By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's only been a couple of weeks since former Highland Park and Missouri State basketball star Kyle Weems returned from his 11th professional season, but he's already looking ahead to the future.
Former Highland Park state champ Kyle Weems visits with his high school coach, Ken Darting, and Karen Darting during last Friday's Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Weems, who was in Topeka last Friday to co-host the Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburrn University, helped lead Highland Park to a perfect 25-0 record and the Class 5A state championship in 2007 before going on to earn Missouri Valley Player of the Year and All-American honors at Missouri State and embarking on a long and successful pro career in France, Germany, Turkey and Italy.
The 6-foot-6 forward has played the past four seasons for Virtus Bologna in Italy, helping the team reach the Italian League finals the past three years, with two Italian Supercup titles as well as Italian League and Euro Cup championships.
"Right now I'm not going back to Virtus Bologna,'' Weems said. "I had a real emotional sendoff and that was something I'll never forget, obviously those fans there being close to me with the loss of my dad (Kevin in 2019) and helping me out through that tough time.
"But I have some things in the works right now. I'm just kind of letting my agent do his job. I'm pretty sure I'll be going back somewhere in Italy. It's still kind of early in the summer market.''
Kyle Weems, a member of the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame, was in town last Friday to co-host the Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Wherever he ends up, Weems said there's still plenty of fuel left in the tank to continue his pro career.
"I still have the want and the ambition to get up and perfect my craft every day and work on my body,'' Weems said. "I still get nervous at games. I haven't lost any of that feel or that want, so I'm going to keep going.
"This contract will be two years and that will put me at 13 years, and at the age of 35 and going into 36, I think anything after that can be icing on the cake.''
And whenever he does decide to pull down the curtain on his career, Weems said he'll walk away with nothing but gratitude for everything he's been able to accomplish in the sport he loves.
"I'm blessed, man,'' Weems said. "My kids are growing up, they're healthy. Jacque (his wife) is doing good, she's healthy. I really can't complain.''
