Film Room: Karter Knox

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Saturday was a great day for Big Blue Nation. Kentucky defeated rival Tennessee in Knoxville 85-81 to secure the #2-seed in the Southeastern Conference tournament. However, that wasn’t the only big news to come out of the last 24 hours. Four-star small forward Karter Knox announced his commitment to Kentucky during halftime of his game on Saturday night. Ranked as the #20 prospect in the Class of 2024 by the On3 Industry Ranking, Knox became the sixth member of the Wildcats’ recruiting class. Knox’s older brother, Kevin Knox, averaged 15.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as a freshman for Coach Calipari on the 2017-2018 team. He went on to be the ninth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

This was a very quiet recruitment that remained unknown into the final hours. Rumors spread as recently as Friday evening that he may remain at Overtime Elite for a post-grad year. However, the 6’6″ wing ultimately chose the Wildcats over Louisville, South Florida, and Overtime Elite.

Knox is a pure scorer who has blossomed as a shooter over the last year of his development. Playing with RWE, Knox is the third leading scorer this season in Overtime Elite averaging 23.1 points per game. Additionally, over the summer on the EYBL Circuit with the Florida Rebels he finished second in scoring at 21.2 points per game. Putting up consistent numbers like that at the highest levels of prep basketball offers a lot of hope for how his scoring prowess will translate to Kentucky.

As always, we’ve been hard at work in the KSR Film Room breaking down the game of Kentucky’s most recent commitment. Between seeing him in person on the EYBL Circuit, at Overtime Elite, and studying his game in the film room we have developed a strong feel for what he will bring to the table as a Wildcat. Knox is an elite shooter with excellent athleticism and physical tools. His handle allows him to create his own shot off of the dribble and he is an above the rim finisher at the end of his drives. Also, defensively, his size at 6’6″ and 224 pounds should give him a strong baseline as a switchable piece that can guard 1-4. Let’s take a closer look at what Karter Knox will bring to the Kentucky Wildcats.

Catch-and-Shoot Ability

We’ve all seen first hand how valuable it is to put as many capable shooters on the floor as possible. Karter Knox will absolutely be a floor spacer from day one in Lexington. He shot 34% from three-point range this season at Overtime Elite on over eight attempts per game. The percentage may not jump off the page, but remember that Reed Sheppard was a 31% three-point shooter on the 3SSB Circuit prior to coming to Kentucky. Making that percentage at that volume is impressive. Knox also made 34.2% on over six attempts per game on the EYBL Circuit. His release and follow through are picture perfect while his lower body mechanics have been what has led to his improvement from deep over the last year. Being more consistent with his footwork has been key.

You can’t go under when guarding Karter Knox. His combination of size and elevation make it really hard to contest when he pulls up. It isn’t hard at all to imagine him making three-point shots in an offensive style similar to what Kentucky is playing this season. In terms of a comparison, imagine him stepping into the Justin Edwards role. They have similar athletic and physical profiles along with Knox shooting it like Edwards has been of late.

His shooting stroke is compact and effortless. Obviously in this clip he is wide open, but playing with other talented players at Kentucky will get him some wide open looks as well. Knox gets the ball to his release point in a hurry and has a repeatable motion. He is a guy who could make two per game at 35% or better as a freshman.

We know it is probably unrealistic that Karter Knox gets to play with any of Kentucky’s current guards. However, a play like this could easily come from a dynamic creator like Boogie Fland next season. Knox played up out of the corner in transition, received the pass while sliding up to the wing, and buried the three-point attempt. You can really see how stacked his lower body is with his upper body in this clip. Good, quick release as well.

This clip is a good example of Knox’s quick release and the importance of his size on the perimeter. There isn’t much you can do to contest this when the shooter is 6’6″ with a quick release. Again, it is fair to envision Knox being a shooter in the realm of what Justin Edwards has become over the last month.

Creating His Own Shot Off of the Dribble

Before he became a consistent catch-and-shoot threat over the last year, Karter Knox was known as a driver. On3 senior national recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw had this to say about Knox’s ability as a driver, “he is a straight-line driver off the bounce. Gets into the paint and violently attacks the rim, playing way above it.” At 6’6″ and 224 pounds he certainly possesses the physical tools to be effective around the basket. Knox has shot 52.5% from two-point range this season at Overtime Elite. Kentucky’s current freshmen have all been efficient finishers. Knox looks like a guy who could continue that trend in 2024-2025.

You can’t teach elevation like this. Karter Knox has a very high release point on his jump shot and also is explosive enough to elevate over the defense. Similar to his outside shot, you can see how he remains on balanced and stacked getting into his pull-up. Having the ability to score in the mid-range will only make him more effective as a three-point shooter and at-rim finisher.

Similar to Justin Edwards and Adou Thiero, you can play Karter Knox some as a small ball 4-man. Using him in the pick-and-pop can be really effective. The defense is either going to switch to take away the pick-and-pop and thereby give Knox a mismatch, or they will put themselves in a very difficult closeout situation. Knox was able to attack the closeout in this clip and score at the rim.

Overtime Elite isn’t exactly known for its high level of defensive resistance. However, it does offer a chance to evaluate prospect within some general semblance of structure. This is a wing handoff action that you could easily see Coach Calipari running for Knox next season. His shooting ability forces the defender to closeout aggressively, but all that does it open up the driving lane. Knox puts it on the floor and finishes through contact at the rim. He is a pure scorer that will put the ball in the basket from day one.

High-Level Athleticism

Length, strength, and explosiveness. Karter Knox has it all in terms of his physical makeup. When you transition from high school to college the game speeds up and you can’t rely on your athleticism as much. However, Knox has the skill to match his high-level athleticism. Whether it is elevating for a mid-range jump shot, exploding downhill off of the dribble, or playing above the rim in transition you can rely on some highlight-worthy plays from Knox.

Kentucky is currently 13th in KenPom’s adjusted tempo metric. Karter Knox would certainly fit into an up-and-down system if the ‘Cats play fast again next season. However, regardless of style of play, you can’t teach above the rim finishes like this. The 6’6″ wing will space the floor both on the perimeter and vertically as a freshman.

Knox can get out and run the floor with the best of them. He obviously has guard skills, but he can be effective on the rim run in transition if he gets out in front. With Knox’s combination of size, athleticism, and skill on the wing, Coach Calipari will be able to use him in a variety of ways as a freshman.

Evaluation

Karter Knox is a 6’6″ 224 pound true small forward that can slide up or down a position as needed. He first blossomed into a Top 20 national prospect due to his athleticism and ability off of the dribble, but has become a very reliable catch-and-shoot threat over the last year. Knox has made a high volume of three-point shots at a good percentage both on the EYBL Circuit and at Overtime Elite. He still has ability as a driver, mid-range shooter, and even as a pick-and-pop guy. However, his most transferable skill now might be his catch-and-shoot ability. Look for Knox to make open three-pointers, attack closeouts to his right hand, and play above the rim in transition.