Tulsa Basketball Signs Two Standout Guards from the Lone Star State
4/13/2022 2:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
TULSA, Okla. –– University of Tulsa Head Coach Eric Konkol signed the first two players of his inaugural signing class, it was announced on Wednesday afternoon. High school seniors Brian "BB" Knight II and Jesaiah McWright signed letters of intent to continue their basketball careers at Tulsa.
"We're excited BB and Jesaiah have chosen to join us here at The University of Tulsa," Konkol said. "We have a lot of familiarity with them, their families and their game. But more than anything, the quality of person that each of them is, is what was so attractive to us.
"They're first-class people, they're excellent students and they're very committed to becoming the best versions of themselves. We're excited to go on that journey with them."
A Katy, Texas native, Knight joins the Golden Hurricane after a record-setting career at Tompkins High School, scoring 1,687 career points with 247 3-pointers and converting 86 percent of his free throws, all school records. An injury ended the 6'6" guard's high school career only seven games into his senior season.
"BB is a guard with size, length and athletic ability," Konkol said. "He can really shoot the basketball with range and has the ability to attack the basket. He is very bouncy and loves to be in the gym. We are excited about the versatility he brings on both ends of the floor. We see him being able to guard multiple positions and really stretch opponents from the perimeter."
In his junior year, Knight averaged 21 points, five rebounds and three assists while topping 40-percent from deep. He was a First Team 19-6A All-District and Academic All-District selection his junior season and the Newcomer of the Year in his freshman campaign. Twice in his career he knocked down a school record eight 3-pointers in a game.
"BB Knight has meant the world to our program," Tompkins Head Coach Bobby Sanders said. "He's broke almost all our offensive records, especially when it comes to scoring and shooting. He must be the best shooter in the state of Texas that I've seen the past couple of years.
"I've never coached a better shooter in 25 years of coaching. On top of that, he's an awesome kid. I've known him since he was in third grade, so he's grown up in our gym and worn out a couple of shooting machines. Tulsa is a getting a great player and a great person."
Hailing from Houston, McWright is a 6'5" guard who was ranked the third-best prospect out of Houston by RCS Sports. He comes to Tulsa following a senior season at Cypress Falls High School where he averaged 14.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals. The guard was named the District 16-6A Most Valuable Player alongside Texas Association Basketball Coaches all-state and all-region selections.
"Jesaiah is a guard with size, quickness and explosiveness," Konkol said. "He can really push the ball up the floor to attack the defense and create scoring for himself and others. He loves to be in the gym and possesses tremendous length, athleticism and aggressiveness on the defensive end. We are excited about the talent he brings as a versatile playmaking guard.
McWright is a two-time First Team 16-6A All-District selection, an Academic All-District recipient and was a finalist for the 2022 Guy V. Lewis Award. His junior season under head coach Rick Flores at Cypress Falls saw him average 15 points, six rebounds and four assists. He was also a District 16-6A High Jump champion in track and field.
"Jesaiah has been all-in at Cyprus Falls the past four years," Flores said. "His development on and off the court has been tremendous. But I think the thing I'm most proud of is his work ethic and his will to want to improve himself on the floor. As he's developed as a young man, he's also taken on a leadership role.
"Tulsa is getting a young man who's high in academics, in basketball IQ and also a high character guy."
Knight II and McWright join Charles Chukwu in the Hurricane 2021-22 signing class.
2021-22 Tulsa Basketball Signing Class
Name Pos. Ht. Cl.-Exp. Hometown/Last School
November
Charles Chukwu F 6-9 Fr-HS Katy, Texas/Paetow HS
April
BB Knight II G 6-6 Fr-HS Katy, Texas/Tompkins HS
Jesaiah McWright G 6-5 Fr-HS Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls HS
"We're excited BB and Jesaiah have chosen to join us here at The University of Tulsa," Konkol said. "We have a lot of familiarity with them, their families and their game. But more than anything, the quality of person that each of them is, is what was so attractive to us.
"They're first-class people, they're excellent students and they're very committed to becoming the best versions of themselves. We're excited to go on that journey with them."
A Katy, Texas native, Knight joins the Golden Hurricane after a record-setting career at Tompkins High School, scoring 1,687 career points with 247 3-pointers and converting 86 percent of his free throws, all school records. An injury ended the 6'6" guard's high school career only seven games into his senior season.
"BB is a guard with size, length and athletic ability," Konkol said. "He can really shoot the basketball with range and has the ability to attack the basket. He is very bouncy and loves to be in the gym. We are excited about the versatility he brings on both ends of the floor. We see him being able to guard multiple positions and really stretch opponents from the perimeter."
In his junior year, Knight averaged 21 points, five rebounds and three assists while topping 40-percent from deep. He was a First Team 19-6A All-District and Academic All-District selection his junior season and the Newcomer of the Year in his freshman campaign. Twice in his career he knocked down a school record eight 3-pointers in a game.
"BB Knight has meant the world to our program," Tompkins Head Coach Bobby Sanders said. "He's broke almost all our offensive records, especially when it comes to scoring and shooting. He must be the best shooter in the state of Texas that I've seen the past couple of years.
"I've never coached a better shooter in 25 years of coaching. On top of that, he's an awesome kid. I've known him since he was in third grade, so he's grown up in our gym and worn out a couple of shooting machines. Tulsa is a getting a great player and a great person."
Hailing from Houston, McWright is a 6'5" guard who was ranked the third-best prospect out of Houston by RCS Sports. He comes to Tulsa following a senior season at Cypress Falls High School where he averaged 14.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals. The guard was named the District 16-6A Most Valuable Player alongside Texas Association Basketball Coaches all-state and all-region selections.
"Jesaiah is a guard with size, quickness and explosiveness," Konkol said. "He can really push the ball up the floor to attack the defense and create scoring for himself and others. He loves to be in the gym and possesses tremendous length, athleticism and aggressiveness on the defensive end. We are excited about the talent he brings as a versatile playmaking guard.
McWright is a two-time First Team 16-6A All-District selection, an Academic All-District recipient and was a finalist for the 2022 Guy V. Lewis Award. His junior season under head coach Rick Flores at Cypress Falls saw him average 15 points, six rebounds and four assists. He was also a District 16-6A High Jump champion in track and field.
"Jesaiah has been all-in at Cyprus Falls the past four years," Flores said. "His development on and off the court has been tremendous. But I think the thing I'm most proud of is his work ethic and his will to want to improve himself on the floor. As he's developed as a young man, he's also taken on a leadership role.
"Tulsa is getting a young man who's high in academics, in basketball IQ and also a high character guy."
Knight II and McWright join Charles Chukwu in the Hurricane 2021-22 signing class.
2021-22 Tulsa Basketball Signing Class
Name Pos. Ht. Cl.-Exp. Hometown/Last School
November
Charles Chukwu F 6-9 Fr-HS Katy, Texas/Paetow HS
April
BB Knight II G 6-6 Fr-HS Katy, Texas/Tompkins HS
Jesaiah McWright G 6-5 Fr-HS Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls HS
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