Top-10 Recruit Kevin Knox Receives $1.4 Million Offer to Play in China

It appears that Missouri hasn’t been the only one making a late effort to woo in five-star Class of 2017 prospect Kevin Knox. The 6-8 forward was initially down to Kentucky, Duke, UNC and Florida State, before Mizzou made its way into the conversation after hiring head coach Cuonzo Martin and landing the top recruit in the Class of 2017 Michael Porter Jr. But now it has been revealed that a professional team in China recently offered a seven-digit salary to try to get the All-American to bypass college and go pro overseas instead.

A professional team from China called his parents last month, offering $1.4 million for their son to play overseas for a year before entering the NBA draft.

 

“I didn’t put much stock into the offer,” said his father, also named Kevin. “We politely said thanks but no thanks. He’s going to college.”

 

Too much time was invested in meeting with coaches and taking official recruiting trips to find the right program that would help Kevin in his abbreviated college apprenticeship. To safeguard against injury before a big payday in the pros, the family is taking out a $1 million insurance policy through Lloyd’s of London.