A Letter for Kendrick

It was in the early hours of Holy Monday when my phone lit up. The number wasn't saved yet, but seeing it start with +1, I understood... A few hours earlier, I had introduced myself via message to Coach Groce, the man who has been carrying the hopes of Akron University, the college in the city where LeBron James was born and raised, on his shoulders since 2017...

However, LBJ wasn't the reason I wanted to talk to him... It was someone else.

• You can read the article in Greek here.

Replying to the message I sent him, his exact response was:

Thanasis - I would be more than willing to help in any way possible. I love Kendrick. Let me know the best time to connect…

The connection is as simple as it is nostalgic for Coach Groce, who was Kendrick Nunn's first college coach at Illinois. The one who watched him since he played at Simeon Career Academy, the one who trusted him from his freshman year as a key part of the rotation.

So, Coach Groce, through The Athletiko and driven by his immense love for the Panathinaikos star, is sending him a letter. A heartfelt letter! What follows is that letter. Happy reading!

"Dear Kendrick,

They asked me to write this. And I said yes. You know, Kendrick, this letter is also an opportunity for me. To talk to you. About things I may have told you, and others I have never had the chance to share.

We already knew a lot about you before we ever recruited you to play for us at Illinois. As you know, I met you, your dad Melvin and Steve Taylor, your former high school teammate early on. You were an underclassmen in high school. You visited us at Ohio University like you were doing with other colleges back then. And the moment we were hired at Illinois, we already knew you would be a top priority for us. I know you felt our passion and the belief we had in you. I still remember your visits to campus. After visiting your home, we were sure about one thing: you would make a huge difference for us. And you did.

In one of the toughest conferences in college basketball, the Big Ten, you ended up being named one of the top freshmen. But the start was not easy. Do you remember? There were tough moments. It was not supposed to be easy. Of course now, Ken, you know that. When you’ve already built a national name for yourself at such a young age — when you're already established — expectations are sky-high.

You’re expected to perform from day one, to earn big minutes right away. You never ran from those expectations. You ran to them. The struggle made you even better. I have always respected you for how you handled your freshman year. The story of your resiliency and toughness that year has been told numerous times to our players and teams since. It has become legendary.

With the constant support of your father — a man I still proudly call a friend. He taught you to not make excuses, not take shortcuts and to never complain. He taught you to be tough. He taught you to value winning.

I remember watching you compete daily to get better. Running. But not away from hard — toward it. You ran toward the fire. And you beat it.

So much so, that by the end of your freshman year, everyone was talking about you. All-Freshman Team.

And then things took off.

You know, I don’t think I ever told you in detail what I saw in you — the rare stuff. Actually, it wasn’t just one thing. There were three.

First, your toughness. The bigger the moment, the better you played. Whether it was the state championships with Simeon, the gold medals with USA Basketball, college, the NBA, or now with Panathinaikos — you were built for big moments. That kind of courage? You have always had "it".

Second, your ability to play with other great players. From high school to AAU to international competition to college to the NBA to the EuroLeague, you always knew how to play well with other great players. You made everyone you played with better.

Third, your gift to score. Man, you can flat out put the ball in the basket.

All those things, I had seen flashes of. Before I even met you. I could see the stats, sure — but I felt it too. That you had "it". You have always been willing to make the play that needs to be made to win. You played with courage. You were tough. Physical. Never afraid of contact. Never afraid of the moment or the opponent.

Everyone knew you could score. But not everyone knew what really mattered to you the most — winning.
You always did whatever the team needed to win.

You are a winner, Ken. And you’ve won so much — from high school to USA Basketball to college to the NBA. And now, the EuroLeague.

I still remember the game at Michigan State your freshman year, in front of 14,000 plus fans. People don’t understand how hard it is to play in that building. And you, a freshman, walked in there with your teammates and just got it done. First time you ever played there. Unreal.

Same with that game against Purdue your junior year after missing the previous game for personal reasons. Your courage and toughness were on full display that day. You’re not afraid to fail. And that, for me, is as important as anything - in life and ball.

It’s how you played the game that made people believe. Everyone on the floor played better with you out there. You gave them confidence.

People ask: Is it talent or work ethic?Answer: Both...

Your family, especially your dad, raised you to be a fighter.
But you were also that guy who was willing to come early and stay late. The gym was your best friend. You never betrayed it. You’re a worker. And that’s a lesson that younger players can learn from you — confidence is earned in those quiet, lonely hours. Preparing for the moment when no one is watching. That extra time and work you have put in for years has helped make you into the player you are today.

Speaking of Melvin — your dad — we talked a lot about you. And everything he told me was 100% true.
But one thing I’ll never forget was this:
“Ken is tough and he is a winner.”

And man, he was right…

Your dad kept it real with you.
I remember the message he shared with you when you were not playing as much early in your freshman year. He told me about the conversation.
“You’ve got to get better. Coach wants to win. Figure out what you’ve gotta do to improve. And go do it.”
I’m sure you appreciate those words now more than ever. I know I did then and do even more now.

You were never the guy who ran from pressure.
When it got hard — that’s when you showed up.

You know, I don’t think I ever told you this…

You even made us, the coaches, believe.You gave us that feeling:“Coach, we’re good. We’ll figure it out.”

Whatever the situation was.
And I smile thinking about it now…
One of the best things about coaching a guy like you is that you make us all feel more confident. Because we know you’re out there. That feeling? I’ll never forget it.

Then came that moment...when you left Illinois.
Still one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with in my career.

I was so proud of the senior year you and your team had at Oakland with Coach Kampe. All of us followed your success closely. I will never forget when Melvin called me the night you had your jersey retired there in 2022. I was so happy for you.

As strange as it sounds, I still watch you closely. Even now, in Europe.
I’m not kidding — I love European basketball.
Every season I pick a few teams to study. Religiously.
I’ve watched a lot of your games.
And others.
I know exactly what’s going on with you over there.

And honestly? I’ve even stolen a few ideas from EuroLeague coaches for my own team…

You’ve improved so much.
Your body? It’s different. So much stronger. Clearly, you’ve put in the work.
Your playmaking, your pick-and-roll game? On another level.
You’ve grown, matured.
And you just keep getting better.

I enjoy your success more than you can imagine.
And if I could say just one thing… well, allow me this:

Last May I lost my father.
And it’s impacted how I think about a lot of things.

So from my heart — here’s what I ask:

I don’t know if I’ll ever make it over to Europe, but the things I see in your games? They’re special. Almost magical. The crowd. The passion. The atmosphere. The wins. The impact you have — please, enjoy all of it. Every moment. Don’t take anything for granted. Not a single thing.

And the second thing I want to tell you is this:

I love you, Ken. And I will ALWAYS be pulling for you.