Ryan Knights
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 20/12/72
- Place of Birth: Melbourne (VIC)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 185
- Weight (KG): 90
- Junior Assoc: VIC - Diamond Valley
- College: None
- NBL DEBUT: 26/07/91
- AGE AT DEBUT: 18
- LAST NBL GAME: 8/10/94
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 21
- NBL History: North Melbourne 1991, 1993-94
- Championships: 1
- North Melbourne (1994)
BIO: Ryan Knights was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Diamond Valley basketball program.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Ryan Knights made his NBL debut with the North Melbourne Giants at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
After finishing fourth with a 14-10 record and reaching the semifinals in 1992, North Melbourne entered 1993 amid major change. Long-term head coach Bruce Palmer was not re-signed after leading the Giants to the semifinals in five of his six seasons and to the 1989 championship, with Melbourne Tigers assistant Brett Brown appointed in what was viewed as a cost-saving move as the club began facing financial uncertainty. Reigning co-MVP Scott Fisher (to Perth), David Graham (to South East Melbourne) and Ray Borner (to Geelong) were among the major departures, while Paul Maley, Pat Reidy, Darryl Pearce, Rod Johnson and Mark Leader returned.
Brown initially trialled import Chuckie White as Fisher’s replacement before signing Jason Reese (via Canberra), while Paul Rees (via Brisbane) and Larry Sengstock (via Gold Coast) were also added and Leader replaced Fisher as captain.
Knights (2 points across 1 game), who had made his NBL debut with North Melbourne in 1991 and was also playing with the North East Melbourne Arrows in 1993, did not enter any of the Giants’ 26 regular-season games. Reese (26.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals across 28 games) led North Melbourne in scoring, while Maley (22.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across 28 games) led the team in rebounding. Reidy (16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2 steals across 29 games), Pearce (11.6 points, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals across 29 games), Rod Johnson (6.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals across 29 games) and Leader (6.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists across 29 games) provided the other major contributions. North Melbourne endured a four-game losing streak from July 30 through August 22 before recovering to finish eighth with a 13-13 record and claim the final playoff spot.
The Giants faced minor premiers Perth (21-5) and former teammate Fisher in the quarterfinals. Knights did not play as North Melbourne won game one 105-101 at the Melbourne Sports & Entertainment Centre and took a 1-0 series lead.
Knights again remained out of the lineup in game two as Perth responded with a 108-98 victory at the Perth Entertainment Centre to level the series.
Knights’ only NBL appearance of 1993 came in the deciding game three, where he finished with 2 points and 1 rebound in four minutes. Reidy (22 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Reese (19 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals) led North Melbourne, while Ricky Grace (26 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) led Perth to a 117-104 victory, giving the Wildcats the series 2-1 and ending the Giants’ season.
Ryan Knights played three seasons with the North Melbourne Giants.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 21 | North Melbourne | 19-7 (2) | 11 | 53 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 17% | 1 | 9 | 11% | 4 | 6 | 67% | 26% | 19% | 3 |
| 1993 | 20 | North Melbourne | 13-13 (8) | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 25% | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 25% | 0% | 2 |
| 1991 | 18 | North Melbourne | 16-10 (6) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0 | Totals | 13 | 59 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 18.2% | 1 | 10 | 10.0% | 4 | 6 | 66.7% | 26% | 20% | 3 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 21 | North Melbourne | 19-7 (2) | 11 | 4.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 17% | 0.1 | 0.8 | 11% | 0.4 | 0.5 | 67% | 26% | 19% | 3 |
| 1993 | 20 | North Melbourne | 13-13 (8) | 1 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 25% | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 25% | 0% | 2 |
| 1991 | 18 | North Melbourne | 16-10 (6) | 1 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0 | Total | 13 | 4.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 18.2% | 0.0 | 10.0% | 0.1 | 0.8 | 66.7% | 26% | 20% | 3 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- North East Melbourne 1993 | Mildura 1996-97
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