a Junior and averaged 30.1 points per game.

With that impressive score, along with 11.2 rebounds per game and 2.4 assists, Knox was instrumental in leading his team, the Crusaders, to regional and district championships and to the Florida Class 4A semifinals in 2016.

Knox continued to showcase his skills during the 2016 summer when he joined his AAU team, E1T1 United, on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Circuit. His career-high score of 28 points in a match against All Ohio Red was solid evidence of his prowess on the court. He ended the circuit having averaged 19.6 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game.

As a senior, he continued to up his game, averaging 28.5 points per game and 11.3 rebounds per game and helped Tampa Catholic to maintain a commendable record of 25-6. He played in the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic.

College Basketball Career

Knox’s basketball talents were not unnoticed. He was a five-star recruit and regarded as one of the top players in the 2017 class. In May of that year, he committed to the University of Kentucky, declining offers from Duke, Florida State, Missouri, and North Carolina. This marked the beginning of an illustrious college basketball career.

During his freshman season, Knox demonstrated his exceptional skills by leading the Wildcats to a 10-8 conference record, securing the fourth position in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Notably, he was the team’s lead scorer, averaging 15.9 points per game, earning him recognition on the All-Rookie and First Team All-SEC teams.

Professional Career

With a promising college career behind him, Knox declared for the NBA draft in April 2018, forgoing his remaining three years of college eligibility. His skills did not go unnoticed, and he was selected ninth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2018 NBA draft.

On October 17, 2018, Knox made his NBA debut in a 126-107 win over the Atlanta Hawks with ten points. Shortly after, he scored a team-high 17 points in a match against the Brooklyn Nets. Despite suffering a sprained ankle early in his rookie season, he came back strong, scoring a career-high 26 points in a match against the Milwaukee Bucks. He continued to impress, earning the Eastern Conference’s NBA Rookie of the Month Award for games performed in December 2018.

Over the years, Knox’s journey in professional basketball took him several NBA teams. After playing for the New York Knicks, he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. Later, he was signed by the Detroit Pistons. After a stint with the Portland Trail Blazers, he was waived before the start of the 2023-24 season. Not long after, he re-signed with the Detroit Pistons.

Throughout his career, Knox has made notable contributions to each team he has been a part of. His season-high scores and his immense contributions during playoff games illustrate his invaluable basketball skills.

Off the Court

In addition to his career in professional basketball, Kevin Knox has also made a name for himself internationally. He won two gold medals with USA Basketball at the 2015 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship and the 2016 FIBA Under-17 World Championship.

Knox comes from a family that appreciates sport. The son of former NFL receiver Kevin Knox, he has two basketball-playing younger brothers: Kobe who plays college basketball for South Florida, and Karter, a 5-star recruit at Overtime Elite. Knox’s love for basketball goes beyond the court as he was signed by Puma for a multi-year endorsement deal in 2018.