Former Ohio basketball player Reggie Keely became the first player from the winningest class in program history to agree to play basketball professionally, when announced on June 28 that he will join the Dan Helder Kings.
The Kings play in the Dutch Basketball League, which is the top professional league in the Netherlands. Keely will report in August, while the season will get underway in October.
Keely had a successful senior campaign for the Bobcats. He averaged a career best 12.1 points per game, earned Mid-American Conference Third Team honors and ranked second in the MAC with a .600 field goal percentage.
Ohio assistant coach Aaron Fuss said Keely’s success last season was a combination of knowing his role as a post player and executing well. He credited head coach Jim Christian’s approach of helping Keely have a post player’s mindset.
“First and foremost, Reggie really worked hard in the offseason leading up to the year to put himself in position to be able to be a better player, to shoot a higher field goal percentage and be more productive down in the paint,” Fuss said.
Keely is currently playing in the Dru Joyce Summerl League in Cleveland in preparation for the season.
“It’s a really good league to be a part of,” Keely said. “I feel like it’s the best thing to get me ready for what I’m about to do.”
He is playing with several current and former European players in the league and said he has garnered great advice from them in preparation for Europe.
“I feel like (the advice) is crucial to my development and my overall starting off over there,” Keely said. “That’s the support to have, good people telling me the right things to do…it’s very beneficial and important that I have this type of community.”
Keely described himself as a consistent and efficient scorer and said he could fill a void the Kings are looking for.
“I think I fit in perfect with this team,” Keely said. “They’re missing a low post presence and a guy who can score with his back to the basket as well as facing up and hit open jumpers when needed.”
Fuss said Keely’s skills would translate well to European basketball.
“The things that he excelled at this year are things that translate to any level of basketball,” Fuss said. “He’s got great hands, very efficient in the post and he’s got a big body to the point of I think he can really get some position for himself down in the paint.”
While competing in The Netherlands, Keely will be joined by former teammates Kenneth Van Kempen and DeVaughn Washington, the latter of which played in Austria last season, but has experience in several leagues abroad as well.
Van Kempen played for Stepco BSW Weert in the Dutch Basketball League during the 2012-2013 season and was named to the 2013 All-Dutch First Team in the league.
Keely said he is excited he will be playing opposite of Van Kempen.
“I’m actually looking forward to it,” Keely said. “Me and KVK (Van Kempen) had some great practices against each other when he was there and he’s a competitor and he likes to go hard. He’ll give me a good run for my money, so I’ve got to get ready for him.”
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