Daishon Knight has helped ISU's basketball team to a 15-9 record. (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)
By Bryan Bloodworth
NORMAL – Daishon Knight’s biggest influence on him growing up was his mother, Lisa Ricks. And he lives by her No. 1 rule.
“Never give up,” said the Illinois State senior guard. “There was no running from anything. You have to do whatever you have to do no matter what and you’re going to do it now and never give up on anything.”
It’s been that rule that has also driven the 6-foot-1 Baltimore (Md.) native on the basketball court.
“My role is to give the team energy and to compete every day to make my teammates better,” continued Knight, who leads the Redbirds in scoring with 14.4 points per game. That mark ranks fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference.
He also has taken on more a leadership role since transferring to ISU from Odessa Junior College in Texas two years ago.
“Coach (Dan Muller) helped me to become a leader and I’ve tried to embrace that role,” he added. “I won’t say I was scared of it, but I was nervous about the leadership role. Coach helped me embrace it and I really like that role now.
“But I don’t think I’m the only leader on the team. I think we all lead at different times and at different points of the season. We all take the leadership role.”
Knight, who is majoring in kinesiology with an emphasis in recreation management, said he knew ISU would be his college home the first time he visited campus.
“My first time I visited here I loved it,” added Knight, who played at Maine Central Institute prep school before landing in Odessa. “The only thing was how cold it was here. That was different especially from Texas, but it was cold in Maine too. But I loved it here and I loved the coaching staff here. I felt like it was the best fit for me.”
He also said there are a lot of reasons for recruits to consider ISU.
"First off, you're in the Valley and your fans love you here," Knight continued. "Plus, the coaching staff really loves you and they care for you. I talk to a lot of players about their coaches and one positive thing about Coach Muller is that he's always around.
"A lot of players are like after practice is over, they don't get to see their coaches. That's not the way it is here."
Knight said another influence in his life growing up was his brother Josh Shelby, who played at Kansas in 2010-11 and was the 49th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.
“I learned a lot of things from him, especially the different ways about going through the contact and finishing at the rim,” he said.
He also picked up his hobby from his brother.
“I love to shop and that comes from him,” said Knight. “We mostly shop for clothes and electronics. A shopping spree for us would last about five hours and we’d come home with a trunk full of stuff. I like the flashy clothes.”
And how does Knight, who wants to open a youth center for youngsters in Baltimore when his playing days are over, want Redbird fans to remember him.
“That I was a competitor and a funny person,” he said. “I like to see people laugh.”
Bryan Bloodworth can be reached at lefty@wjbc.com
