Purdue recruit Rivers Knight eager to re-prove himself this season at La Lumiere

LAPORTE, Ind. — For months, Rivers Knight had fallen out of mainstream view, sidelined late in the spring by a major injury that marred his final year of grassroots play and threw cold water on the recruiting interest he’d gotten through his junior year.

Now, recrovered and rounding back into form at La Lumiere, the Class of 2026 Purdue commitment has an opportunity to reintroduce himself.

“Nobody knows who I am,” Knight said on Friday night after La Lumiere’s scrimmage vs. Bosco Institute. “I’m an underdog, and I love that. I get to go out every day and show people what they don’t know and that’s really exciting.”

It’s been a trying past several months for the 6-foot-9 North Carolinan after he suffered a significant ankle injury at the end of the spring; it didn’t require surgery, but did either idle him or leave him a shell of his former self when he could play. Prior, he’d drawn early offers from Virginia Tech, Illinois, VCU, LSU, Texas A&M and others, but out-of-sight/out-of-mind is a real thing in recruiting and it affected Knight, Purdue being an exception. It had shown interest early, then kept in contact even when Knight was injured.

Purdue followed up this fall, liked what it saw and offered a scholarship that Knight accepted days later after an official visit.

Now, a chance to prove himself again, at La Lumiere, where he’ll team with fellow Purdue recruit Jacob Webber for one of the top prep school programs in the country.

“He’s really been busting his butt with his conditioning and getting his body better,” La Lumiere coach Pat Holmes said. “Since he’s been here, he’s been great about getting in the weight room and great about getting in the gym to put in extra time and getting up shots, which is what he already does really well. But he’ll also be in here running sprints to get his cardio better. He’s been moving really well.”

Having gotten back in shape after a lost summer, Knight is eager to show what Purdue foresees in him down the line.

“I think I’m a matchup problem,” he said. “I can shoot it from anywhere on the court. I feel like I’m one of the best shooters in the country regardless of size.”

RIVERS KNIGHT SCOUTING REPORT

Knight is a high-level spot-up three-point shooter as a projected 4 man with skills that also might align with the sort of short-roll ball-screen offense Purdue’s employed with Trey Kaufman-Renn. Purdue has been willing to play with all shapes and sizes at forward, but does covet floor-spacing at the position; Knight’s sweet spots seem to be the corners and the wing.

“He’s going to be a high-level shot-maker, that forward who can stretch the floor,” Holmes said. “He’s easy to play with. He has confidence in his jump shot and we have confidence in his jump shot. But he can also put it on the deck a little bit in straight-line-drive situations. He can see the floor and knows how to pass.

“Defensively, switching onto quicker guards, is he there yet? No, but he’s going to work really hard at it. He’s going to get bigger, stronger, more explosive and it’ll be fun to see what he becomes in two or three years.”

Further, Knight’s a legitimate 6-foot-9, with potential to become sturdier and stronger over time. Energy is an asset, as well. Knight runs the floor well and consistently and has a bit of a knack for being around the ball. Athleticism is not a deficit, as Knight does possess some real spring off the floor even after the serious off-season injury.

Knight always mentions “defensive versatility” as one of his priorities in his development.

“I think I can guard any position on the floor,” he said.

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