Where are they now: Ben Knight

Since the Sydney Kings first hit the hardwood in 1988, numerous great players have sported the mighty purple and gold uniform.    

To recognise and reconnect with those club legends, the Kings have launched a 'Where are they now' series, profiling what former stars of Sydney are up to.    

After profiling Ben Madgen, BJ Carter and Tom Garlepp in the first three instalments, Kings Media decided to catch up with big man Ben Knight – who played 106 of his incredible 403 NBL games with the purple and gold.   

Born in Wollongong, Knight's family soon after moved to Western Sydney – a place where he ended up growing up and finding the game of basketball. 

After playing his junior hoops with Penrith, which led to him representing NSW at a junior level, Knight signed with his hometown Sydney Kings in 1995 before making his NBL debut as a 21-year-old on May 17, 1997. 

With just four appearances to his name, Knight headed south in 1998 to join Brian Goorjian's South East Melbourne Magic, which was followed by stints with Brisbane (1998-99), Townsville (1999-00), Cairns (2000-03) and Wollongong (2003-04) before returning to the purple and gold to help the club win its third championship in 2004-05. 

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That was the first of two seasons Knight spent in the harbour city before joining the Singapore Slingers from 2006-08. 

One-year tenures with Perth (2009-10) and Melbourne (2009-10) followed before coming back to Sydney in 2010-11, which, at the time, was his last in the NBL. 

He then became a Kings assistant coach and club ambassador before coming out of retirement as a 39-year-old, for four matches in 2015-16 – seeing him finish with career averages of 11.6 rebounds, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. 

Since hanging up the boots for the final time at the end of that campaign, Knight has remained heavily involved in the sport. 

"Moving around so much during my playing career and learning from so many people along the way, coaching was a natural transition for me to give back to the sport," said Knight, who also had a number of business interests during this period of this life, including Healthy Eating and Juice Bars, Knightz Enterprises and commentating NBL games on Cluch Radio. 

"This passion stems from all the clinics and camps we did at schools during my time at the Kings. 

"In particular, I took charge of the club team in Maccabi NSW Basketball Club, who I've now been with for 12 years, as well as Norths Bears – who I guided to three men's championships in nine years. 

"I also tried my hand at the school system – something close to my heart as that was the platform that launched my career - starting with four years at Redlands, which was great but really short seasons, which is why I eventually transitioned into Balgowlah Boys [Campus of Northern Beaches Secondary College]. 

"After starting there seven years ago with just two teams and 20 boys in the program, it has experienced huge growth to us now having more than 200 boys and 25 teams at the 'Bally Basketball' system – which has also led to an upgrade in facilities and us claiming two top-three finishes in the CHS competition over the past three years. 

"It's a full-on, seven days a week role but so rewarding and a love it, with the mottos being 'turning good young boys into great young men' and 'with effort we achieve'. 

"Providing a sports avenue like this, alongside a great education can set people up for a successful life and I'd like to think we're making a difference." 

Speaking of making a difference, Knight knows the profound impact the Kings have had on his life. 

"After a tough upbringing in western Sydney, which included losing my dad at 13, joining the Kings at such a young age helped me grow up and understand what's required to succeed as a professional athlete," said Knight, who credited his mum as his 'rock' during his childhood. 

"These experiences laid the foundations for me to go onto playing for the Boomers and being a starter for the Kings' third title in 2005 – it was amazing to be able to deliver something like that for your hometown. 

"To go full circle and start and finish here in Sydney is amazing and I couldn't have asked for any more from my playing career. 

"[Further to that] I'm thankful for all the connections, friendships and opportunities that being part of this amazing club has presented me, because making a living, after being a professional for so long, can be hard." 

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Having been around the club for close to 30 years, Knight – who also captained the club and was inducted as the second-ever member of the Kings Ring of Honour - is extremely impressed with what the Hoops Capital club has grown to. 

"It [the growth] has been incredible,” said Knight, who still stays in contact with former teammates such as Brett Wheeler, Travis Lane, Matt Nielsen, Ben Madgen, Tom Garlepp and Brad Rosen. 

"Being a part of the crowd at the best stadium in the country [Qudos Bank Arena] and experiencing a sold-out atmosphere, after being there for those grand finals under COVID restrictions, is unbelievable – I still get a buzz every time I go to a Kings game. 

"The way the people now talk about the Kings brand and the platform it has is fantastic and it's honestly bigger than it's ever been before – which is a reward for all the hard work of everyone in the organisation right now. 

"Not only that but the health of the NBL and the sport of basketball in this country right now is unlike I've seen, which presents a really exciting future for us all."