Five-star Knox talks four finalists

COLORADO SPRINGS -- Five-star small forward Kevin Knox isn't hiding anything when it comes to his timeline for making a decision or what will be important to him. At last weekend's USA Basketball minicamp, he made it clear that he's in no hurry and that he's hoping to be a one and done type player while discussing his final four of Duke, Florida State, Kentucky and North Carolina.

A 6-foot-8 small forward from Tampa (Fla.) Catholic who currently ranks No. 9 nationally in the class of 2017, Knox is coming off a strong summer.

"I feel that the summer was productive," Knox told Rivals.com. "I went to the Nike Skills Academy, I did well at the Peach Jam and in Las Vegas. I caught a little injury late so that's why I didn't really play much at Elite 24 but I've been rehabbing and I'm perfectly fine now."

A long and athletic forward who can play inside and out, Knox is also looking forward to being a more vocal leader as a senior.

"This year I'm one of the oldest people on the team and we're really young so I've got to be a leader by example and try to lead them to a state championship," said Knox. "I've got to be vocal and try to teach the little kids what do."

This weekend, Knox kicks off his official visits with a trip to Kentucky, the only school in his final four that he's not yet seen in person.

"I'm just looking forward to seeing the culture," said Knox. "I've heard that Big Blue Madness is one of the best events out there of all the madness things so it's a blessing to be able to go there and know that the coaches want me there. I'm really looking forward to the coaching staff and what they have to say and watching their practice."

Knox also took the time to break down the recruiting approach of each staff.

Duke- "I just got off the phone with Coach K before I came to Colorado and we were talking about USA Basketball. He was telling me that he produces a lot of people that play just like me. He had Jabari Parker, he had Brandon Ingram and now he has Jayson Tatum this year. He has a lot of people that he's gotten to the league just like me and that's basically what he's telling me to look at."

Florida State- "Right now, they know that my parents don't really want me to go there just because they went there. They are trying to get a message to me that is not just about my parents. They want me to know that if I come in I would contribute early and probably start. Jonathan Isaac is a player that I'll be watching to see how they utilize him this year because I think we have similar type game. Coach Hamilton told me to watch how he uses him and Dwayne Bacon."

Kentucky- "Basically he told me when he came for the in home that I'm positionless and that I can play one through five. It's something that he said he really likes about me. I can bring the ball up, I can rebound. There's really no one position for me and he thinks he can use me all over."

North Carolina- "Coach Roy (Williams), he was my last in home visit and he came in and was really good. We talked a lot about basketball and he knows that he hasn't had a lot of one and done guys. But, he said that has nothing to do with me and that I could be a one and done from his school. He told me to watch Justin Jackson because I play a little like him and just to see how they use him."

As it turns out, being one and done is something that Knox discusses with each school and it's a big goal for him.

"That's my goal and that's what I set my goal as when I got into high school," said Knox. "I want to be a one-and-done. I've been working every year and I won't stop working. I'm going to keep getting better because that's what I want to do, be one-and-done. That's my goal and I hope I can get there."

So when exactly does Knox plan to decide? Don't hold your breath here because he's going to take his time and says that he may be one of the last players in 2016 to make up his mind.

"It has to do with me wanting to go watch game and see how the coaches coach and how they use their players," said Knox. "I went to some games last year but there's a lot more big games that I want to go to this year.

"I'll probably be one of the last people to make a decision, but that's fine with me because it's the biggest decision of my life. I'm going to take my time with it."