Can FSU Basketball Pull Upset, Land Five Star Recruit Kevin Knox II?

FSU basketball is still in the final five for Kevin Knox II – a five star prospect with a name that sounds familiar to FSU football fans.

After a season in which FSU basketball went back to the first time in five years, the Seminoles are officially in the rebuilding phase after losing four starters from last year’s team – including early entires into the NBA Draft in Dwayne Bacon, Jonathan Isaac and Xavier Rathan-Mayes. Head coach Leonard Hamilton is trying to duplicate last year’s recruiting success – a top 10 class that included Isaac, Trent Forrest and C.J. Walker.

Currently, the Seminoles have the 25th ranked class for 2017 according to 247 Sports with five signees – but that ranking could skyrocket if they are able to pull a recruiting upset not seen since Von Wafer chose the Seminoles over Kentucky back in 2003. That would be if Kevin Knox II, a five star small forward, chooses FSU basketball over his other four finalist.

According to his father, Knox II is ready to make that decision in the coming days:

Florida State Seminoles Basketball

Being completely honest, the chances are slim that Knox II does end up making the trip from Tampa, where he has stared for the Tampa Catholic Crusaders during his prep career, to Tallahassee. Most predictions have it being between Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky for his services – with the Blue Devils coming out on top.

Of course, fans of the Seminoles hope that personal loyalty will come into play since his father is former FSU wide receiver Kevin Knox Sr., a member of the 1993 national championship team. Prior to his son’s official visit to Tallahassee before Florida State beat Virginia Tech in January, Knox Jr. told the Tallahassee Democrat he would love his son to chose the ‘Noles, but there would be no pressure:

"“At the end of the day he has to find his own way and make his own decision. I never want him to come back and say, ‘Dad made me do this.’ Because if my parents had made me to go to Miami or made me go to Florida, I would have never met my wife.“If he chooses Florida State, God bless him. I hope he goes and finds a lovely wife like I did. But if he chooses someplace else, we’ll support him either way.”"

First off, kudos to Kevin Sr. and his family for allowing this to be his son’s decision and, as much as he would like the legacy to continue with FSU basketball, not being a helicopter dad. Second, it would be a dream for the ‘Noles to land a talent like Knox II, who is the last player ranked in the top 10 nationally who hasn’t committed.

Knox II has the range to shoot from the outside and the size and presence to play inside where needed. He is a complete player who would immediately make the Seminoles a team who could contend for a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season – something the program has done just four times in their 70 seasons.