Overtime Elite: Karter Knox Continues to Prove He's Among the Best in this Class
While most high school seniors have already made their decision as to what the next step in their respective basketball careers will be, there are still several big prospects that have not. Whether it’s college or another alternate route, there’s very few players that haven’t made a decision.
One of the best players who still hasn’t — and has tremendous hype surrounding his upcoming decision — is Karter Knox, the younger brother of NBA wing Kevin Knox. He is currently playing for RWE in the Overtime Elite league in Atlanta, experiencing all of the significant benefits of developing in a professional-level program.
Knox is good enough to play essentially anywhere in the country, but most believe he will land at Kentucky, Louisville or G League Ignite. He also has USF in his final four teams, which is close to home and is where his other brother (Kobe Knox) plays.
As a player, Knox has everything needed to thrive at the NBA level. He’s an extremely athletic and skilled wing that stands at 6-foot-5 with a strong frame. He’s explosive, but also has great touch. While he can create for himself, the 18-year-old can also score in a hurry off-ball alongside a facilitator. Knox is inconsistent as a shooter at times but has a very translatable shot and great mechanics. As he continues to fill out, the OTE prospect will have the chance to defend several positions well.
Not only is Knox one of the 15 best players in his class, but he’s arguably the best prospect currently in the Overtime Elite system. He’s leading the league in total points, while also averaging 22 points per contest. He has produced 6.7 rebounds — which is the second most of any guard in the league — and two assists per game, along with one steal.
There’s still improvements that need to be made by Knox, most notably as it relates to turnovers (three per game) and 3-point efficiency (29.1%). With that in mind, he is taking on a high-volume role and attempting highly difficult shots as he looks to expand his game. The 3-point line is also much deeper in the OTE league than the high school range, so it’s expected that efficiency could be down. Additionally, Knox has struggled from the free throw line (61.3%), but his ability to draw fouls get there, and generate nearly nine attempts per game is a very important skill as he makes his way to the NBA.
Knox had arguably his best game of the season against YNG Dreamerz last month, producing 34 points, seven rebounds and six assists. It was yet another contest in which he proved he is one of the best high school prospects in the country and has NBA upside.
The looming decision of Knox’s next step is a big deal, but in the meantime, he’s improving his stock and enhancing his game in one of the best developmental systems available to players of his age.
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