College Commitment – Kevin Junkin (2027 Summit)
Kevin Junkin
Kevin
Junkin
6'5" | SG/SF
Summit | 2027
OR
is off the board. After getting courted by a number of high-academic schools both near and far from his Bend home, the hyper-athletic 6-foot-3 guard from Summit High School recently decided there was no longer a reason to wait. The senior knew where he wanted to continue pursuing his academic and athletic pursuits at the college level and this week announced this week that he'll be headed to Oberlin College in Ohio.
"The opportunity to play at such a great academic school such as Oberlin was just impossible to pass up," Junkin said. "The coaches really believe in me and that with their help, I can develop myself to where my ceiling is. I like that I'm going to be surrounded by people who are just as motivated to succeed academically. For the basketball program, Oberlin is in a competitive conference and they've developed great players. The team is also super tight knit and a true family."
Junkin made his commitment not long after making a visit - one that certainly made a lasting impression on him. "On the flight back home, I told my Dad that I couldn't see myself at any other school," Junkin said. "Their coaching staff was very put together and they really value building a team that'll work super hard and win each moment. As of recent they've been doing a great job at flipping the program around and I'm excited to be a new piece in that process."
One aspect that helped him with his decision was the fact there's a familiar face at Oberlin. Current sophomore Will Manfredi is on the roster and Junkin's conversations with the former Storm standout were impactful. "Will had nothing but praise for the program and his teammates which was great to hear," Junkin said. "I'm really looking forward to sharing the floor with Will. Our play styles complement each others well and I'm excited to learn collegiate basketball from him."
Junkin knows that there is certainly work ahead to get ready for the college level. He's ready for the challenges and the opportunities ahead. "Oberlin has a super young team: no seniors and 2 juniors this year," Junkin said. "So I'll definitely have to earn my minutes but I feel like I'm more than capable if I get adjusted to the physicality and pace of college basketball."
Our congratulations go out to Junkin and his family on his decision.