From the Kansas State sports information department:
Kansas State men’s basketball coach Frank Martin announced on Wednesday the addition of junior forward Curtis Kelly (University of Connecticut/Rice High/Queens, N.Y.) to the program.
A transfer from the University of Connecticut, Kelly will receive a scholarship to attend the university and will have two years of eligibility after he sits out the 2008-09 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
“We are excited about the addition of Curtis to our program,” Martin said. “He was as talented a big man as I have seen in high school. He will utilize this upcoming year to learn our system along with getting in great shape. His presence in practice will make all of our frontcourt players better.”
Kelly transfers to Kansas State after playing the past two seasons at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn., from 2006-08 for head coach Jim Calhoun. He helped the Huskies to a two-year record of 41-23, including an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007-08. He saw action in 51 games in his career, averaging 2.4 points on 50 percent shooting with 2.2 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 8.5 minutes per game.
A 6-foot-9, 235-pound forward from Queens, N.Y., Kelly averaged 2.0 points on 42.5 percent shooting (17-of-40) in 24 games as a sophomore with 1.8 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per game in 2007-08. He helped the team to a 24-9 overall record and a 13-5 mark in Big East play. He scored in double figures once, posting a season-high 13 points against Morgan State on Nov. 7 in the season opener in 23 minutes. He missed the last six games of the season, including the NCAA Tournament game against San Diego, due to a dislocated left elbow.
Kelly saw action in 27 games as a freshman in 2006-07, averaging 2.7 points on 55.6 percent shooting (30-of-54) with 2.5 rebounds in 9.3 minutes per game. He scored in double figures once, collecting a career-high 14 points against Coppin State on Dec. 27, 2006.
A 2006 graduate of Rice High School in Queens, N.Y., Kelly averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks per game in helping the squad to the city and state Catholic school championships as a senior for head coach Maurice Hicks. He was named the New York Post and New York Daily News Player of the Year in 2005-06. He also was selected to the Super 6 Showcase most valuable player and was chosen to play in the 2006 Jordan All-American Classic at Madison Square Garden.
Kelly is the fourth player to sign with the Wildcats during the spring signing period, joining junior college standouts Buchi Awaji (Citrus (Calif.) College; Los Angeles, Calif.), Abdul Herrera (Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College; Panama City, Panama) and Jordan Henriquez (Port Chester; New Rochelle, N.Y.). He becomes the second Big East Conference player to transfer to K-State in the past two years, joining Miami transfer Denis Clemente, who will be eligible in 2008-09 after sitting out last season.
With the addition of Kelly, K-State now has the maximum 12 scholarship players on its roster for the 2008-09 season.