'My Ears Were Hurting': Karter Knox Describes 'Crazy Experience' at Big Z's Debut on Official Visit
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Class of 2024 four-star forward Karter Knox chose the right time to visit Kentucky. Rupp Arena hasn’t gotten louder this season than when 7-foot-2 freshman Zvonimir Ivisic made his debut on Jan. 20 versus Georgia. It just so happened that was the game Knox picked for his official visit.
The 6-foot-6, 211-pound small forward from Overtime Elite (Atlanta, GA) is the younger brother of former Kentucky star and current New York Knicks forward Kevin Knox. He’s seen Rupp Arena plenty of times, but Saturday night was different.
“Ah man, it was crazy,” Knox told reporters Thursday. “When Cal [John Calipari] went towards the bench and Big Z stood up, it was crazy. The whole Rupp Arena was loud. My ears were hurting. It was just a crazy experience.”
Knox remembers when Kevin took his official visit to Kentucky nearly eight years ago. Now, he’s proud to get his chance to take pictures in the blue and white.
“Now, it’s like I’m really doing all this stuff,” he said. “I’m the one in the Kentucky uniform taking all these pictures. I never really imagined it. All the work paid off.”
As Knox nears a decision, he’s especially intrigued by the success of Calipari. He even called him “one of the greatest coaches in college basketball.”
“He coached my brother Kevin and got him prepared for the league,” Karter said. “He’s over there coaching DJ Wagner. [DJ and I] were on the same USA team. DJ is going to be a lottery pick. He knows what he’s doing. He’s been in the game for too long. ”
No More Visits as a Decision Nears
Karter Knox is down to four programs: Kentucky, Louisville, USF, and the G League Ignite. He’s visited UK, Louisville, and USF. Now, a decision nears.
“What’s next is I’ll be committing. I’m not taking any more visits,” Knox said. “I don’t have a date in mind. When the time is right, the time will be right.”
The only program he hasn’t visited yet is the G League Ignite. It doesn’t sound like that visit will be coming, but he did take a virtual tour.
“My schedule is too packed right now. I can’t really do it,” he said.
Breaking Down His Other Official Visits
Karter Knox’s first visit official visit was to USF back in November. His older brother, Kobe Knox, is a redshirt sophomore on USF’s current squad.
“They’ve got something cooking over there,” Knox said. “Coach Amir [Abdur-Rahim] is a good coach. He was at Kennesaw State last year and got them to the March Madness tournament. It’s in my hometown, in Tampa. They’re doing pretty good so far.”
The main draw with USF is the chance to stay close to his family in Tampa. He also acknowledged the opportunity the offer provides in letting him play alongside his brother.
“My parents understand, my family understands,” Knox said. “They want me to go somewhere to stay close, but if I’ve got to go somewhere to take me to the league and prepare for the league faster, they don’t mind it.”
As for Louisville, Knox visited the weekend of Dec. 15, which happened to be a puzzling time to visit. Amid the chaos with the Cardinals’ basketball program, Knox got the chance to reconnect with Louisville head coach Kenny Payne, who was an assistant coach at Kentucky when his brother was there and also coached Kevin on the New York Knicks.
“They haven’t been doing too good, but KP [Kenny Payne] is a really good coach,” Knox said. “He got Kev [Kevin Knox] prepared for the draft. He got him to the ninth pick. He’s a really good coach.”
Payne has a similar pitch that he made to Kevin. He believes Karter can be a top-10 pick. It worked for Kevin. Will it work for Karter?
“That’s what every coach wants their best player to be, a top-10 pick,” Karter said.
Knox Makes History as OTE’s First McDonald’s All-American
Karter Knox made history on Tuesday when he was announced as one of the 24 boys players selected to the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game. Alongside 2024 Ole Miss signee John Bol, Knox is among the first group from Overtime Elite to be selected for the game.
Current Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham was not selected for the game in 2023 because of his affiliation with Overtime Elite. Ahead of the 2024 games, Overtime Elite worked with the McDonald’s Committee to ensure its players would be made eligible. Because of these changes, Karter gets to join his brother Kevin as the McDonald’s All-Americans in the family.
“Coming to OTE, nobody had made McDonald’s,” Knox said. “It’s still a crazy experience because my brother was one too. Just seeing all the work really paid off, it’s just crazy.”
Having two members of the Knox family make the McDonald’s All-American Game (Kevin participated in 2017) was “a big accomplishment,” Karter said. The first people he called after getting the news were his mother and father.
“They told me this isn’t the end. It’s just the start,” Karter said. “They told me all of the work that paid off since my freshman year. Kev was telling me he thought he’d be the only one to be a McDonald’s All-American in the family. I told him it’s not happening.”
As for the impact on Overtime Elite, Knox believes that his selection, along with Bol’s, will bolster the program tremendously. It’s history after all.
“It’s definitely going to bring a lot more kids here,” he said. “It’s definitely going to be history. Being the first two players to get McDonald’s All-American is going to carry. I don’t know how many years, but it’s going to carry a lifetime.”
Burger Boy? More Like Chicken
What better way to celebrate making the McDonald’s Game than a nice burger from McDonald’s? Well, for Karter Knox, the answer is a McChicken.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m not a fan of McDonald’s burgers,” Karter said. “That’s why I stuck to the chicken. If I go to McDonald’s, I’m only getting a McChicken. I’m not going to eat a quarter-pounder or a Big Mac. That’s not me. I don’t like that.”
So, when Knox was announced as a McDonald’s All-American game, his teammates threw McChickens at him to celebrate. His clothes were covered in lettuce, mayonnaise, and of course, chicken.
Knox is known for his love of McChickens at Overtime Elite. The night before a game, he recalls, he ate four McChickens and the next day he scored 34 points.
“I’m like, ain’t no way it’s the McChickens,” he said. “Somebody overheard me and they were like, McChickens? You ate a McChicken last night? And it just carried on. I don’t really eat McDonald’s like that. Every once in a while, I’ll get a McChicken or something.”
