Kevin Knox II is one of the great Tampa products who excelled in high school and went on to have a pro career.
The former Tampa Catholic High School basketball standout went on to play for the University of Kentucky and then the New York Knicks.
Kevin Knox, now a member of the Portland Trailblazers, has deep links to the Tampa community.
His name is commemorated by a field house on the Tampa Catholic campus. In addition, the yearly Kevin Knox II Basketball Camp brings him back into contact 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.
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.
Knox was selected ninth overall in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft.