Career Highlights:
- Recruited the best class in Portland history in 2017 (Ranked No. 10 nationally)
- Four-year professional career overseas
- Four-year starting center for the Pilots (2007-11) including 118 career starts
- Winningest Pilot of all time – 69 wins in four years and first Top 25 ranking in 50 years
- Three-time West Coast Conference All-Academic Team (2008-11)
Kramer Knutson enters his second season as an assistant coach and 11th year overall associated with the University of Portland basketball program.
He helped the Pilots put together the No. 10 ranked recruiting class in the nation for 2017 (Hoop Scoop). The class includes nine total players in the first full recruiting cycle for the staff.
Knutson assists in every aspect of the daily coaching environment – recruiting, on the floor coaching, scouting, practice planning, game scheduling and player/program development.
"Kramer has proven himself to be a valuable part of this program," Portland head coach Terry Porter said. "He was a key player during one of the most successful eras in Pilot Basketball and then chose to come back to Portland to begin the next part of his post-playing career. Kramer was extremely valuable to me during the transition and has shown the ability to be a great big man coach. I like his energy, how he pushes the players in training sessions, and his knowledge of the game. He has earned both the respect of our players and basketball staff."
The Mesa, Arizona native started his coaching career as the Director of Basketball Operations at Portland in 2014. He managed the day-to-day operations of the program including: travel coordination, camp director, budget manager, NIKE liaison, game scheduling, community service initiatives and other program management duties.
His successful four-year career as the Portland’s starting center included a total of 69 wins and helped the program to its first Top 25 ranking in more than 50 years. A four-year starter and team captain (2010-11), Knutson ranks second all-time in games started (118) and sixth in field goal percentage (.548) and seventh in blocked shots (80).
A stellar student, Knutson was three times named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic Team, twice earned National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court recognition, and was an Academic All-District 8 first team selection as a senior. As a 2011 graduate he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy.
Knutson would go on to play the next four seasons in the top professional leagues of Switzerland, Romania and then England. His first professional season was 2011-12 for BBC Nyon in Switzerland, followed by a year in Romania for CSU Sibiu. His final two pro seasons were in the British Basketball League (BBL) as a member of the London Lions (2013-14) and then for Surrey United (2014-15) where he led the BBL in rebounds and was second in blocked shots. He was voted Fan Player of the Season both years.