Heart & ’Nole
Ward confident son of his ex-FSU teammate will be star with Knicks
The personality differences between father and son are striking, according to Charlie Ward. The elder Kevin Knox was a brash 6-foot-3 wide receiver at Florida State. Kevin Knox II is a 6-9 forward out of Kentucky — the strong, silent type whom Ward believes has the mentality to become the Knicks next “superstar.”
On draft night in June, a Florida State connection became a Knicks connection for Ward.
The elder Knox was Ward’s favorite target in the 1990s. They won the national championship in 1993, but Knox never made it big in the NFL despite being drafted in the sixth round by Buffalo. He lasted one season, appearing in two games, with the Arizona Cardinals.
Ward, the ex-Knick point guard during the franchise’s heady days of the late-’90s, believes the son will make it much bigger than the dad as a pro. The younger Knox’s reserved nature, a la Tim Duncan, will work well in the New York basketball cauldron, according to Ward.
Ward, the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner, regrets FSU failing to land the younger Knox more than a year ago but was overjoyed the Knicks selected him at No. 9.
“I’m grateful he’s a Knick,’’ Ward told The Post in a phone interview from Tall ahassee, Fla. “I think he has the right mentality to be successful in New York. He seems to have a mature approach and great understanding of where he is in his development. The kid is well-balanced, with an inner confidence and swagger to him while having a quiet demeanor — which you need, especially being in New York.
“That’s the kind of superstar you want — a guy who will go about his business, not going to be talking much, but learning the ropes on how to get better each day. New York is a tough place to play, but you have to have thick skin. He’s willing to listen and be coached. His whole mentality and attitude is one that will help him become a superstar in the league at some point.”
Ward and the elder Knox were together five years at FSU. Now Ward is back in Tallahassee, recently accepting the head-coaching job at Florida State University School, a high school affiliated with the college. Ward’s own son, Caleb, attends FSU as a wide receiver, but will red-shirt his freshman season after hip surgery.
Ward said the elder Knox was a big target with a big personality.
“Knox was a very good player, had a lot of skill — a big receiver,’’ Ward said. “If you talked to him, he was very high on himself, confident in his ability, which made him who he was. We’re all different. His son is much taller than he was, but Knox carried himself like his son, like he was 6-9.
“He liked to talk. He’s very competitive — just one of those guys. It wasn’t bad. We needed that on our squad. He didn’t back down from challenges.”
And it is no surprise to Ward he molded an NBA lottery pick.
“His wife as well,’’ Ward said. “They’ve done a great job raising their kids. The proof is in the pudding.’’
The day after the draft, Ward went to work in trying to ease young Knox’s NBA transition. Ward asked his Knicks executive Allan Houston, former teammate and close friend, to look after the Knoxes. The younger Knox, second-youngest player in the draft, was given Houston’s No. 20.
“I connected Allan with the dad and the son,’’ said Ward, who was 23 as a Knicks rookie. “Allan is another great role model and will be a great mentor for junior. I made that connection so they can have someone right there, hands on, to be able to help him through that transition.”
Now the younger Knox’s job is try to get the Knicks out of the abyss.
“The Knicks are definitely going through hard times,’’ said Ward, who played for the Knicks from 1994 to 2004 and is the subject of just-released biography “The Athlete.”
“It’s unfortunate. There’s been a lot of instability with administration, and that plays a big part. But it looks like they’re working to rebound, developing through the draft, getting a lot younger.”