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Will he be lured out of college early by the ridiculous millions to join the pros or stay in college and excel in both basketball and academics and wait for the pros after getting his degree? He is clearly blessed with physical skills and smarts.
PICTURE
PICTURE
Pine Crest hoops star Brandon Knight is nation's player of year
BY FABIAN LYON [email protected]
CANDACE WEST / MIAMI HERALD STAFF
<span style="font-weight: bold">Still only a junior</span>, Pine Crest star guard Brandon Knight earned the highest honor for a high school basketball player when <span style="font-weight: bold">he received the 2008-09 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year </span>award inside the school's auditorium Tuesday morning.
A week after he was named Gatorade Florida Player of the Year, Knight joined the ranks of prep basketball royalty by becoming the first Florida athlete and just the 11th junior to win the honor. LeBron James and Greg Oden are the only other basketball players to capture the award as high school juniors.
''I thought it would be tough,'' Knight said. ``You had Derrick Favors, all those great players who probably won for their states. I really never expected it. Seniors, upper-classmen, everybody had their opinions. I was just happy with the Florida award. I wasn't expecting the national player of year at all.''
Camera crews from the local networks and ESPN captured the outpouring of affection showered on Knight, whose flair for the game and tireless work ethic has brought unprecedented attention to the school's basketball program.
With Knight's parents Efrem and Tonya beaming with pride from the front row, Brandon was given a standing ovation from teammates, students, faculty, coach David Beckerman and representatives from Gatorade and ESPN RISE Magazine as he stepped to the podium.
''I knew something was up but I didn't know exactly what it was,'' Knight said. ``To walk through the door and see everyone there truly surprised me. I didn't expect the flashing cameras and everyone clapping. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.''
Knight, who has offers from Duke, Connecticut and Syracuse, is now a finalist for the Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year, and will be flown out to Hollywood, Calif., along with his parents, for the ESPY awards in July.
The 6-4 Knight led the Panthers to their second consecutive Class 3A state title this past season. Already proficient as a ''stop-on the-dime'' mid-range shooter, Knight unveiled a vastly improved three-point game and <span style="font-weight: bold">[size:"3"]averaged a career-high 31.8 points[/color]</span> and 8.7 rebounds, along with 5.6 assists per game.
A 52 point-performance, including an amazing 27 in the fourth quarter to help the Panthers rally past Miami LaSalle 78-71 in the Region 4-3A Finals, added to a growing ''BK'' legacy.
Trailing by 11 points with four minutes remaining, Knight went on a personal 9-0 run to spark the comeback. Knight finished 13 of 24 from the field, 21 of 22 from the free-throw line, with nine rebounds, seven steals and five assists.
In a 60-44 victory against Orlando Jones in the 3A finals, Knight had 27 points, nine rebounds and four assists and was named Panhandle Sports Broadcasting 2009 Class 3A Tournament MVP.
''Brandon Knight doesn't play basketball,'' Beckerman said. ``Brandon Knight competes in basketball and everything else he does.''
While his basketball talents have catapulted Knight to the No. 2 recruit in his class by Rivals.com, the Gatorade award had as much to do with <span style="font-weight: bold">the 4.28 GPA</span> he has maintained <span style="font-weight: bold">at one of the state's toughest academic institutions</span> and the exemplary character he has displayed on and off the court.
In between the extra hours he has put in after practice and during studies, Knight has also set aside time to mentor youth at the New Art Covenant Church in Hialeah and serves as a peer tutor at Pine Crest.
Efrem Knight said that even at an early age, Brandon had the competitive edge needed to maximize his athletic gifts.
''Brandon never ceases to amaze me,'' Efrem Knight said. 'Everything is a challenge with him. He likes to be the best in anything he does. I remember picking him up from elementary school one day and he was crying. <span style="font-weight: bold">He received a B on a test, not his report card. I knew what it was. He said, `I don't deserve a B.' </span>Well I said you have to work harder. I am just proud of him. It is just great to be his dad. I wouldn't have it any other way.''
PICTURE
PICTURE
Pine Crest hoops star Brandon Knight is nation's player of year
BY FABIAN LYON [email protected]
CANDACE WEST / MIAMI HERALD STAFF
<span style="font-weight: bold">Still only a junior</span>, Pine Crest star guard Brandon Knight earned the highest honor for a high school basketball player when <span style="font-weight: bold">he received the 2008-09 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year </span>award inside the school's auditorium Tuesday morning.
A week after he was named Gatorade Florida Player of the Year, Knight joined the ranks of prep basketball royalty by becoming the first Florida athlete and just the 11th junior to win the honor. LeBron James and Greg Oden are the only other basketball players to capture the award as high school juniors.
''I thought it would be tough,'' Knight said. ``You had Derrick Favors, all those great players who probably won for their states. I really never expected it. Seniors, upper-classmen, everybody had their opinions. I was just happy with the Florida award. I wasn't expecting the national player of year at all.''
Camera crews from the local networks and ESPN captured the outpouring of affection showered on Knight, whose flair for the game and tireless work ethic has brought unprecedented attention to the school's basketball program.
With Knight's parents Efrem and Tonya beaming with pride from the front row, Brandon was given a standing ovation from teammates, students, faculty, coach David Beckerman and representatives from Gatorade and ESPN RISE Magazine as he stepped to the podium.
''I knew something was up but I didn't know exactly what it was,'' Knight said. ``To walk through the door and see everyone there truly surprised me. I didn't expect the flashing cameras and everyone clapping. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.''
Knight, who has offers from Duke, Connecticut and Syracuse, is now a finalist for the Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year, and will be flown out to Hollywood, Calif., along with his parents, for the ESPY awards in July.
The 6-4 Knight led the Panthers to their second consecutive Class 3A state title this past season. Already proficient as a ''stop-on the-dime'' mid-range shooter, Knight unveiled a vastly improved three-point game and <span style="font-weight: bold">[size:"3"]averaged a career-high 31.8 points[/color]</span> and 8.7 rebounds, along with 5.6 assists per game.
A 52 point-performance, including an amazing 27 in the fourth quarter to help the Panthers rally past Miami LaSalle 78-71 in the Region 4-3A Finals, added to a growing ''BK'' legacy.
Trailing by 11 points with four minutes remaining, Knight went on a personal 9-0 run to spark the comeback. Knight finished 13 of 24 from the field, 21 of 22 from the free-throw line, with nine rebounds, seven steals and five assists.
In a 60-44 victory against Orlando Jones in the 3A finals, Knight had 27 points, nine rebounds and four assists and was named Panhandle Sports Broadcasting 2009 Class 3A Tournament MVP.
''Brandon Knight doesn't play basketball,'' Beckerman said. ``Brandon Knight competes in basketball and everything else he does.''
While his basketball talents have catapulted Knight to the No. 2 recruit in his class by Rivals.com, the Gatorade award had as much to do with <span style="font-weight: bold">the 4.28 GPA</span> he has maintained <span style="font-weight: bold">at one of the state's toughest academic institutions</span> and the exemplary character he has displayed on and off the court.
In between the extra hours he has put in after practice and during studies, Knight has also set aside time to mentor youth at the New Art Covenant Church in Hialeah and serves as a peer tutor at Pine Crest.
Efrem Knight said that even at an early age, Brandon had the competitive edge needed to maximize his athletic gifts.
''Brandon never ceases to amaze me,'' Efrem Knight said. 'Everything is a challenge with him. He likes to be the best in anything he does. I remember picking him up from elementary school one day and he was crying. <span style="font-weight: bold">He received a B on a test, not his report card. I knew what it was. He said, `I don't deserve a B.' </span>Well I said you have to work harder. I am just proud of him. It is just great to be his dad. I wouldn't have it any other way.''
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