K-State Sports Extra - June 21, 2017
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TODAY'S SPORTS EXTRA
Curtis Kelly Returns to K-State with Pride, Appreciation for Time as a Wildcat
This story gives me new hope for Bruce Weber after reading nothing but negativity about him on this site.
June 21, 2017By Corbin McGuire
As Curtis Kelly stood in the Ice Family Basketball Center, a building that didn’t exist the last time he was in Manhattan, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. He never practiced in the top-notch facility, but he was part of the success that preceded it, a realization he began to appreciate when touring it.
“I have more of a proud feeling, knowing that I was part of something I helped build. I’m thankful for that,” said Kelly, who was in Manhattan for the first time in six years. “It’s just a blessing to be a part of it all.”
Kelly, back in town to help out with K-State head coach Bruce Weber’s youth camps, has relived positive memories and reunited with people dear to him at almost every turn of his K-State reunion. From eyeing the 2010 Elite Eight banner hanging in the IBC to seeing friends and mentors from his time at K-State, most notably his former academic counselor Liane Fowler, Kelly was constantly filled with positive vibes.
“Seeing her almost brought a tear to my eye because I hadn’t seen her in a long time, and she was one of my favorite people,” Kelly said of Fowler. “Everyone that I’ve seen has brought me good, positive energy and good memories.”
On the court, Kelly was part of creating some lasting memories for Wildcat fans. In two seasons (2009-11) at K-State, he averaged 11.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while helping the Wildcats to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a run to the Elite Eight as a junior.
Kelly certainly gave K-State a boost after transferring in from Connecticut, but he said his time in Manhattan had an even greater impact on him, personally.
“It did change my life. It gave me a calm that I needed at the time, because coming out of UConn I was still in my wild stages, and K-State basically calmed me down,” he said. “It gave me the focus I needed to excel in school and out of school. Also, it opened my mind to how important school is. All of those things were definitely a game-changer, definitely a life-changer for me. All of those things had an impact on my life, an impact on my character.
“It’s been great. It was great. It’s still great.”
After working out with and watching K-State’s returning core from last year’s run to the NCAA Tournament, Kelly said he saw “a very talented group” that impressed him in a number of ways.
“They have a lot of young leaders, but I’m impressed with them, for sure. The talent that they have, the athleticism that they have and their ability to want to learn has been astonishing to me,” he said. “One thing that impressed me the most about them is that they’re all good guys. They’re good kids. I don’t see any wrong in any of them. To see that Bruce Weber is such a great guy and he picks so many great personality guys is good to see. It’s definitely good for the program.
“K-State is a program that’s always been growing. I think we’re solidified as a solid program that’s here to stay. You have some schools that have their time and then they die out, but I think K-State is here to stay.”
Kelly never played for Weber, nor did he compete against the Wildcats’ head coach while in college. This, Kelly said, made the invitation to help out with the camps even more meaningful.
“For him to do that lets me know how good of a person he is,” he said. “To have a person like that be your coach and a person like that be your leader, you already know you’re going to be in good hands. Any parent that cares about their child, and cares about more than just basketball, will definitely direct him to Coach Weber because he’s going to teach him how to be a good person, a good kid, to do the right things.”
The way Weber continues to care for players long after they have exhausted their playing eligibility also stood out to Kelly, who was joined at the youth camps by former teammates like Jordan Henriquez, Shane Southwell and Martavious Irving.
“The way he takes care of Shane, JO and Tay is crazy. He looks after those guys like they’re his sons, literally. He’s such a good person,” Kelly said of Weber. “Meeting him and getting to know him and speaking to these guys about him, he’s a great person. He really cares about these kids.”
Even as Kelly soaked up everything new at K-State, he found comfort in the fact that it still brought him the same calm.
“One of the things I love about Kansas State the most is the peace I have when I’m here. I have a clear mind, and that clear mind helps me to focus,” he said. “So I get to focus on getting better, helping the younger guys get better. I can work on my game a little bit more than I would if I’m even home, so it’s always a blessing.”
Since graduating from K-State in 2011, Kelly has played six years of professional basketball overseas — four in Israel, one in Turkey and one in Italy. Kelly said he was part of a championship team his first year in Israel, has made the playoffs three times in his pro career and has always averaged in double-figures scoring.
“My career has been successful. I’ve never been cut anywhere. I never went through any issues anywhere overseas. I’ve been a good professional,” he said. “It’s been a pleasure… I’m blessed.”
Basketball has taken Kelly to new places and different cultures, all of which have helped him develop as a person. He said he’s learned what it means to be a true professional, highlighted by the ability to balance time and his mind without family and friends nearby.
“You have to understand that you’re away from people, so you can’t rely on them as much when you’re down or you’re dealing with something,” he said. “Different pieces are important when you’re overseas, but the biggest thing I would say is the professionalism.”
The New York native doesn’t know exactly where he will land next. Professional offers usually start coming in late in the summer, he said. Regardless of where his next professional contract places him, Kelly said he is excited to play for K-State’s alumni team, Purple and Black, in The Basketball Tournament, which will award its winner with $2 million. The team’s first game will be against the Canton Bulldogs at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, on July 15.
In his playing career, Kelly has met K-State fans all over the country and the world. He said the Purple and Black team is one way for former players to display the same level of pride they still hold for K-State.
“That lets you know how valuable the program is to us,” he said. “It lets you know how much we love the fans and how much the relationships we develop from K-State mean to us.
K-State Sports Extra <updates@fans.kstatesports.com>
To
dcosgrove1@yahoo.com
Today at 6:07 AM
Use this link to view this message in a web browser.
TODAY'S SPORTS EXTRA
Curtis Kelly Returns to K-State with Pride, Appreciation for Time as a Wildcat
This story gives me new hope for Bruce Weber after reading nothing but negativity about him on this site.
June 21, 2017By Corbin McGuire
As Curtis Kelly stood in the Ice Family Basketball Center, a building that didn’t exist the last time he was in Manhattan, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. He never practiced in the top-notch facility, but he was part of the success that preceded it, a realization he began to appreciate when touring it.
“I have more of a proud feeling, knowing that I was part of something I helped build. I’m thankful for that,” said Kelly, who was in Manhattan for the first time in six years. “It’s just a blessing to be a part of it all.”
Kelly, back in town to help out with K-State head coach Bruce Weber’s youth camps, has relived positive memories and reunited with people dear to him at almost every turn of his K-State reunion. From eyeing the 2010 Elite Eight banner hanging in the IBC to seeing friends and mentors from his time at K-State, most notably his former academic counselor Liane Fowler, Kelly was constantly filled with positive vibes.
“Seeing her almost brought a tear to my eye because I hadn’t seen her in a long time, and she was one of my favorite people,” Kelly said of Fowler. “Everyone that I’ve seen has brought me good, positive energy and good memories.”
On the court, Kelly was part of creating some lasting memories for Wildcat fans. In two seasons (2009-11) at K-State, he averaged 11.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while helping the Wildcats to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a run to the Elite Eight as a junior.
Kelly certainly gave K-State a boost after transferring in from Connecticut, but he said his time in Manhattan had an even greater impact on him, personally.
“It did change my life. It gave me a calm that I needed at the time, because coming out of UConn I was still in my wild stages, and K-State basically calmed me down,” he said. “It gave me the focus I needed to excel in school and out of school. Also, it opened my mind to how important school is. All of those things were definitely a game-changer, definitely a life-changer for me. All of those things had an impact on my life, an impact on my character.
“It’s been great. It was great. It’s still great.”
After working out with and watching K-State’s returning core from last year’s run to the NCAA Tournament, Kelly said he saw “a very talented group” that impressed him in a number of ways.
“They have a lot of young leaders, but I’m impressed with them, for sure. The talent that they have, the athleticism that they have and their ability to want to learn has been astonishing to me,” he said. “One thing that impressed me the most about them is that they’re all good guys. They’re good kids. I don’t see any wrong in any of them. To see that Bruce Weber is such a great guy and he picks so many great personality guys is good to see. It’s definitely good for the program.
“K-State is a program that’s always been growing. I think we’re solidified as a solid program that’s here to stay. You have some schools that have their time and then they die out, but I think K-State is here to stay.”
Kelly never played for Weber, nor did he compete against the Wildcats’ head coach while in college. This, Kelly said, made the invitation to help out with the camps even more meaningful.
“For him to do that lets me know how good of a person he is,” he said. “To have a person like that be your coach and a person like that be your leader, you already know you’re going to be in good hands. Any parent that cares about their child, and cares about more than just basketball, will definitely direct him to Coach Weber because he’s going to teach him how to be a good person, a good kid, to do the right things.”
The way Weber continues to care for players long after they have exhausted their playing eligibility also stood out to Kelly, who was joined at the youth camps by former teammates like Jordan Henriquez, Shane Southwell and Martavious Irving.
“The way he takes care of Shane, JO and Tay is crazy. He looks after those guys like they’re his sons, literally. He’s such a good person,” Kelly said of Weber. “Meeting him and getting to know him and speaking to these guys about him, he’s a great person. He really cares about these kids.”
Even as Kelly soaked up everything new at K-State, he found comfort in the fact that it still brought him the same calm.
“One of the things I love about Kansas State the most is the peace I have when I’m here. I have a clear mind, and that clear mind helps me to focus,” he said. “So I get to focus on getting better, helping the younger guys get better. I can work on my game a little bit more than I would if I’m even home, so it’s always a blessing.”
Since graduating from K-State in 2011, Kelly has played six years of professional basketball overseas — four in Israel, one in Turkey and one in Italy. Kelly said he was part of a championship team his first year in Israel, has made the playoffs three times in his pro career and has always averaged in double-figures scoring.
“My career has been successful. I’ve never been cut anywhere. I never went through any issues anywhere overseas. I’ve been a good professional,” he said. “It’s been a pleasure… I’m blessed.”
Basketball has taken Kelly to new places and different cultures, all of which have helped him develop as a person. He said he’s learned what it means to be a true professional, highlighted by the ability to balance time and his mind without family and friends nearby.
“You have to understand that you’re away from people, so you can’t rely on them as much when you’re down or you’re dealing with something,” he said. “Different pieces are important when you’re overseas, but the biggest thing I would say is the professionalism.”
The New York native doesn’t know exactly where he will land next. Professional offers usually start coming in late in the summer, he said. Regardless of where his next professional contract places him, Kelly said he is excited to play for K-State’s alumni team, Purple and Black, in The Basketball Tournament, which will award its winner with $2 million. The team’s first game will be against the Canton Bulldogs at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, on July 15.
In his playing career, Kelly has met K-State fans all over the country and the world. He said the Purple and Black team is one way for former players to display the same level of pride they still hold for K-State.
“That lets you know how valuable the program is to us,” he said. “It lets you know how much we love the fans and how much the relationships we develop from K-State mean to us.
