By Justin Albers
For The Herald Bulletin
PENDLETON, Ind. —
Kellen Dunham didn’t need to wait until the fall — he knew exactly what he wanted in a college basketball program.
That’s because Dunham, who committed to Butler on July 5, knew he is a perfect fit for the Bulldogs’ system and the Bulldogs’ system is a perfect fit for him.
After saying he would take his time and look closely at every school when Butler offered him a scholarship June 29, Dunham, as teenagers often do, changed his mind.
He and his family took a trip to their lake cottage in Warsaw shortly after the Butler offer came in, and Dunham spent time weighing the pros and cons with his parents. He also considered offers from Ball State and Wright State.
“We really sat down and talked about it for a while,” said Dunham, a 6-foot-4 guard who averaged 17.2 points per game during his sophomore season. “We were trying to figure out reasons I wouldn’t go (to Butler), and we couldn’t find one. We thought it would be the perfect situation.”
Dunham, the first Butler commit for the 2012 class, called head coach Brad Stevens to inform him of his decision early last week.
“He said he wanted to fight some battles with me during our next couple of years together,” Dunham said. “He was very excited.”
Dunham first emerged on the recruiting scene this summer because of his play in AAU tournaments and games with his Pendleton Heights summer team. He had no offers at the beginning of June, but Wright State and Ball State quickly became interested and offered scholarships. Stevens and Butler recognized Dunham’s talent shortly thereafter.
“I am really happy for him,” said PH coach Brian Hahn. “He has worked really hard to get to this point. I think it’s a perfect situation for him, a great school and, obviously, a program that is on the rise. I’m just really happy for him and his family.”
When he joins the Bulldogs’ roster, Dunham will be one of two players recruited out of the Hoosier Heritage Conference, joining Yorktown’s Emerson Kampen — a redshirt during the 2009-10 Final Four season. Dunham is hopeful that won’t happen to him.
Current guards Shelvin Mack, Ronald Nored and Zach Hahn will be gone by the time Dunham puts on a Butler uniform for the first time, giving him a better chance to play as a freshman.
“I hope I can make an impact right away,” he said. “If that happens, though, I will welcome the redshirt. But I am definitely going to work on my game so I can step in and make an immediate impact.”
In the week since making his decision, Dunham has spent time studying Butler basketball history in an attempt to learn as much about the program as he can before stepping foot on campus.
“I’ve been talking to a lot of people, and they keep telling me how prestigious the school is,” he said. “I’m getting my homework done.”
Dunham also was being recruited by Indiana, Xavier, Michigan and Wisconsin.
