Knox almost played football instead of basketball
With all of Knox’s raw talent, it’s tough to believe he may not have made it to a college or NBA hardwood if he didn’t stop growing. But a high school growth spurt may have been the only thing to stop him from pursuing a career in football.
As a sophomore, Knox started at quarterback for his high school, Tampa Catholic. ESPN even listed Knox as a top 150 football recruit. But Knox grew from 6’4” to 6’8 by his junior year, forcing him to leave the gridiron to focus solely on basketball.
“At the end of the day, it’s about physical dimensions,” the elder Knox told SB Nation. “Peyton Manning is 6’6. Cam Newton is 6’5. You don’t have too many 6’8 QBs. He’s still 16 years old. He’ll probably be 6’10 with a size 19 or 20 shoe. That doesn’t necessarily equate to a quarterback in the NFL, but those dimensions do translate to a possible NBA player.”
The game of football is also in the Knox family bloodlines. Kevin Sr. played wide receiver on Florida State’s 1994 National Championship team and was drafted in the sixth round of the NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills.
