Indiana hoops star
Noah Knigga | SCREENSHOT: @tristatesports_/twitter Credit: @tristatesports_ on Twitter

A hoopster from Lawrenceburg, Indiana, makes it clear that his surname is not pronounced like a common racial slur

In something that seems like a skit out of the Chappelle Show, Hoosier High School hoops have a brand new hero. But this phenomenon from the farmlands of Indiana has baffled many broadcasters when it comes to the proper way to pronounce his surname.

Indiana prospect Noah Knigga | SCREENSHOT: Jreasn/YouTube

A Comical (Not Controversial) Last Name

Multi-sport star Noah Knigga insists that he isn’t trying to offend anyone on purpose. His last name is really pronounced Kuh-nay-guh. However, that hasn’t stopped some pundits and even comedians from having fun with the similar spelling of one of those ‘words you’re not supposed to say’.

A standout in both basketball and football, the Indiana prepster recently appeared with his family for an interview with former NFL QB-turned-broadcaster Robert Griffin III, and they provided the proper pronunciation.

While it may be a messy moniker to have, that didn’t stop the host from having a little bit of fun with it all.

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More Than A Name

Griffin III, who is African-American, joked around with the player, even suggesting at one point that he should embrace the name and market it. He suggested that Noah release a t-shirt that said: “Knigga Please”.

In the end, it all turned out to be harmless fun, as Noah became a viral sensation. Not just because of his name, but because of his play as well.

Noah Knigga – currently a junior linebacker at Lawrenceburg (Indiana) High School is being recruited by multiple Division I schools to play football. He’s also a star basketball player and may choose to play both sports in college if given the opportunity after he graduates in 2025.

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