By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No matter what happens from here on out, former Highland Park and Missouri State basketball star Kyle Weems has put together a long, successful international professional career that he's very proud of.
Kyle Weems was in Topeka Friday to co-host the Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But the 34-year-old Topekan, who has been part of multiple championship teams, feels like there still plenty left in the tank as he gets ready to return to Italy for his 13th pro season later this summer.
"I'm unbelievably blessed,'' said Weems, who was in Topeka Friday to co-host the third annual Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University with close friend Michael Wilhoite, an assistant coach for the Denver Broncos. "I've been blessed with good health. I've had good trainers on and off the court, in the weight room, and I've had people like Mike who have shown me the way of how to train your body and just be a pro.
"I've been blessed with a lot of people like that, people like Mike and my uncle Kris (Weems, Golden State Warriors assistant) and so on and so forth, so it's been a great recipe for success and I have to give a lot of credit to those type of people.''
Weems will play his second season in 2024-2025 for Derthona Basket, located in Tortona, Italy, after earlier stints in Germany, France and Turkey.
"I have one more year under this contract and I hope to get another year or two, play until maybe 36, 37,'' Weems said. "I'm going back with my same team. We'll be playing in the first division of Italy again on the weekends and then we'll be playing in the Basketball Champions League in seven countries throughout the week.
"I averaged about the same numbers like I always do (last season) but it was kind of up and down. We got off to a rough start and had a coaching change right before Christmas and that was kind of a breath of fresh air for everyone and we kind of strung together some wins and we ended up finishing eighth out of 16. We made the playoffs and we lost in a Game 5 do or die against my old team, so that was kind of exciting. Overall it was a good end to the season after how it could have went.''
Kyle Weems talks with a young camper during Friday's Big Kev Give Back Camp at Washburn University. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
When Weems, who helped lead Highland Park to an undefeated Class 5A state title and later earned Missouri Valley player of the year honors for Missouri State, does end his playing career he has every intention of staying close to the game.
"Right now I'm leaning towards being a professional basketball agent on the European side,'' Weems said. "I wouldn't have to live there but I'd have my base here (in the Kansas City area) and I'd go visit over there for couple of weeks at a time two to three times a year.
"That kind of gives me the most flexibility and give my wife a chance to do what she wants to do and so on and so forth.''
Weems' long-term plans also include the long-term continuation of the Big Kev Give Back Camp, which is named in honor of Kyle's late father, Kevin, who played at Washburn.
Weems and Wilhoite are also planning to establish a foundation in the near future to be able to add more community-based programs in the Topeka area.
"As long as I'm breathing I want to keep this going,'' Weems said.
