The Big Frease

This weekend is the annual Ohio/Kenutcky "Battle at the Border" High School All-Star event. Both squads are packed with talent. However, when we (as sports reporters) look at the rosters, we look for stories and there's no bigger story in this event for our broad audience than Xavier recruit Kenny Frease.

Friday was the ALl-Star skills competition. Much like what you see in the NBA on All-Star weekend. 3-point contest, dunk competition, plus a little 3-on-3. Anyway, Fox19 photographer Dan Wood and I set up at NKU early so we could interview Kenny before the festivities started. I've never met Kenny, nor has Dan, so it was funny when Dan asked me, "how will we recognize him?" I said, "just look for the biggest person to walk through the door."

Sure enough, Kenny was the biggest person in the building. At 6'11", Frease is a monster. He looks much older than a high school senior from a distance until you talk to him. Once you start a conversation, his facial expressions make him look his age.

His favorite word is "sweet". Xavier's program is "sweet". Xavier's run to the Elite 8 was "sweet". Being a big-time recruit was, you guessed it, "sweet". He seemed to really enjoy being interviewed and talking about the recruiting process. He's glad his mind is made up and he'll be playing at X, but he also said he enjoyed "the process" and wishes more kids would take time to enjoy being recruited instead of feeling like it's a job.

I didn't get to seem him play. He didn't compete in any of the skills competitions, but will play in Saturday's All-Star game. The buzz around the NKU gym was a combination of Josh Duncan and OSU's Kosta Koufus. Not bad, eh.

Keep it locked on Fox19 the next couple of weekends for more on Kenny, including highlights from Satuday's game and excerpts from my interview with him. He's a great kid (calls himself a people person) who says his favorite part of basketball is passing. Plus, you won't want to miss why Sean Miller wants Kenny to call himself the "Greg Oden of Xavier".

- Joe D.