By Derek Blalock
Oakland Athletic Communications
 
If you have never met Kendrick Nunn, he would describe himself as a person who will put in the hard work, be a student of the game of basketball, and will keep knocking until he reaches who he wants to be.

After his first season in the NBA G-League, the former Oakland men's basketball star is knocking on the NBA's door, and that coveted opportunity could come with the Miami Heat, whom he signed a three-year contract with in April.

Nunn played his first year of professional basketball with the Santa Cruz Warriors and averaged 19.3 points with 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 49 contests.

"It's been a tough journey, a lot of ups and downs," Nunn said. "My game jumped to another level in just one year, and that's what it's all about. The G-League is night-and-day compared to the NBA. The grind is tough, but I'm just trying to embrace it."

The Chicago native has had success at all steps along his quest to reach the pinnacle of the basketball world in the NBA. As an amateur prospect, Nunn starred on talented Simeon Career Academy teams — home of Derrick Rose and Jabari Parker — winning four consecutive state championships.

"I watched Derrick Rose since before he was in high school," Nunn said. "(Being from Simeon) holds you to different expectations. It gives you that grit. Greatness is implanted in Chicago guards."

From there, he was a member of the 2012 FIBA U-17 Team USA squad that won gold at the World Championships. A four-star recruit out of high school, Nunn was a member of the 2012-13 Big Ten All-Freshman team and scored over 1,000 points while at Illinois before he transferred to Oakland to play for Greg Kampe.

But it all started with his father, Melvin, who would drive over two hours after work to see Kendrick's games and take him to practice every day.

"There's a long list of people who have helped me have the success I have now. It's a blessing," Kendrick Nunn said. "But my dad molded me into the man I am today, and everything I am about. He was my first coach. He taught me how to play the game the right way. He coached me into the player I am today, and I took that foundation and took it to another level."

In his lone season with Oakland in 2017-18, Nunn dominated for the Golden Grizzlies by averaging 25.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists en route to being named Horizon League Player of the Year. His 25.9 points per game ranked second in the entire country behind only Oklahoma's Trae Young, now with the Atlanta Hawks.

Kampe and Oakland had the type of culture Nunn thought fit best for his style of basketball.

"I love Coach Kampe. He's a great person all-around," Nunn said. "I learned a lot in my time at Oakland. It has a great culture and a great coach. They made sure I stayed engaged and focused."

One story, in particular, stands out for Nunn that he laughs about now.

"I wore my own compression shorts (for practice). They were blue. I dove for a loose ball in the middle of practice and Kampe saw blue. He pulled my shorts up, and was like "Is this what I told you to wear? I ran for the rest of practice."

For now, all eyes are on the NBA Summer League, which kicked off July 1, and attacking this season to try to make his life-long dream of reaching the NBA his new reality. And Nunn thinks the Miami Heat is the franchise that could make it happen.

"(I think) I fit this program to the 'T'," Nunn said. "Lot of hard-working guys with high IQ. I'm going to be learning from everyone on the staff (and) contribute as much as quick as I can. (They have) history of bringing in great guards and embracing guys from the G-League."

For the full NBA Summer League schedule, click here. 

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