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NBA veteran helps inspire younger players back home in Tampa
Kevin O'Donnell reports
TAMPA, Fla. - Kevin Knox II is among the elite Tampa products that starred at the prep level and went on to have a pro career.
The Tampa Catholic High School basketball standout took his talents first to the University of Kentucky, then to the New York Knicks. Knox was drafted as the ninth player in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft.
Now, a member of the Portland Trailblazers, Kevin Knox still has strong ties to the Tampa community.
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The field house on the Tampa Catholic campus bears his name. Plus, the annual Kevin Knox II Basketball Camp reunites him with his high school coach Don Dziagwa.
"This is the biggest thing for me, every single summer," Knox said. "I’ve kind of made an emphasis every single year to try and get better every single year, promote it more, get more kids."
The 6’7" power forward emphasizes the fundamentals the way Coach Dziagwa continues to do at Tampa Catholic. The pair patiently demonstrate and detail the skills necessary to take the game to the next level.
Over 60 young campers signed up for this season’s last camp session. Each session runs four days, so Knox and Dziagwa can see the progress.
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The 23-year-old Knox remembers the much younger version of himself – the one who was the camper, watching how it's done.
"I was doing the same thing they’re doing. Trying to learn the game, trying to meet NBA players, trying to get tips to figure out how I can get better every single day," Knox said.