Five-star UConn commit KK Arnold ready for another state title run
GERMANTOWN, Wis. (BVM) 鈥� Right before the start of the high school basketball season, five-star Class of 2023 point guard Kamorea 鈥淜K鈥� Arnold announced her verbal commitment to UConn, becoming the first UConn commit for 2023.
鈥淚鈥檓 very excited,鈥� Arnold said. 鈥淚t gave me a big relief. I鈥檓 glad I did it before the season.鈥�
It is a dream come true for Arnold who grew up watching UConn greats like Maya Moore and Dianna Taurasi. Huskies posters covered the walls in her room and a young Arnold grew up thinking about playing for Geno Auriemma.
鈥淭hat was definitely one of the big dream schools that I had,鈥� Arnold said. 鈥淕eno鈥檚 the GOAT of course.鈥�
Arnold not only grew up thinking about UConn, but also loving basketball above all other sports.
鈥淏asketball was always really there,鈥� Arnold said. 鈥淢y siblings play basketball and everything, I was always in the gym with them so it just grew with me.鈥�
She loved meeting new people, meeting new players and being in the gym everyday working on her game. Arnold continued to get better and then during the summer before her seventh grade year, Arnold went with her AAU team to a tournament. During the tournament, college coaches came over to watch her team play. From there, coaches took notice of her and Arnold realized she could fulfill her dreams.
鈥淭hey started contacting me and I was like, 鈥榃ow I can really do this,鈥欌�� Arnold said.
It wasn鈥檛 long until Arnold was receiving offers from some of the top colleges in the country and then after getting back from a tournament, she received a text that would change her life.
鈥淚t was a crazy moment,鈥� Arnold said. 鈥淚 just had came back from a tournament and I just got a text that was like, 鈥楥oach Auriemma wants to talk to you,鈥� and I was like, 鈥榃hat?! That’s crazy.鈥欌��
That moment would eventually lead to her announcement and like Arnold said, it was also a relief to have the decision made and that鈥檚 because she can now focus on basketball. Arnold and the Germantown Warhawks are looking to defend the state title they won last season. After losing eight seniors, Arnold has stepped up even more than she did last year and has taken on more of a leadership role.
鈥淭his year I definitely have a bigger voice,鈥� Arnold said. 鈥淭hey look up to me and of course they look at me in tough situations in game time.鈥�
Arnold has accepted the role and is thriving in it, even taking some lessons she learned over the summer from playing with Team USA and implementing them with her high school team. She won a gold medal with USA Basketball Women鈥檚 U16 National Team and is off to a great start with the Warhawks.
鈥淭hat was awesome,鈥� Arnold said. 鈥淥f course representing the USA on your jersey and representing Wisconsin back home; it was just all good.鈥�
It has helped her during her junior year and, as she tries to get all the new young talent Germantown has acclimated to playing on varsity, she will need that experience she gained over the summer.
鈥淥verall the season is going pretty good,鈥� Arnold said.
For Arnold, it鈥檚 also a chance for her to prepare for her future with the Huskies. Arnold knows what it means to be committed to UConn to play basketball. It鈥檚 an honor she takes pride in.
鈥淚t means the world and of course representing that for the rest of the two years of high school, representing that I actually fit in going to the program,鈥� Arnold said. 鈥淎ctually show the UConn nation back there in Connecticut that I鈥檓 actually a player that鈥檚 going to come in and make a big impact and make some noise for UConn fans.鈥�
Arnold has already done a great job of showing Husky fans what they can expect from Arnold in two years and based on her past, she will only get better.
She鈥檚 already shown that. Arnold, who averaged 22.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.8 steals last year, has improved those stats to 24.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 3.5 steals. Meaning the Warhawks are in a good position to repeat and Arnold could win back-to-back Gatorade State Player of the Year awards.
Also her outside shooting, the part of her game she has worked the most on recently, is already improving. Arnold is shooting over 30% from behind the arc and for a guard that prides herself on her ability to drive to the hoop, the outside shooting makes for a deadly combination.
On defense she is once again a menace and showing off arguably the best part of her game.
鈥淚 really take pride in my defense,鈥� Arnold said.
Arnold takes pride in her entire game. She has spent countless hours with her sibling and her dad to better her game. It has already gotten her to achieve some amazing things, but as she looks to the future, the best is yet to come.
鈥淚 still watch old highlight videos of Dianna Taurasi and I鈥檓 like, 鈥楧ang that鈥檚 going to me in a couple years,鈥欌�� Arnold said.