Where Are They Now: Travis Knight

Travis "The White" Knight spent three wonderful years playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, serving as our third string center during the 1999-2000 Championship campaign. After being drafted by the Bulls in 1996 and not even being offered a contract, TK signed with the Lakers. While some argue that his career highlight is his team-high 10 rebounds in a 119-96 win over the Warriors in March of 2000, others argue that his greatest professional accomplishment is his NBA playoff record for the quickest disqualification. In Game 4 of the 1999 Western-Conference semi-finals our Knight in shining armor fouled out in a mere 6 minutes.

After retiring in 2003, the harsh reality of being an unemployed, white, 7-footer hit him hard. For years he struggled with adjusting to life as a commoner. At bars, he struggled to garner the attention of females. He was forced to fly coach, yet couldn't fit in the seats. He could not afford custom cars, and thus was forced to buy a Subaru Impreza and learn to drive with his knees. He constantly bumped his head on the lintel of the doorway in his new condominium in Brunswick, CT.

All this changed when, in 2007, he underwent revolutionary height reduction therapy. After several orthopedic surgeries and months of rehabilitation he was released from the hospital a manageable 5'8''. After his release, he decided to pursue his love of performance. In his attempt to recapture the magic of celebrity, he began taking voice, dance, and beat boxing lessons and changed his name to Blake Lewis--a tribute to his two cats (Blakey and Lewis). In the 2007 season of American Idol, the new, ultra-confident, Knight appeared on American Idol. His flashy dance moves, soulful melodies, and incredible beat boxing captured the American public. Ultimately, however, Knight finished 2nd and has since faded back into obscurity. Today, Knight can be found in Salt Lake City, UT, a choir conductor at a local middle school.