ATLANTA — Heading into their third season of existence, there was a concerted effort from Overtime Elite to make their athletes eligible to be named McDonald's All-Americans.
Karter Knox is one of three players from OTE who benefitted and will be headed to Houston, Texas, for the game on April 2, 2024.
Knox's game is often compared to that of former McDonald's All-American Anthony Edwards and while Knox appreciates the comparison, he wants to make a name for himself on his own.
"I don't want to be, 'Oh, he plays like Anthony Edwards.' I don't like that," Knox said. "Anthony Edwards, I believe, is a future MVP. That's nice, but I want to be better."
"(Karter), a 6'6" 200-pound wing and guard. Ant in high school was a matchup nightmare because of his size," said Overtime Elite General Manager and Head of Basketball Damien Wilkins. "It's hard to do anything with those type of guys. Especially if you're as skilled as both of them. "
Like Edwards, the 18-year-old Knox's first love was football. A sport his dad made him play growing up to make him tougher.
"I played quarterback. My line wasn't too good, so my butt hit the grass every time, but when you fall, just get back up," Knox said. "I was getting too tall and people were hitting me down below the knees, and pops was like, 'You're going to basketball.'"
Going to basketball has paid off, being among the first Overtime Elite players selected as a McDonald's All-American.
It's a goal Knox set out to achieve after watching his brother Kevin get selected for the game before he eventually went to play at Kentucky and later became a top-10 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks.
"At first, when I was a kid, I thought you just get a lot of McDonald's," Knox said.
To this day, Knox is pushed by both Kevin and their other brother, USF guard Kobe, knowing that Karter’s ultimate goal to get to the NBA is within reach.
"Those two are really the most inspiring players in my life," Knox said. "Kev told me to tunnel vision your goals. Kobe told me, 'Congrats. That's just the start.'"
Knox has not decided where he will play college basketball next season, but he will play for Team West in the McDonald's All-American Game alongside McEachern High School star Ace Bailey, who is the No. 2 player in the class of 2024.