As he strode into the auditorium at Brunswick High School, a crowd of students, most of them his friends, stood and applauded Kymani Dunham. This was his day. The senior basketball player was about to sign his national letter of intent to play at the College of Charleston next year. Although he had nearly two dozen scholarship offers, he finally concentrated on a few.
“I came down to my top five schools in my decision: Cincinnati, Houston, Charleston, Arkansas Little Rock and Georgia State,” Dunham said.
Finally, it came down to a good relationship with Charleston Head Coach Earl Grant along with other considerations such as “the atmosphere of the campus and the location.”
Dunham is known as a fierce competitor on the hard wood and athletic for his size. He is a big power forward/center, and at 6’9″ 270 pounds, Dunham is a presence in the low post that is hard to move out of the way when he is set on defense.
“He’s brought a presence because he’s such a big kid with a lot of athletic ability, so he brings a unique aspect to the game as far as what he can do,” said Brunswick Head Basketball Coach Chris Turner. “He’s a big kid that can score with the basketball.”
Dunham can move for such a big man. He has improved his shooting, is working on getting in shape, is improving his basketball IQ, and is focusing on getting better every day.
“He’s working on being a dominant rebounder, and that’s what he can do. Once those things fall into place he can actually be almost unguardable at this level,” Coach Turner said.
In his time at Brunswick High, Dunham has improved his ball-handling skills, which has given him more opportunities to go strong to the hoop.
“One thing he does well is that he has great hands. And for a big kid, he can put the ball on the floor, and he’s really good at taking the ball to the basket.” Coach Turner said.
His abilities have also given him a taste of fame as he was once asked to sign an autograph for a mother and her son after a game.
Dunham is a year-round player for both Coach Turner’s Pirates and the South Georgia Kings AAU team coached by Jessie Fleming.
“He has helped by working with me one-on-one and devoting his time to me as a trainer,” Dunham said.
Dunham played AAU basketball in middle school and then joined the Brunswick team his freshman year. It was that season that Dunham got his first open break to the basket in a junior varsity game against the Coffee County Trojans.
“I dunked for the first time in my life,” he said. “I felt exhilarated.”
Since then, he has racked up accolades including the school’s most improved player and All-State status as a sophomore. 2014 was a standout year for Dunham who got his first opportunity to be a full-time starter for Brunswick as a sophomore and averaged over 10 points per game. It was also the year the Pirates claimed the state championship against Allatoona High School, his most memorable game to date. As a junior, he was named to the second team All-Region team, averaging a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds per game to go along with five blocks per contest. Even after winning a state championship ring, Dunham has continued to work on his skills to be a versatile player.
Now, experience has given Dunham a calm about him during games. “Before I take the floor, I’m in my happy place and at peace.”
Dunham has good hands and good footwork for such a big player. Going into his senior year, he is considered to be an outstanding interior post player and rated as one of the top players in Georgia. That was evident on the first day of the NCAA’s early signing period for basketball when he put his name on the dotted line to play for Coach Grant at the College of Charleston, which competes in the Colonial Athletic Association. Coincidentally, his high school coach, Chris Turner, played for the Cougars from 1992-93 under legendary College of Charleston Coach John Kresse. Now Dunham will join the CofC Cougars where he is expected to be a scoring threat.
The son of Stephanie Simpson and Glenn Maxwell, Dunham carries a 3.0 grade point average in the classroom where he enjoys science classes. He plans to attend the College of Charleston to become an orthodontist. That is, unless he accomplishes his ultimate dream and makes it to the professional ranks. Coaches agree he has the size to make it to the NBA, but he must continue to improve in other skills to compete at that level.
“If he continues to get better, with his work ethic, he’s going to have a very bright future,” Coach Turner said. “Whether it’s at the College of Charleston, or he may even have a chance to make some money.”
Player Spotlight/Southeast Georgia/ January 2017
Kymani Dunham
Brunswick basketball
A Presence In The Post
By Rob Asbell
Photos by Michel Brinson
