Meet Kelvin Kim

With the Bruin Men’s hoops squad opening conference play yesterday with a solid victory over Stanford, we now look to this year’s roster to pick out that one standout player whose year we will cover closely along the road to the Final Four.

Losanjealous readers, meet Kelvin Kim.

Kim, a 5′11″ guard, is a walk-on from El Toro High, but lest you think he is the Bruins’ “Rudy,” let us recap his impressive prep school resume. Averaging 14.6 points and 5.2 assists, Kelvin was named First Team All OC by the OC Register his senior year. In addition, he was the 2004 South Coast League MVP. Kelvin developed a reputation for his big game clutch shooting. Witness this write-up in the Register:

Kim helps Chargers hold off Cougars
The senior powers El Toro past Capistrano Valley and to a share of the South Coast League title.
By K.J.M. SINGLETON
Special to the Register
LAKE FOREST – Kelvin Kim isn’t a surgeon. He just plays one on the basketball court.
El Toro’s senior guard scored five points in the final 1 minute, 24 seconds of the game to lead the Chargers to a 51-50 victory over Capistrano Valley Wednesday night at El Toro High.
“He’ll just cut heart out,” Capistrano Valley coach Brian Mulligan said…
“He’s the man,” El Toro coach Todd Dixon said. “I need to clone him.”

Yet, despite his documented success at El Toro, he has had a number of detractors. Chatter on the SoCalHoops.com message boards earlier this year expressed doubts about his ability to play at the next level:

>>>Heard quite a bit about him… how good is he? Is he being recruited?

>>>He was good against Dana. But he is like 5′2″. He is a firecracker, but way too small to play basketball at anything but a JC or lower level college. I am sure he can go to a higher level school on academics. Whatever he plans on after HS, I wish him the best.

>>>No disrespect to Kelvin Kim, because he is a great student and individual, but Kim will never play a game at the next level, unless it is intramurals.

>>>Kim will not play at a UC or Division 1 school. Kim might get accepted because of his grades, and more power to him, but he will not play.

No doubt those guys are eating crow now while Kelvin dons the blue and gold. He’s already become a Pauley Pavillion fan favorite. His energetic entrance into a game in it’s final minute is met with thunderous cheers, signifying that the Bruins have the game in hand. It won’t be long before the expression “When Kelvin’s in the game” overtakes “When the fat lady sings.” You heard it here first.

Kelvin’s line against Stanford: