NORFOLK, Va. - On basketball courts around coastal Virginia, there's nothing but defense being played. No one is scoring on anybody. But it doesn't have anything to do with All-Star defense - it's due to the Governor's 'stay at home' order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Basketball rims at area parks and playgrounds are boarded-up to prevent citizens from gathering and using the court. The sports shutdown is impacting some more than others.
"I'm just doing what I can with what I have right now," Nathan Knight told News 3 via FaceTime.
What Knight has is NBA Draft potential. However, the College of William & Mary star and newly-minted mid-major National Player of the Year does not have any way or anywhere to show-off that potential to NBA scouts because of restrictions due to COVID-19.
"A lot of the gyms have been closed, so I just have to get it in where I can - when i can.," Knight explained. "If a gym is lucky enough to let me in, I'll do that."
If there's a Draft June 25th and if Knight, a 6' 10" center is selected, he'd join Marcus Thornton as just the second William & Mary player since 1985 to have his name called in the NBA Draft. One advantage Knight might have is he went through the Draft process last year before opting to return to Williamsburg for his senior season - a campaign that saw him become just the second player in league history to be named both the Colonial Athletic Association Player and Defensive Player of the Year.
"Organizations have me in their minds, and what I've done is out there," Knight pointed out. "The fact I've had some workouts with some of those teams, done the interviews and whatnot - they have a taste of what kind of person I am and what kind of player I am."
Nathan is considered a fringe-second round pick in the two round Draft. He's also still a college student. So, for the next several weeks, it's homework and home workouts as Knight waits for the day when basketball's barriers are lifted - so he can take his shot.
