Flo40 Wing Kevin Knox Turned Down $1.4 Million To Play In China Next Season
Flo40 Wing Kevin Knox Turned Down $1.4 Million To Play In China Next Season
Tampa Catholic (FL) star small forward Kevin Knox reportedly turned down $1.4 million to play in China next season.
So much chatter surrounds the recruitment of Kevin Knox. Where will the Tampa Catholic (FL) star play next season? When will the 2017 Flo40 No. 6 prospect make his announcement? A lot is still up in the air, but at least everyone now knows one place he won't be getting buckets: China.
Sound odd? Well, it probably should. At the very least, it's certainly not the finalists of Duke, Florida State, Kentucky, Missouri, and North Carolina the hoops world usually debates over in Knox's recruitment.
However, according to Bob Putnam of the Tampa Bay Times, a professional team in China offered $1.4 million for Knox to play overseas before becoming eligible for the 2018 NBA draft. The family declined and instead took out a $1 million insurance policy for protection in case Knox gets injured before turning pro.
"I didn't put much stock into the offer," Knox's father, Kevin, told the newspaper. "We politely said thanks but no thanks. He's going to college."
Had Knox and his family accepted the offer, he wouldn't have been the first. NBA lottery picks Emmanuel Mudiay (2015, No. 7 selection) and Thon Maker (2016, No. 10 selection) opted to play abroad instead of at the college level. That's not happening here, though.
Of course, that's a pretty large amount for an 18-year-old to be making, especially considering the average wage for workers in the U.S. is a little over $44,000 per year. He could have bought 350,000 Big Macs at McDonald's or 15 2018 BMW 750i sedans with the money. Yet, in almost every possible way, it was a brilliant decision.
No matter where Knox lands, a decision he will make between April 26 and May 10, he will get to play with or against some friends at a high level while still being able to be a young college kid. It's a win-win scenario. The best of all worlds.
Then, if all goes according to plan, he will likely make over double the offer from China in his rookie season. Maker took home $2.6 million his rookie season this year.
High risk, high reward? Not at all. At 6-foot-9, Knox is good enough on his own for it not to even matter.
It was a nice gesture, for sure, but the college game will be better with and for Knox. It just makes everyone stop and think how often this kind of stuff actually happens.
Sound odd? Well, it probably should. At the very least, it's certainly not the finalists of Duke, Florida State, Kentucky, Missouri, and North Carolina the hoops world usually debates over in Knox's recruitment.
However, according to Bob Putnam of the Tampa Bay Times, a professional team in China offered $1.4 million for Knox to play overseas before becoming eligible for the 2018 NBA draft. The family declined and instead took out a $1 million insurance policy for protection in case Knox gets injured before turning pro.
"I didn't put much stock into the offer," Knox's father, Kevin, told the newspaper. "We politely said thanks but no thanks. He's going to college."
Had Knox and his family accepted the offer, he wouldn't have been the first. NBA lottery picks Emmanuel Mudiay (2015, No. 7 selection) and Thon Maker (2016, No. 10 selection) opted to play abroad instead of at the college level. That's not happening here, though.
Of course, that's a pretty large amount for an 18-year-old to be making, especially considering the average wage for workers in the U.S. is a little over $44,000 per year. He could have bought 350,000 Big Macs at McDonald's or 15 2018 BMW 750i sedans with the money. Yet, in almost every possible way, it was a brilliant decision.
No matter where Knox lands, a decision he will make between April 26 and May 10, he will get to play with or against some friends at a high level while still being able to be a young college kid. It's a win-win scenario. The best of all worlds.
Then, if all goes according to plan, he will likely make over double the offer from China in his rookie season. Maker took home $2.6 million his rookie season this year.
High risk, high reward? Not at all. At 6-foot-9, Knox is good enough on his own for it not to even matter.
It was a nice gesture, for sure, but the college game will be better with and for Knox. It just makes everyone stop and think how often this kind of stuff actually happens.