The Windsor Lancers Men's Basketball team landed one of the provinces top recruits, and he's home grown.
Thomas Kennedy will dawn the blue and gold just like his father did before him — Jim Kennedy was a three time OUA all-star and captained the UWindsor squad in the '80s.
Head Coach Chris Oliver says the 6'-9" power forward — who played for Windsor's St. Joseph's High School and London's Southwest Academy — is a "special player."
Kennedy tells AM800 News Oliver has been helping him develop as a player for years.
"He's seen me enough, he's been able to see my skill develop and at the same time he saw me take my major growth spurt in Grade 10," he says. "I've known him ever since he came to Windsor and began coaching here."
He says developing as a smaller player helped him transition to being a big man after he sprouted up in the tenth grade.
"I'll be able to bring an inside presence, which they really didn't have last year, along with the ability to take other teams big men and stretch them out on the floor," says Kennedy. "Prove to the other teams that just because I'm big, doesn't mean I can't handle the ball."
Kennedy hopes to follow in his father's footsteps and play professional ball, but in the meantime he's excited to carry his legacy as a Lancer.
"Inheriting those genetics, he's been able to develop my skill and he's probably been my biggest coach throughout my career," he says. "One of the major deciding factors is I get to represent my town for five years and hopefully be the face of the university at some point."
Kennedy plans on studying engineering at UWindsor in the fall.