If it's earlyJ une, then Kenner League anticipation is afoot. A DMV summer hoops staple, the Nike Pro City Kenner League will ramp up soon. Why is that important? The Kenner League annually pits college and pro basketball players under the whistle of professional referees. Think safe space, professionally run at a NCAA Division I facility.
Where will it be held? Where it always is:
Site: McDonough Arena, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
Coordinates: Google Maps
Address: 1340 West Rd, Washington, DC 20057
Phone: +12026874692
Parking: Canal Road Garage (3611 Canal Rd NW, Washington, DC 20057, on campus)
So when will the festivities start, including having top regarded high school students compare, with the older guys?
Per Finest Magazine:
So we've sussed out Kenner league's time frame and location, so general planning by fans can occur. Player assignments are unknown at this point, including where Georgetown's Hoyas will be placed.
Annually the teams generally remain the same. Jim Couch DMV is a prime Kenner Pro City player, an organization that approaches the game, development and players correctly. Oh yeah, the crew, in its first year of participation in 2023, was a jump shot away from winning the championship, having made last season's final and losing on a last attempt.
Following is a look.
Jim Couch DMV is a Kenner Force
Just what is Jim Couch DMV, one of the most cohesive, well coached Kenner League outfits?
Cardell Dudley, Jr, Jim Couch DMV Director and assistant coach, helped us out with that.
"It’s a program headlined by our summer league/pro am team geared towards player development on and off the court of our players, which carries on the foundation laid by Mr Couch himself" shared Dudley of the effort. "Mr. (Jim) Couch is a legendary basketball coach and trainer from New York who helped develop a young Lew Alcindor, known to the world as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Pretty much every top NYC player that has come through the ranks since Jabbar has crossed paths with Mr. Couch". .
Additionally, per Dudley, "Mr. Couch has also been huge with elevating the Rucker and Dyckman summer leagues over the decades as well. I’ve scouted the DMV for Mr Couch for close to a decade for his Nike sponsored Jim Couch National Training Showcase which takes place in New York every October, featuring the top high school players from around the country".
Jim Couch DMV is invested in Kenner League competition, doing so for the first time in 2023. Dudley confirmed it.
Firstly, he dubbed it "an honor to be able to compete" in Kenner action, thoughts driven by "The prestige, the history and the competition. It’s top notch and to me, it’s about as close you can get in our area to playing a real high level game that a player would play in their respective high school, college and pro season during the winter". Dudley admitted "Some of the greatest the game has seen has played in the Kenner League", another blessing in his eyes.
Though teams are about players, coaches make a huge difference. Dudley is a chief Couch DMV bench leader, one he revealed scouts "prospective players", also getting "in the gym with them for workout sessions etc., while working as an assistant obviously during games". Multiple hats he wears.
He's not alone in doing so.
"Our head coach Brian Hall is my college coach, top notch X’s and O’s guy, great at in game adjustments" shared Dudley of the team's first chair. He then added "and most importantly…he knows how to connect with players and actually cares about them".
On the assistant side, Nyjuan Hall holds it down to. HC Hall's younger brother, Dudley credited Nyjuan with "longtime DMV summer league vet" status, a guy who played for North Carolina A&T, presently coaches travel team with the Fairfax Stars. Commuinication is key to what the younger Hall sibling brings as per Dudley "he’s great at details of the game and getting those details over to the players while being a calmer extension (LOL) of his older brother".
Last but not least, what of Arnell Milton? Per Dudley he's "a former pro player and longtime grassroots coach who I’ve built a friendship with from our work at Jim Couch". Furthermore "He's an excellent coach and elite player development coach in his own right".
The end result?
"We have a coaching staff that covers every aspect for the players to grow while playing for us" summed Dudley. "So, when they go back to their respective programs, their coaches, are hopefully pleased with their progress over the summer playing with us".
Will Jim Couch DMV be happy with their 2024 Nike Pro City Kenner League experience?
Come see. They have as much chance as anyone to get that 'chip! .
(Jet over to Premium Court for more).
Social Media Sites
Jim Couch DMV doesn't have a dedicated social media presence, but the Jim Couch writ large does.
Twitter: @Super16JimCouch
