College Commitment – Kellen Kinder (2024 Valley Catholic)

One of the more intriguing recruitments from the Class of 2024 was no doubt Kellen Kinder Kellen Kinder 6'7" | C Valley Catholic | 2024 State OR . The lanky 6-foot-8 senior from Valley Catholic certainly had potential as a small school big man but he was also getting plenty of attention for his exploits on the gridiron. That led to options from a number of schools but when it all came down to it, Kinder chose the hardwood and he recently announced he'll be playing college basketball at Pacific Lutheran.

"I really like PLU's program because coach (Chad) Murray does a really good job connecting with his players and the people at PLU," Kinder said. "He also has created a team all about mentality, he works a lot with the mental game and how it translates to the game. He has built a solid program with great teammates that work hard. I felt like I have the chance to get developed and work on my game unlike others with that physiological piece and also on the floor. Also I have the opportunity to get to play behind a amazing post in Brandon who is going into his 5th year."

Off the court the match with the Lutes was there for Kinder as well. "This school is top notch they have a great Environmental studies program which is what I would like to pursue and have a lot of resources to do well in the classroom," Kinder said. "The campus is really connected so everything you need is walking distance. I felt like I was suited best at PLU - it's a great program with great coaches and you're getting a great education."

The decision for Pacific Lutheran was one thing - choosing to go with hoops only was another. Throughout the process Kinder actually received a lot more attention for football and some schools even offered him the opportunity to do both sports.

"It was definitely hard to try and balance out both sides, I feel that I was focusing more on football because I had more interest and that drowned basketball out of my mind for a bit," Kinder said. "But in the end you can do anything you put your mind too. So I worked and kept trying and reaching out to coaches for basketball through all the football recruitment. I also went to the PLU prospect camp last summer and met with Murray through that and always kept in touch with him."

At 6-foot-8, Kinder has plenty of size, especially at the D-III level. Throughout his senior season at Valley Catholic he did a good job rebounding and providing a presence defensively as a shot-blocker, but also showed flashes offensively at times as well. He knows there's work ahead for him to be a contributor at the college level and he's ready to give it a go.

"For me it's all about the fundamentals and post work, being able to control the ball and be a threat, so a lot of post moves and post work to be able to become more efficient on the offensive end," Kinder said. "With that also extending my range it hasn't been the best for me in the past, but I know it can be a huge help at the next level. Lastly my vision and playmaking ability were definitely strengths this year for our squad so maintaining and developing that part of my game will be huge."

As he preps for Pacific Lutheran, Kinder can also look back on his senior year with a lot of pride. He was part of a Valiants squad that not only made it to the state tournament, but could have even bigger things ahead of them in the future.

"Coos Bay was amazing, great experience and wish we were there more, but that's for the guys next few years," Kinder said. "I honestly think this year we set the standard for VC basketball this season, we aren't the same team from 2 years ago and the guys next year know the standard is Coos Bay again. This year was great watching everyone succeed individually then as a team was awesome we had some incredible talent and it will show next year again. VC is in my heart forever."

Our congratulations go out to Kinder and his family on his commitment.