FREE: Kennedy pulls trigger, commits to SMU

Villanova transfer Markus Kennedy pulled the trigger and committed to SMU on Thursday afternoon

Larry Brown just keeps proving doubters wrong.

The 71-year-old coach, who many deemed to be too old or not rambunctious enough, continues to reenergize SMU’s basketball program without ever having stepped foot on the hardwood during a regular season game.

Just last week, the new Mustangs head coach received a commitment from 7-footer Jordan Dickerson. But the momentum didn’t stop there. On Thursday afternoon, Brown landed his biggest fish yet in former Villanova big man Markus Kennedy.

“I just felt like SMU was the right fit for me,” Kennedy said. “The biggest reason why I committed to SMU was definitely Larry Brown. He’s a Hall of Fame coach, and I can’t wait to play for him.”

Kennedy added that it was the ‘right time’ to pull the trigger and decided to call Brown, who was on the recruiting trail at Peach Jam, to inform him of his decision.

“I called him and told him that I was committing,” Kennedy said. “He seemed really happy about my decision. He told me he had to get on the plane and would talk to me after he got off, but he definitely seemed happy.”

Kennedy visited SMU a few weeks ago and was blown away by the campus and facilities as well as the city of Dallas, which also played a big role in his decision.

“One of the biggest things I like about SMU is the area,” Kennedy said. “I really loved Dallas, and I think it’s just the right place for me. I think the campus is really nice, and it’s a good school.”

The 6-foot-9, 260-pound forward was also considering Boston and Tulsa. He had scheduled trips to both schools but decided to cancel. Now, Kennedy is just looking forward to getting on the Hilltop by ‘possibly’ the end of the month.

Despite having to sit out a year, Kennedy explained that he’s ready for a fresh new start and is confident he can be force down low for the Mustangs in the near future.

“I’m going to train as hard as I can just like I would have if I were playing this season,” Kennedy said. “I feel I can comeback and help SMU make a big impact in the Big East. I can bring Big East experience and leadership to this team. I definitely think I can help Coach Brown make SMU into a powerhouse. We can really build something special in Dallas.”

Kennedy appeared in 31 games and averaged 3.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 14.8 minutes per contest during his lone season with Villanova.