Knox was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he attended Central High School of Tuscaloosa; parents are Eric Shelton and Vanessa Knox.
High school career
Knox started all four years at Central high school. His best was his senior year, when he won the 2007 Gatorade Player of the Year award. Knox was also granted the award for the 4A High School Class Player of The Year. He finished his senior year with an average of 16 points per game, 15 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and three blocks per game. Knox also held four triple doubles, and two 20 rebound-games as a senior. Knox was then asked by the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Game committee to play in the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Game, which he went on to score 22 points and get 7 rebounds in. Knox was also a member of the National Honors Society (NHS) club at his school, and was a Salutatorian of Central. Knox at the tail-end of his senior year signed with the Alabama Crimson Tide Men's Basketball Team.
College career
At University of Alabama
Freshman year
Knox played in 19 games his freshman year, averaging 1.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. But Knox, while being a newer player, was one of the higher free throw percentage shooters on the team, as he shot 80 percent (12 of 15).
Sophomore year
As a sophomore, Knox was in the starting five of the Crimson Tide, starting 31 out of 32 played games. Knox averaged 5.7 points a game, and 5.1 rebounds, while averaging more than 20 minutes per game. He scored his Southeastern Conference highs of 12 against Arkansas and Ole Miss. Knox also had back to back double digit games against Quincy University and Georgia Tech (which he also had 10 rebounds in). Knox was a consistent rebounder, rebounding at least twice or more per game except the season opening game. Knox produced an average of 5.7 points per game, with a career high of 14 against University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Knox converted six double figure games his sophomore season, and converted a 48.3 percent field goal percentage, and was second on the Crimson Tide team in blocks with a total of 22.
Accolades
Knox finished as the winner of the SEC Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
At North Carolina
Knox played his senior season at North Carolina. Since he had completed his degree and entered a masters program not offered at Alabama, he did not have to sit out his transfer year. Knox came off the bench for the Tar Heels' 2010–11 Elite Eight team, averaging 6.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game.[1]