Sports

Former Rice star optimistic after tough season at K-State

Curtis Kelly is ready to move forward. He just isn’t sure where that is yet.

The former Rice star is coming off a frustrating final season at Kansas State after a stellar junior campaign. He started the year in coach Frank Martin’s doghouse and was nearly tossed off the team midseason for an alleged violation of a condition in the student-athlete handbook.

The versatile 6-foot-8, 245 pound Kelly still led the Wildcats to the NCAA tournament and had a pre-draft workout with the Toronto Raptors. Not getting drafted and the NBA lockout have left his future uncertain.

“Unfortunately it happened, but I made some mistakes, he said. “ I prayed about it. I’m trying to get past them, trying to move forward from them. I just got to wait and see what happens.”

Kelly, who led Rice to a CHSAA and state Federation crown and as a senior, plans on waiting until the middle of the July before he starts looking for opportunities to play overseas. For now he is showing off his game on the city’s streetball circuit. The Bronx native dropped in 15 points for 1600 Street All-Stars at the Tri-State Classic Saturday night.

During one sequence late in the first half he made a strong move for a score inside, on the next possession buried a jumper from the right elbow and later fed a teammate on the right block for dunk. Kelly also spent most of the game holding his own guarding Lakers star Ron (Metta World Peace) Artest.

“You saw a little bit,” he said. “I didn’t shoot a lot of jump shots. I think I’m a really good defender also… I think I got different secrets in me. I’m a better ball handler than people think.”

All those skills led to a breakout season as a junior at Kansas State. He left UConn in search of more playing time and took advantage of it. He averaged 11.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and helped the Wildcats reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 1988 and post the winningest season in school history at 29-8. Kelly scored 21 points in a double-overtime Sweet 16 win over Xavier.

“I think Frank Martin brought out the best in me,” Kelly, who currently lives in Queens, said.

That was the highlight of his college career. As a senior, he missed nine games, including three to start the season, because Martin was unhappy with his work ethic. In mid-December he didn’t play six games for receiving impermissible discounts on clothing from a Manhattan Dillard’s. In early January, members of school’s General Scholarship and Financial Aid Committee ruled he would be allowed to finish out the season.

Kelly, who was saddened by the news of Rice’s closing, admits he made mistakes and learned from them. The off time affected his playing when he returned, he wasn’t quite in game shape and was never into a good flow until the final weeks of the season. Kelly ended the year with six straight double-digit scoring games, including two NCAA tournament games.

“I could never get into a rhythm,” he said. “My conditioning was always just ok because I was never in the game running back and forth. In a game gets you in way better shape than just working out.”

His conditioning is one of the things he plans on working on along with his jumps shot. Kelly isn’t exactly sure where he will be taking that skill set and new attitude, but he isn’t worried either.

“I know I’m going to be successful regardless and God willing,” Kelly said. “Everything is going to turn out for the best.”