Karter Knox could be the next big Kentucky vs. Louisville recruiting battle
The first pair of John Calipari vs. Kenny Payne recruiting battles were fun. It started with five-star center Aaron Bradshaw announcing his commitment to Kentucky after considering Louisville, followed by his high school and grassroots teammate quickly joining the fold in five-star guard DJ Wagner.
Payne pulled out all of the stops and had all of the connections, hiring Wagner’s grandfather to his staff while the dynamic duo played for NJ Scholars program director Pervis Ellison, the UofL head coach’s former teammate and longtime friend. But at the end of the day, Calipari and the Wildcats won out for both.
When could we get the next head-to-head matchup between Cal and KP? It’s happening right now, another recruit with deep ties to both coaches — in Lexington, conveniently enough.
2024 five-star wing Karter Knox — younger brother of former Kentucky standout Kevin Knox — was the No. 4 overall leading scorer to open the Nike EYBL season this past weekend, averaging 21.3 points over four games while shooting an absurd 60.8% from the field, 41.7% from three and 72.2% at the line. He added 3.5 rebounds and nearly two steals per contest, but it was his consistent scoring output — 20-plus points in three of four matchups — that turned heads.
Among those heads? You guessed it, John Calipari and Kenny Payne, both in attendance down in Atlanta throughout the weekend. The friends-turned-rivals (with plenty of love, obviously) were courtside watching the 6-foot-6 small forward from start to finish, soaking in the combined 85 points scored and 31 buckets converted from Friday to Sunday.
If there were any doubts about the No. 6 overall prospect and No. 2 small forward according to the On3 Industry Ranking, the versatile and explosive wing squashed them.
“We had to handle business. Business trip. Wanted to start with a bang, end with a bang,” Knox said of his goals to open the grassroots season. “Just always want to be energetic, and I thought I showed that throughout the high school season. So I wanted to do it in AAU, because this is the last year, you know? I’m going to give it all I’ve got.”
As a player, Knox is unique, part of the intrigue in his game. Once known as a straight-line driver who was at his best when getting downhill, the skill and shooting is finally starting to come along, as well. Physically gifted with a solid frame, he’s become a do-it-all wing with both finesse and brawn to attack you in different ways. It’s how he emerged as one of the most productive players in his class to open the summer.
“I want to prove that I can lock up 94 feet and handle the ball under pressure, show off my playmaking,” Knox said. “And I want to guard smaller guards, so that’s what I’m hoping to prove this AAU season. … I can play any position, you know? Coach can put me at the point — one through five, you know? I’ll play it. I don’t think a coach is going to put me at the five, but two, three or one, whatever.”
He’d be lying if he said producing the way he did in front of college coaches for the first live period of the season wasn’t a blast: “It feels good, you know? It feels good to be back out there getting my feet wet.”
Drenched, actually. Knox looked like a surefire top-10 prospect in the most important summer of his high school career, where all eyes are on recruiting and evaluation, coaches deciding who to prioritize or fall back on. Like his brother, also a hotshot five-star out of high school, he’s finding his groove at the right time.
He’s learned quite a bit from Kevin, a former First-Team All-SEC member, SEC Freshman of the Year and No. 9 overall draft pick in 2018. Standing 6-foot-7, 215 pounds, big brother was positionless before the buzzword become cool in recent years.
“He taught me to be a positionless player. Being a positionless player, it makes it hard to guard you,” Karter said of Kevin. “He always tells me, whether I have a bad game or a good game, always keep your body language up. Body language is a sign of maturity and you want to be mature. Be energetic on the floor, work hard at all times.”
He remembers watching Kevin navigating his own recruitment, coaches calling left and right before he ultimately shocked the world on Derby Day back on May 6, 2017 when he chose Kentucky over Duke, Florida State, Missouri and North Carolina. There was a lot to learn about that process, one he’s using now during his turn to choose a school.
“Watching my big bro during the recruiting process, he enjoyed it a lot,” Knox said. “He just told me to enjoy the recruiting process, take it in. Pick up the phone, get your phone off ‘do not disturb,’ you know? … I don’t think the Kentucky coaches even knew (Kevin was going there). He committed out of nowhere. I didn’t even really know, I was just a little kid [laughs].”
And what about Kevin’s time at Kentucky? What does he remember about his older brother sporting the blue and white? Well, obviously the West Virginia game where Knox dropped a career-high 34 points in Morgantown against the No. 7 Mountaineers.
He was in awe of his brother’s superstar performance, enjoying it like the rest of us on his television at home.
“Oh man. One thing I’ll always remember — I’ll never forget the West Virginia game. Oh my,” Knox said. “I was watching it on TV and he was just going off. I’m like, ‘Yo, he’s going crazy!’ I wasn’t there but it was a great moment seeing that.”
Now it’s his turn to find a school that puts him in a similar position to find success in college and the pros. And Kentucky will obviously be among the hats on the table when it comes time to sit down and make a decision.
“I like the fans, you know? The fans are crazy, the coaching staff is nice,” Knox said of the Wildcats. “It’s just a really good moment (being recruited by them). Kentucky is a really good program. Coach Cal, the coaching staff, everybody. And the fans are crazy.”
Knox has talked to his brother about the benefits of playing in Lexington, following in those same footsteps — but there’s no pressure to do so.
“He said it was great playing for Kentucky and everything, but he says whatever college best suits you, I’m not going to be mad at you,” his brother told him. “Just be happy wherever you go.”
UK assistant coach Orlando Antigua is his lead recruiter, with John Calipari making his interest clear, as well. They flew out to meet with Knox this week following his impressive performance in Atlanta. And he’s already taken a visit to Lexington, doing so back in September.
But it’s not a one-horse race. After all, Louisville coach Kenny Payne was hands-on with Kevin during his time in Lexington and helped get him to the NBA, as well. There’s a tight relationship there, one the five-star recruit is strongly considering.
“Kenny Payne, he’s like an uncle to me, you know? He’s like Big Unk,” Knox said. “He pushed Kev a lot, got Kevin to where he is right now. He’s saying the same thing — I’m not going to force you to come here, but if this is what best suits you, come here.”
Louisville finished this past season with a final record of 4-28. There’s a clear need for talent to help get things turned around sooner rather than later, starting this year. Is there intrigue with being a core piece to the Cardinals’ turnaround efforts?
He’s not factoring this past season’s results into his decision, but it’s something the coaching staff is pitching. Be part of the change.
“I’m not worried about the last season they had, going 4-20 or whatever,” he said. “But the coaching staff has told me that I can come there and turn it all around.”
He took an official there, too, making the trip to Louisville in November. And others are on the table, with Arkansas being another school making a push for the 6-foot-6 wing. It’s a pitch he’s happy to listen to.
“I love Arkansas. Arkansas is a great school, a really solid program,” he said. “The coaching staff is great, Coach Musselman and the other coaches too. It’s a really good program.”
He couldn’t name any other programs prioritizing him at this time or specific schools he’d like to visit, but “coaches are calling, keeping in contact. It’s going really good.”
And he wants that to continue. Kentucky, Louisville and Arkansas are pushing for him the hardest, but “I’m still waiting on more offers. Anybody that calls me, I’ll pick up the phone.” Just as big brother advised him to do.
As far as a college decision is concerned, it’s not even on his radar at this point. He’s taking his recruitment one day at a time, hearing out what each school has to say before taking that next step.
“I’m not gonna lie, I don’t even know for real,” Knox said. “Just being honest with you. I’m just taking this recruiting process slowly and really enjoying it.”
As things stand today, though, it’s a John Calipari vs. Kenny Payne battle, with Eric Musselman throwing his hat into the ring, as well.
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