In five-star basketball prospect Karter Knox’s family tree, you’ll find a common level of mental toughness that has helped produce a top-10 NBA draft selection, a NCAA football national champion, an NFL draft pick, two McDonald’s All American selections, and potentially more.
“My pops … he’s probably the best dude on Earth,” Knox said of his father, Kevin Knox Sr., who won a national championship as a receiver at Florida State in 1993 and was selected in the sixth round of the 1994 NFL draft. “He taught me how to be mentally tough, and just tough in general. So, when you have a father like that, you’re not going to fail.”
The next Knox in the sports spotlight is Karter, who has spent his senior season of high school basketball playing for Overtime Elite, a league for 16- to 20-year-olds, based in Atlanta, on its RWE team. His leadership on the court has led RWE to a best-of-5 matchup against the City Reapers in the Overtime Elite Finals starting Friday.
The 6-foot-6 guard is considering Kentucky, South Florida or Louisville. He could also return for another year at Overtime Elite. Knox’s brother, Kevin Knox II, spent one season at Kentucky before being selected ninth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2018 NBA draft.
“No disrespect, but I’m not trying to stay in college for four years, I want to be a one-and-done. That’s the goal,” said Karter Knox when talking about the factors going into his decision. “I’m gonna go back and get my degree when I get to the league and everything, but [getting to the NBA is] the goal.”
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Whenever Karter Knox declares for the NBA draft, his goal is to be selected eighth or higher.
One memory is cemented in his mind about his NBA goals.
“I remember one time working out with my father and he said, ‘If you’re trying to be drafted 10 and go below your brother, you can let me know right now.’ I was like, ‘no, I’m trying to be eight or higher.’ ” Karter Knox said.
Knox was selected to participate in this year’s McDonald’s All American Game, one of the first three Overtime Elite players selected. Beyond the historic accomplishment, Knox appreciates the selection for a different reason.
“[Being selected] means a lot to me. My brother was a McDonald’s All American, and he thought he was going to be the only [one] in the family, but he can’t be now, ’cause I got it,” Knox said jokingly.
That competitive spirit pushed the brothers throughout their upbringing.
“We’re a competitive family, whether it’s in the workouts or one-on-one. [Kev] should be looking over his shoulder, cause he knows I’m coming for him,” Knox said.
Adam Hagy/Overtime Elite
Their father raised them to follow in his footsteps in football.
“I played [football] at a high level, playing at Florida State, winning a national championship and getting drafted into the NFL, so I always knew that a certain level of mental toughness was going to be needed,” Kevin Knox Sr. said. “That’s why all my kids started out playing football. I wanted that physical contact … We kind of started [playing football] as the foundation of the mental toughness.”
Karter played football until the ninth grade, leading him to follow the footsteps of his older brothers.
“I started getting hit in the knees and I was, like, this sport isn’t for me. So, then I went to basketball and started working out and seeing what Kev was doing,” Karter Knox said. “I wasn’t working out with [Kevin II] because Kev was going to college. But rebounding and just see him work hard, it really touched my heart.”
While playing high school basketball in Florida, Knox led the Tampa Catholic Crusaders to multiple state semifinal appearances. He was named Class 3A State Player of the Year award by the Florida Dairy Farmers as a junior.
Knox left Florida to spend his last season in Atlanta with Overtime Elite, hoping to get more focused training to prepare for the next level. Knox averages a team-high 23.1 points and 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
After his time is over with Overtime Elite, Karter Knox hopes to have left a legacy.
“At OTE? I want to be the greatest player to ever walk in OTE,” said Knox as his time with the Atlanta basketball league begins to run out. “Not just the greatest player on the court, but the greatest human being.”
