Basketball recruitment of Karter Knox is more than a battle between Kentucky, Louisville
For the longest time, the recruitment of five-star, class of 2024 small forward Karter Knox was simplified to a recruiting battle between Kentucky and Louisville.
The reasons for this were obvious: UK, with John Calipari as head coach, took one of Karter’s older brothers, Kevin, and molded him into an NBA Draft lottery pick.
Current Louisville head coach Kenny Payne was UK’s associate head coach when Kevin was in school, and later worked with Kevin as an assistant coach with the NBA’s New York Knicks.
Karter was along for the ride for all of this: He made several trips to Lexington during Kevin’s college career, and also visited New York City plenty of times to watch his brother play. On those trips, Karter would sometimes work out with Payne.
But what’s become apparent in the recruitment of Karter — a 6-foot-6 prospect (measurement via Overtime Elite) who joined the Atlanta-based program this summer — is that his recruitment is distinct to him.
Despite strong connections in the commonwealth, Karter insists he’s not solely picking between the Cardinals and Wildcats.
“I like other schools, too,” Karter told the Herald-Leader on Monday during an interview at Overtime Elite’s facility in Atlanta.
In May, Karter released a list of his final eight post-high school basketball pathways: Auburn, Arkansas, Florida State, Kentucky, LSU, Louisville, South Florida and the NBA’s G-League Ignite program.
Karter said upcoming visits are being planned to Kentucky, Louisville and South Florida.
Last year, Karter took official visits to Kentucky and Louisville.
Another of Karter’s older brothers, Kobe, plays college basketball and transferred this offseason to South Florida from Grand Canyon University.
“They’re telling me every day, every time I talk to them, ‘Hey, just be yourself. Don’t try to be like anybody else. Just stick to your game, just get better in the gym, don’t ever compare your game to somebody else’s,’” Karter said of advice from his family.
Karter said he will probably cut his final list of schools soon, and he doesn’t have a timeline set for making his college choice.
What will be the most important factors when that time arrives?
“I don’t want to go somewhere where the coach is going to be like, ‘Hey Karter, just go and do your thing. Just jack up shots,’” Karter said, noting that player development will be a key factor in his college choice.
“That’s not going to prepare me for the NBA. Whatever coach is going to prepare me for the NBA and make me a pro as fast as possible, like that, that’ll be the one.”
Karter Knox settles in at Overtime Elite
Something that should help Kentucky’s chances with Karter is the location where he’s finishing his prep basketball career.
In late July, news broke that Karter would be transferring from Tampa (Fla.) Catholic High School to Overtime Elite.
UK has had a major presence at Overtime Elite in recent years: Current Wildcat Rob Dillingham spent his final prep basketball season at Overtime Elite, and fellow freshman Jordan Burks played in the Overtime Elite league last season.
UK’s lone class of 2024 commit — center Somto Cyril — is about to begin his second and final season playing at Overtime Elite.
Karter confirmed what many could have assumed: Cyril is constantly trying to recruit him to UK.
“He just tells me ‘Kentucky’s the one,’” Karter said. “Every time I give him a pass in practice, he’ll dunk it and say, ‘Hey, that could be us next year.’ We’ll start laughing and stuff.”
Karter’s father, Kevin Knox Sr., previously told the Herald-Leader that the professional environment at Overtime Elite should help improve Karter’s game “holistically.”
On Monday, Karter described what the biggest advantages have been so far from the Overtime Elite experience.
“The one thing I like about it the most is the development. The development side is crazy over here,” said Karter of Overtime Elite, which produced Amen and Ausar Thompson, the No. 4 and No. 5 picks in the 2023 NBA Draft.
“It’s way better than the place where I was at. ... It feels good to play against other guys who are the same level of competition. ... We’re going at it every day, every practice.”
Ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 11 player in the 2024 recruiting class, Knox specified on-court leadership and playmaking as areas for improvement.
“What really can take me to the next level is my playmaking. I can score from all three levels. I can guard. I can guard 94 feet. I can do all that,” Karter said. “But if I can just work on playmaking, I’ll complete the circle.”
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