As one of his sons prepares to play in his first SEC tournament with the Kentucky Wildcats and another leads scoring on the Tampa Catholic boys basketball team heading into the state's class 5A semifinals, proud father Kevin Knox Sr. spoke to us about intensity, passion, and parenting.

Knox Sr. was a star receiver on a national championship team at Florida State University. According to his wife, Michelle, Knox Sr. brings intensity to his current role as a father.

"'Passionately intense.' He is a little bit of both,” said Michelle.

Knox Sr. said he always talks through life situations with his children.

“Every human being, they have a brain and they are thinking all the time and what we are doing as I raise kids, I am trying to get them to think the right way. Well, what’s the right way?” Knox Sr. said.

Knox Sr. certainly seems to be doing something very right. His eldest son, Kevin Knox Jr., is one of four freshman starting for perennial NCAA Men's Basketball power Kentucky this season after finishing his stellar Tampa Catholic career last year.

Following in Kevin Jr.'s footsteps is Kobe, a sophomore at Tampa Catholic who's been a big part of the school surprise return to the state semifinals. 

And young Karter Knox currently plays on an AAU basketball team, coached by his dad, who says he's always pushing the younger kids to work harder.

“Some of you are not as prepared, so you are not having as much success as you would like to,” he said after a game.

For Knox Sr., what's paramount for a parent is involvement.

"Get involved with your child," Knox Sr. said. "No matter what happened, that's your son, that's your daughter and they need your expertise."

Kevin Knox Sr. (right) coaching his son, Karter, Tuesday, March 6, 2018. (Rick Elmhorst, staff)