McKnight Plans to Join Exodus From UC Irvine

Guard Clay McKnight, among the Big West Conference’s best freshmen last season, will transfer from UC Irvine to a community college at the end of the academic year, and might enroll at Long Beach State after next season, several sources said Tuesday.

McKnight and his father, Mater Dei basketball Coach Gary McKnight, will meet Friday with Irvine Coach Rod Baker to discuss options. Although Gary McKnight would not confirm that Clay is leaving UCI, other sources close to the family said the decision has been made.

“We told Rod we’d talk to him and let him know our decision, so we’re not really sure what we’re going to do right now,” McKnight said. “We’re just considering things right now, because we’re not even sure someone would want Clay after only one year at a [community] college.”

Said Baker: “I can’t comment on anything that hasn’t happened yet.”

Long Beach could be McKnight’s next Division I stop. His father is a colleague of new 49er Coach Wayne Morgan, a former assistant coach at Syracuse.

Two of McKnight’s former Mater Dei players played for Syracuse, and former Monarch standout and assistant Tom Lewis is expected to join Morgan’s staff as a full-time coach. But McKnight said he has not discussed Clay’s plans with Morgan.

“Wayne is someone I’ve known for a long time,” McKnight said. “If Wayne were to offer a scholarship to Clay after one year at a [community] college, I’m sure Clay would highly consider it.”

Under NCAA guidelines, McKnight would have three years of eligibility remaining if he did not participate in basketball at the community college he attends. McKnight, who played basketball and baseball at Mater Dei, could play baseball at a community college without impacting his basketball eligibility.

Dan Guerrero, director of athletics at Irvine, said he has spoken to McKnight and McKnight has not asked to be released from his scholarship. “It may be premature to ask for any feedback from me right now,” Guerrero said.

McKnight would be the third key player to transfer from Baker’s program within the last month, despite the Anteaters winning a share of their first conference title in school history. Second-team All-Big West guard Brian Keefe is leaving for Boston College. All-conference forward Kevin Simmons said this week he is transferring to Nevada Las Vegas.

A classic “pure shooter,” McKnight was a pleasant surprise for UCI as a backup to Keefe. He averaged 5.2 points in 13.9 minutes per game, making 40 of 94 three-point attempts (42.6%). McKnight, a Mater Dei graduate, holds the county prep records for three-pointers in a season and a career.