Following his first official EYBL Session with the PSA Cardinals, Keith McKnight underwent a rapid self revelation which has had a lasting impact on his development this season.
McKnight, now a Class of 2025 6-foot-6 big guard at Hudson (NJ) this season, walked away from Nike EYBL Session I in Phoenix realizing just how elite the competition flanking him and up against him is.
The self-actualization forced him to embrace a new workload which has transformed his game, allowing for his growth as a scorer, rebounding presence, and multi-positional defender.
“The first EYBL Session, it really opened my eyes,” McKnight explained.
“I just understood that there really are some dogs out there. I’m coming from a public school, so to see the type of players out there and the type of talent they have, it just really woke me up.”
The wake-up call elicited a transformation in his schedule and time management.
Possessed by a new insatiable thirst to improve, he scored a key to his local gym and barricaded himself in there, working at all components of his game and firing up a fusillade of shots into the unseen hours.
Applying concepts such as dribble penetration, pull up jumpers, and scoring the ball without requiring a lot of dribbles, McKnight improved steadily while adjusting to the demands of a multi-faceted guard.
“After each session, I realized what it was I had to work on and just really focused on improving at it,” said MckNight, who scored 24 points and pulled down 12 rebounds during a win over Miami-based Pembroke Pines during the Kreul Classic in Florida. “I spoke with my coaches, got feedback about what to improve on, and just went to work.”
Now averaging 16 points and seven rebounds, McKnight has established himself as a budding mid-major recruit.
He’s improved with his vertically explosive game, working at getting that second jump and levitating off the ground quicker. He has developed an increased and insatiable hunger on the offensive and defensive glass.
McKnight’s presence on the boards has become a necessity, as he’s usually one of the bigger guys on the floor. While he’s become a serviceable shooter, he still vows to make the 3-point shot an integral component of his growing arsenal.
A major part of acclimatizing to the big guard role, McKnight explained, has been becoming more multi-positional as a defender. He’s able to guard on the ball and off the ball and really sit down and swarm smaller guards.
It hasn’t been as much about refining his skill set as it has locating that inner desire and will, as McKnight would explain it.
“I really worked at improving my bounce and getting my vertical up,” he said. “That was a big part of the whole process. Just being hungrier. With the increase in my leaping, I’m able to get up there and that’s really a big part of rebounding. Being the first one up and there and having the best chance to tear down a board.”
