Knox Bros battle: USC vs. Arkansas is first showdown for basketball siblings

When South Carolina men’s basketball takes on No. 17 Arkansas in Fayetteville on Wednesday, it will represent more than just a run-of-the-mill midweek SEC game. It also serves a sibling battleground, a full-circle moment and a first-time matchup between two brothers who’ve been competing all their lives.

The Gamecocks (10-6, 1-1 SEC) and guard Kobe Knox will play the Razorbacks (12-4, 2-1 SEC), featuring younger brother Karter Knox (9 p.m., SEC Network). It will be the first time he and his brother ever share a court in an official game, Kobe Knox said.

“It’s definitely something unforgettable, something great for our family, playing at the highest level in college, just sharing the court with each other. And having my family being in the arena is just gonna be something unforgettable,” Knox said.

Kobe Knox, now 22, was a senior in high school when his younger brother, 20, started his freshman year at Tampa Catholic, but the two never played as teammates. Knox left his hometown of Tampa to play for Bosco Prep (Indiana) for his final year before college.

Still, Kobe and Karter have spent plenty of time on the court together outside of games. Kobe Knox’s favorite basketball memory with his little brother is the constant competition during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they had no one else to play and Karter had conveniently just finished a growth spurt.

“We’re all competitive, but he’s definitely one of the most competitive. Before he hit his little growth spurt, me and (brother) Kevin used to beat up on him and stuff,” Kobe Knox said. “He used to get so mad, but that just pushed him to work even harder. Him showing that that much emotion showed that he was definitely gonna be a great player. We always knew it.”

Kevin is the eldest Knox brother — and former NBA first-round pick Kevin Knox II. The younger brothers were with Kevin on his draft night, when Kobe was 15 and Karter 12. Watching his older brother achieve his dream was an inspiration for him and his younger brother, Kobe Knox said.

“That just pushes our dreams, and pushes us to want to be great too,” Knox said. “Seeing all his hard work paying off couldn’t make any of us happier.”

All the Knox family members are athletic prodigies in their own right. Father Kevin Sr. was an NFL player for the Buffalo Bills, and mom Michelle played volleyball at Florida State. The youngest Knox sibling, Ashley, is a four-star prospect signed to play basketball at Auburn next fall.

Despite all the big shoes to fill in the family tree, Kobe Knox found a way to be a unique mentor for his younger brother. After attending a prep institute and navigating a redshirt season in 2021-22 and the NCAA transfer portal with stops at Grand Canyon, South Florida and eventually USC, he was well-equipped to guide his brother through leaving high school to join the Overtime Elite League.

After averaging 23.1 points per game with OTE, Karter became the second Knox brother to sign with coach John Calipari. Their older brother played at Kentucky in 2017-18.

“I knew a lot of outside distractions were gonna try to derail him,” Knox said. “But you know, just trying to tell him, focus on basketball and focus on what we know, growing up and staying in the gym, staying strong in the weight room and just bringing that intensity every single day.”

Both brothers start for their respective teams and average more than eight points per game. The siblings’ parents and sister will be at the game in custom jerseys split down the middle between both teams and brothers.

“He knows my game, I know his game. I watch every single one of his games, he watches all of my games. So it’ll be fun,” Kobe Knox said. “I’ve been talking a lot of trash.”

After this season with USC, Kobe Knox is out of eligibility, meaning Wednesday’s game could be the first and last official matchup for the younger Knox brothers.

“It’s definitely for all the marbles,” Kobe Knox said. “But I’m just blessed to be in this situation.”

This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 9:25 AM.