Prospect Spotlight: Kenny Byers (2017)
OLATHE, Kan. — A long, athletic guard, Olathe South 2017 Kenny Byers is quickly moving up the charts of Division II coaches this fall after a strong summer running with Team Rush. At 6’4, 180-pounds, Byers has good size and…
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Continue ReadingOLATHE, Kan. — A long, athletic guard, Olathe South 2017 Kenny Byers is quickly moving up the charts of Division II coaches this fall after a strong summer running with Team Rush.
At 6’4, 180-pounds, Byers has good size and length for a guard. He can play either guard spot and can get to the rim and knock down shots from the outside. With his size and athleticism, Byers is also a good, physical on-ball defender.
As a junior, Byers averaged 11 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 51 percent from the field for a deep and talented Eagle squad that went 14-8. But with nine key seniors having graduated, Byers production will have to increase for Olathe North to continue its run of success..
“High school ball is going to be tough this year,” Byers said. “We lost a lot of seniors. Now I have to be a leader to the many younger members of the team. We could be a really good team though and make a good playoff run if we play to our capabilities.”
Byers said he is looking forward to playing Olathe East this season after they defeated his Eagles in substate by one point last season.
This past summer, Byers focused on improving his ball handling and creating ways to get open. He played with a talented Team Rush squad, which is coached by Victor Williams. Byers said the experienced helped him with skill development and, “Brought out the intensity in my defense. He evolved me into a completely different player.”
Byers currently has one official offer from Southwest Minnesota State University. He has also drawn interest from Lincoln University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis and hopes more offers will come his way.
A Kansas Jayhawk fan, Byers said the biggest influence on his basketball career has been his dad.
“He has always pushed me to be the best I can be,” Byers said. “He has always had my back and has always put me in the best positions to be successful.
“I like watching KU play basketball because they share the ball really well and they play with intense speed. They also play great team defense. I love watching basketball when it’s a Team game and that’s how I like to play the game every time I step on the court.”