Mountain Hawk Hoops Pros Spotlight: Mackey McKnight
10/20/2020 4:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Support, Features, Flight 45, Intellectual Development
Over the course of the 2020-21 school year, Lehighsports.com will be catching up with several former Mountain Hawks under head coach Brett Reed who have gone on to play professionally. We continue with Mackey McKnight '14.
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
Mackey McKnight was a two-time All-Patriot League honoree, graduating as Lehigh men's basketball's all-time record holder for career assists (a mark later broken by Kahron Ross).
Six years after graduating in 2014, McKnight is still playing the game he loves with the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks in the British Basketball League, the top league in England.
Today, he is much more than just a professional basketball player.
For all the success he enjoyed in college, McKnight knows he has come a long way.
"I can definitely shoot way better now," he said. "And I wish I had the same work ethic at Lehigh that I do now. I'm not afraid to admit my faults. I was definitely a kid at Lehigh."
Former associate head coach Matt Logie, who recruited McKnight, had this advice for Mackey entering Lehigh.
"He said you can only be good at two of three things – your books, your athletic life or your social life," said McKnight. "I chose social and basketball instead of my academics and basketball."
Despite the ups and downs during his Lehigh career, McKnight has come through it stronger and ready to tackle the world.
Literally. After graduation, he has traveled the world.
"I graduated from Lehigh in May of 2014 then signed that summer with a team in Ukraine, said McKnight. "I went to Ivano-Frankivsk, which was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. I then went to Greece to end my rookie season. The following season, I ended up in Lithuania… and later Mexico and Canada."
McKnight's initial days playing professionally brought its fair share of challenges off the court.
"I thought Lehigh was cold, but man, it's a different terrain and climate in the Ukraine," he said. "There were only two Americans per team in the Ukraine at the time and you stuck with that one American."
It's easy to feel lost in a brand new country on your own, so an experience like that forces you to mature.
"You have to find ways to get comfortable and get into a groove without getting so depressed and down on yourself because you're hours ahead (time zone) of your family and friends," said McKnight.
"But the ball still bounced the same. It was a different feel, a different ball, but I hit the ground running and was having a very productive rookie season. There can just be some other political things that go into the professional career, which made my career go up and down."
Thankfully for McKnight, he's enjoyed many more ups than downs, especially as of late. Following a hectic few years traveling and living all over the world, he has settled in the UK after signing with Sheffield in 2017.
"I've found a home here," said McKnight. "The language barrier is not there anymore. They speak English, so I'm able to be myself, be the leader I am and connect with guys off the floor. When you're in the Ukraine, Greece and Lithuania, they know English, but it's not their first language. It's pretty hard, in Mexico as well where they're speaking Spanish."
Through all these experiences, McKnight has grown to become not only the basketball player, but also the man he is today.
"My mindset has changed," he said. "On the court, I'm more dialed in and a much smarter player. The pick-and-roll game is much easier to me. I'm more focused on the game because that's what I have to focus on now; that's the way I feed my family."
McKnight is proud of the player, and person, he's evolved into. As he should be.
The birth of his daughter was one of many turning points in his life.
"I'm a girl dad and a family man," said McKnight. "I've had to lean on my family… and I learned they love me without basketball."
McKnight knows his identity is much more than just basketball, but he's been taking advantage of his abilities as a player and leader (an important trait as a point guard).
"I had some growing up to do and Lehigh definitely made me grow up," said McKnight. "Today, I believe I'm a reflection of that. I'm much more mature, but I still had to mature after Lehigh as well because life teaches you many lessons. I'm still the same grind hard, keep your head down and get the job done type of guy diving on the floor.
"But now, I'm also able to have these personal conversations with grown men," he continued. "Sometimes you play with kids coming out of college while sometimes, guys on your team are 38 years old. You have to find different ways to connect."
McKnight has improved as a floor general and leader, but the foundation was undoubtedly put in place at Lehigh.
"Something Coach (Brett) Reed did very well was recruiting different ethnicities, like Jesse Cuku '16 from the UK," said McKnight. "I actually played against him last year. It was phenomenal.
"The year before, I played against Michael Ojo '11. I didn't know Ojo had a British passport. I was also briefly in Canada, where Stefan Cvrkalj '15 is from."
Going into professional basketball, McKnight was already used to working with teammates from all over the country, and world.
"You go overseas and some guys are from Slovenia, some guys are from Croatia. But you all still play basketball," he said. "A common language is the ball bouncing.
"Some guys have asked how I relate to everyone," McKnight continued. "I answer that I've been playing basketball with guys like you for many years now."
Those years included an important four seasons as a Lehigh student-athletes, which may not have been perfect, but included plenty of positives and a lot of learning (which is what college is all about). Even if McKnight struggled to balance the academic, athletic and social aspects of college, he was growing along the way – even if he wasn't realizing it.
"Once I became a senior and had to lead by example for the younger guys, that increased my maturity," he said.
McKnight also credits the competitiveness of practice, and the talent within the program, in getting him ready for the professional ranks.
"Every day in practice, Coach Reed was challenging your mind. Not only your body, but also your mind, and making you think the game," said McKnight. "That's a lot of what European basketball is about. You have to think the game and be a smart player. You can't just be athletic and think that's going to carry you."
There's no doubt McKnight has always been extremely talented. He was the starting point guard in Lehigh's historic 75-70 NCAA Tournament win over Duke, finishing his career with 1,327 points (18th in program history) and 578 assists (second).
But for all his athletic success, McKnight knows his identity goes far beyond basketball.
"I love to be involved with the youth," he said. "I'm still very close with my high school coach and I'm trying to take over coaching one day. I coach out here in the UK with the younger groups; we're very involved in the community."
There was a time when playing professionally that McKnight had to head home to Texas for a period of time, which forced him to think about his identity even more.
"Once basketball got taken away, and it wasn't my doing, it really put things into perspective that life is much bigger then basketball and it's not always going to be about the ball bouncing," he said. "You have to find your identity in some other ways."
McKnight's identity goes beyond basketball. He's also a girl dad, fan-favorite, community-focused family man.
"Right now, I'm just enjoying what's in front of me," he said. "With what's going on in the world right now, you don't know what tomorrow's going to bring."
McKnight's priorities are in the right place.
"I get tired of missing the little moments with my daughter and my family, and I want more kids," he said. "I think the decision about how long I play will be ultimately up to my family.
"Those are moments you can't get back."
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
Mackey McKnight was a two-time All-Patriot League honoree, graduating as Lehigh men's basketball's all-time record holder for career assists (a mark later broken by Kahron Ross).
Six years after graduating in 2014, McKnight is still playing the game he loves with the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks in the British Basketball League, the top league in England.
Today, he is much more than just a professional basketball player.
For all the success he enjoyed in college, McKnight knows he has come a long way.
"I can definitely shoot way better now," he said. "And I wish I had the same work ethic at Lehigh that I do now. I'm not afraid to admit my faults. I was definitely a kid at Lehigh."
Former associate head coach Matt Logie, who recruited McKnight, had this advice for Mackey entering Lehigh.
"He said you can only be good at two of three things – your books, your athletic life or your social life," said McKnight. "I chose social and basketball instead of my academics and basketball."
Despite the ups and downs during his Lehigh career, McKnight has come through it stronger and ready to tackle the world.
Literally. After graduation, he has traveled the world.
"I graduated from Lehigh in May of 2014 then signed that summer with a team in Ukraine, said McKnight. "I went to Ivano-Frankivsk, which was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. I then went to Greece to end my rookie season. The following season, I ended up in Lithuania… and later Mexico and Canada."
McKnight's initial days playing professionally brought its fair share of challenges off the court.
"I thought Lehigh was cold, but man, it's a different terrain and climate in the Ukraine," he said. "There were only two Americans per team in the Ukraine at the time and you stuck with that one American."
It's easy to feel lost in a brand new country on your own, so an experience like that forces you to mature.
"You have to find ways to get comfortable and get into a groove without getting so depressed and down on yourself because you're hours ahead (time zone) of your family and friends," said McKnight.
"But the ball still bounced the same. It was a different feel, a different ball, but I hit the ground running and was having a very productive rookie season. There can just be some other political things that go into the professional career, which made my career go up and down."
Thankfully for McKnight, he's enjoyed many more ups than downs, especially as of late. Following a hectic few years traveling and living all over the world, he has settled in the UK after signing with Sheffield in 2017.
RETURN OF THE MACK!!
— The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks (@SheffieldSharks) March 3, 2019
Welcome back to Sheffield @R3turn0fTheMac 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/iuzM2a84Xj
"I've found a home here," said McKnight. "The language barrier is not there anymore. They speak English, so I'm able to be myself, be the leader I am and connect with guys off the floor. When you're in the Ukraine, Greece and Lithuania, they know English, but it's not their first language. It's pretty hard, in Mexico as well where they're speaking Spanish."
Through all these experiences, McKnight has grown to become not only the basketball player, but also the man he is today.
"My mindset has changed," he said. "On the court, I'm more dialed in and a much smarter player. The pick-and-roll game is much easier to me. I'm more focused on the game because that's what I have to focus on now; that's the way I feed my family."
McKnight is proud of the player, and person, he's evolved into. As he should be.
The birth of his daughter was one of many turning points in his life.
"I'm a girl dad and a family man," said McKnight. "I've had to lean on my family… and I learned they love me without basketball."
McKnight knows his identity is much more than just basketball, but he's been taking advantage of his abilities as a player and leader (an important trait as a point guard).
"I had some growing up to do and Lehigh definitely made me grow up," said McKnight. "Today, I believe I'm a reflection of that. I'm much more mature, but I still had to mature after Lehigh as well because life teaches you many lessons. I'm still the same grind hard, keep your head down and get the job done type of guy diving on the floor.
WATCH: Incredible half court shot from @SheffieldSharks Mackey McKnight to win the game ON THE BUZZER in the #BetwayAllStars @TheO2 pic.twitter.com/lS64p52yl1
— All-Stars Basketball (@AllStars_BB) September 26, 2017
"But now, I'm also able to have these personal conversations with grown men," he continued. "Sometimes you play with kids coming out of college while sometimes, guys on your team are 38 years old. You have to find different ways to connect."
McKnight has improved as a floor general and leader, but the foundation was undoubtedly put in place at Lehigh.
"Something Coach (Brett) Reed did very well was recruiting different ethnicities, like Jesse Cuku '16 from the UK," said McKnight. "I actually played against him last year. It was phenomenal.
"The year before, I played against Michael Ojo '11. I didn't know Ojo had a British passport. I was also briefly in Canada, where Stefan Cvrkalj '15 is from."
Going into professional basketball, McKnight was already used to working with teammates from all over the country, and world.
"You go overseas and some guys are from Slovenia, some guys are from Croatia. But you all still play basketball," he said. "A common language is the ball bouncing.
"Some guys have asked how I relate to everyone," McKnight continued. "I answer that I've been playing basketball with guys like you for many years now."
Those years included an important four seasons as a Lehigh student-athletes, which may not have been perfect, but included plenty of positives and a lot of learning (which is what college is all about). Even if McKnight struggled to balance the academic, athletic and social aspects of college, he was growing along the way – even if he wasn't realizing it.
"Once I became a senior and had to lead by example for the younger guys, that increased my maturity," he said.
McKnight also credits the competitiveness of practice, and the talent within the program, in getting him ready for the professional ranks.
"Every day in practice, Coach Reed was challenging your mind. Not only your body, but also your mind, and making you think the game," said McKnight. "That's a lot of what European basketball is about. You have to think the game and be a smart player. You can't just be athletic and think that's going to carry you."
There's no doubt McKnight has always been extremely talented. He was the starting point guard in Lehigh's historic 75-70 NCAA Tournament win over Duke, finishing his career with 1,327 points (18th in program history) and 578 assists (second).
But for all his athletic success, McKnight knows his identity goes far beyond basketball.
"I love to be involved with the youth," he said. "I'm still very close with my high school coach and I'm trying to take over coaching one day. I coach out here in the UK with the younger groups; we're very involved in the community."
There was a time when playing professionally that McKnight had to head home to Texas for a period of time, which forced him to think about his identity even more.
"Once basketball got taken away, and it wasn't my doing, it really put things into perspective that life is much bigger then basketball and it's not always going to be about the ball bouncing," he said. "You have to find your identity in some other ways."
McKnight's identity goes beyond basketball. He's also a girl dad, fan-favorite, community-focused family man.
"Right now, I'm just enjoying what's in front of me," he said. "With what's going on in the world right now, you don't know what tomorrow's going to bring."
McKnight's priorities are in the right place.
"I get tired of missing the little moments with my daughter and my family, and I want more kids," he said. "I think the decision about how long I play will be ultimately up to my family.
"Those are moments you can't get back."
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