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Western Carolinian Volume 73 Number 01 (02)

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Western Carolinian Volume 73 Number 01 (02)

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  • Page 5 Western Carolinian February 28, 2007 FEATURES By: Ryan Sarda Sports Writer Former Catamount Kevin Mar- tin is making huge strides in the NBA as the face of the Sacramento Kings fran- chise. CHARLOTTE With the 26th pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings selected little known shooting guard Kevin Martin from Western Car- olina University, making him the first Catamount to ever be selected in the first round of any draft. Despite much skepticism from critics, the 67 185-pound Martin de- clared himself eligible for the draft fol- lowing his junior season at Western, and has proven all the doubters wrong as he has made some huge strides in his fourth season in the league. He is liv- ing his dream proudly as the face of the Kings franchise. Its a great feeling. Everyone who plays basketball wants to become. an NBA player, but for most guys it doesnt happen. This is a dream come true to me, and I am just taking advan- tage of it, said Martin, right before his Kings took on the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday Feb. 22 at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena. ~~ Coming from such a small school, Martin knew that it would take hard work and extreme determination for him to make an immediate impact then I was injured. Now, 1; am trying to a native of Zanesville, Ohio. in the NBA. He remained optimistic about his chances of ever the next Tevel and about! becoming the: Kings go-to guy. Bee You have to overcome a lot of boundaries and have to ignore what a lot of people say about you when you come from a small school, said Mar- tin, Many people from small schools dont succeed in the NBA, so they didn t want to take a chance. Hopefully, I opened a couple of peoples eyes and gave some guys an opportunity. Thus far into the season, Martin has played in 37 of the Kings 54 games this season and is averaging a career best 25.1 points per game, and 4.6 re- bounds. He has missed 17 games this - season after sustaining a groin injury on Dec. 4 against the Utah Jazz, and was out for roughly six weeks. He scored 39 points in his second game back from the injury on Jan. 14 against the Dallas Mavericks. T started the year great, and jeling, The King of Kings Kevin Martins N come back to being productive again. My teammates have kept on giving me thebatl aia when they db that, event 8 ally y you are going to start playing well again, said Martin, I give them credit for helping me get back into game shape and to the coaching staff for giving me another opportunity this year. In his rookie season, Martin only aver- aged 2.9 points per game and played very little. In a shocking move, he was left off of the Kings 2005 playoff ros- ter, triggering a wake-up call for the 25-year-old to play better in his second year. oe He improved drastically in the | 2005-2006 campaign averaging 10.8 | points per contest and played a pivot- | al role in the success of the Kings in | their first round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs. He scored 26 | points in game two of the series, and hit | the game winning lay-up in game three, | emerging as one of the leagues most | improved players. Last season, Martin had a fm breakout year leading the Kings in scor- ing with 20.2 a game. He played in 80 | of the teams 82 games that season, and | the Kings finished last in the Pacific Di- | vision with a 33-49 record. Against the Bobcats, Martin struggled to get it going offensively as he finished with 15 points, shooting just 1-of-8 from the floor and 13-of-18 from the free-throw line. The Kings managed to win the game in overtime 116-115, their third straight win since trading Mike Bibby to the Atlanta Hawks. Martin remembers his days at Western very well and enjoyed the three sea- sons he spent as a Catamount. To this day, he still keeps in touch with former Catamount basketball players Terrence Woodyard, Kyle Greathouse, and Da- vid Berghoefer. It was a good experience for me and I enjoyed every day I spent there. They gave me three really good years and accepted me for what I did there, and thats all you can ask for, said Martin, A Success end up and how long he would have to wait before he was selected. You never know whats go- ing to happen. I was just worried about where I was going to end up and where my life was going to take me if I wasnt selected, said Martin, Luckily, I made it and I am thankful for everyday that I get to step onto the court. When he was selected by the Kings, .Martin became the first player from a Southern Conference school to be selected in the first round of any draft in 40 years. The Catamounts also became the only school in the Southern Conference with at least one player rep- resenting the school in the three main - sports: basketball, baseball (Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jared Burton), and foot- ball (Carolina Panthers fullback Brad Hoover, and New Orleans Saints wide receiver David Patten). Tt was a big relief to be drafted; I fought off a lot of critics so I was thrilled to prove all of them wrong. It was time for me to start my real life and thankfully it was in the NBA, said Martin. Even with Martins tough NBA sched- ule conflicting with the current sched- . ule of the Catamounts, he still takes time out to keep up with what is going on with his former team. They have a good head coach who has proven that he can win in Lar- ry Hunter, said Martin, He is going to take that program in a positive di- rection and turn things around; he just Ke Mart was coached by former needs some time. Catamount. head coach Steve Shurina, Earlier this season, the Cata- but was tecrui by forme assistant mhoubts disthisse sd three players in Nick, and current VMI head coach Duggar Aldridge, Michael Porrini, and Camden : Baucom. After being fourth in the vot- Miller. The Catamounts current record ing for Ohios Mr. Basketball, Martin stands at 9-18 overall and 5-12 in the was only recruited by two schools: SoCon. Buffalo and Western Carolina. ; Despite the struggles from his Western Carolina was the only school former team, Martin has some advice to offer him a scholarship, and Mat- for the young and depleted Catamount tin wholeheartedly accepted. He chose program that has been through some Western because he felt that he could rough patches this season. come in and make an immediate impact Tust enjoy playing in the col- for the Catamounts. lege level. Play basketball like it is go- They had four seniors on the ing to be your last year, because you roster, and did not have a starting shoot-. never know whats going to happen af- ing guard, said Martin, I felt like terwards, said Martin. I could go there and contribute right Former Catamount player away. It doesnt matter what college Corey Muirhead was very complimen- you go to, its all about Coy and tary of his former teammate and all of that was the best situation for me. the success that he has endured on the AS a freshman, Martin averaged 22.1 professional level. Muirhead believes points per game, and averaged 22.8 that Kevin is the best scorer he has ever points while winning the SoCons scor-' played with. ing title in his sophomore season. In the Playing with Kevin at Western 2003-04 campaign at Western, Martin was great. He had a knack for scoring won his second straight SoCon scoring and getting to the free-throw line and title, and was either first or second in was a pure shooter. I knew all along the nation in scoring with an average of that he had amazing potential and I am * 9 points per game. very proud of him, said Muirhead. When he declared for the draft, Muirhead averaged 2 points Martin was told by critics that he would per game in his senior year at Western never make it at the next level due tohis and currently plays for Cholet Basket, size, shooting ability, and his strength. g basketball club located in Cholet, But Martin never gave up hope and France. Muirhead is very proud of ev- hired personal trainer David Thorpe to erything Martin has accomplished. help him make the transition. Tam happy for him and he will I didnt really listen to that.Da- definitely be a great player in the NBA, vid (Thorpe) let me know my chances hes getting there, said Muirhead. and he had faith in me, so we just went From being a little known high school from there. I was not really worried basketball player to a Southern Confer- about the negatives that people were ence standout and now as a perennial saying, because I that knew coming NBA All-Star, K-Mart has embraced from a small school I was up against success on a variety of different levels a lot already, said Martin, who is cur- and is living proof that players from rently ranked fourth on WCUs all-time mid-major programs can make it big on scoring list with 1,838 career points. _ the next level. Martin worked out for over 17 teams and always had a gut feeling that MORE IM AGES ON PAGE 12. his name would be called on draft night, but was unsure as to where he would
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Western Carolina University Publications

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University’s student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolin...

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