Kenyon DeMuynck Is Making History — and Just Getting Started
He didn't pick up a basketball seriously until high school. Now he's the first junior college player to sweep the North Coast Conference's top honors.
Kenyon DeMuynck erases opponents’ shots on the court with his 6-foot-9 frame and his 7-foot-3 wingspan. His long arms and impeccable timing have enabled him to lead the state in blocks, averaging more than 3.7 per game. DeMuynck, an Oakland native, attributes his success to his strong work ethic and his teammates’ communication on the court.
Coach Justin Labagh’s help defense has been a big part of that success. If his teammate shouts “baseline” to him, DeMuynck knows to slide over and contest the opponent’s shot at the rim. Communication like that has helped make DeMuynck the first junior college player to win Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and co-MVP of the North Coast Conference.
Late Start, Fast Rise
Fans might be surprised to learn that DeMuynck did not start playing basketball for a team, or, as he puts it, “taking it seriously,” until high school. The East Bay native grew up playing at local parks in Oakland, where his parents are from.
Head coach Labagh said of DeMuynck: “He’s still learning how to play basketball, but he’s got an open mind, and he plays really hard. He’s been a pleasure to coach, so with him, it’s my job – because I only have him for this little part of time – to just pivot him in a direction.”
“Hopefully, he picks up some good habits here and carries that on… and it helps him when he’s getting through adversity,” Labagh said.
DeMuynck recalls feeling sluggish until he worked on his footwork, becoming the agile player he is today. “I worked on my feet... I feel like anyone can do it if they put the work in,” he said.
The Shot Blocker
When asked about the roots of his player’s defensive prowess, Labagh explained: “[DeMuynck’s] an anomaly. He has impeccable timing, and I think that’s his biggest [strength], and he goes for everything.”
“Half of [blocking shots] is just making the decision like, ‘I’m going to go for it and try to alter the shot.’ You add in his length and his ability to jump and his timing, and you have an elite shot blocker. That’s a big part of our defense,” Labagh said.
Regarding the Rams’ suffocating press, DeMuynck explained that he had never pressed as he does with Labagh’s squad. “I like that Coach [Labagh] is so serious about our press. I’ve never pressed the whole game before, so it’s a whole new aspect.”
“And it’s fun – teams don’t know what to do because we’re playing hard. And if we get tired, [a] new five [comes] in, [does] the same thing, and [we] repeat,” he added.
DeMuynck can also elevate with the best of them, using his exceptional wingspan and “hops” to throw down thunderous dunks. He hopes to become a consistent scorer at all three levels: the paint, midrange and beyond the arc.
Labagh cites DeMuynck’s effort as the main reason for his player’s emergence as a defensive force. The coach recently celebrated his 600th career win Feb. 13 against Chabot, a milestone DeMuynck’s shot-blocking presence has helped fuel.
Beyond the Blocks
Labagh said that Kenyon is a ray of sunshine off the court as well: “He’s great – everyone loves him, his teachers love him. The nice thing is that I get a lot of compliments from people who don’t know him personally, but they do just say, ‘Hey, this guy is a nice guy – he says hi to everybody. He has a big smile on his face all the time…’ Those are the kids you want to coach.”
Despite DeMuynck’s lack of basketball experience relative to his peers, Labagh believes the sky is the limit for the defensive stopper. “He’s definitely Division 1 [material]. I think that if he can kind of transform his body – he has to gain a lot of weight – and guys develop late… It’s hard to project them because his best basketball is definitely a couple of years ahead of him.”
DeMuynck credits his support system for allowing him to blossom into the player he is today. “Shoutout to my trainer [David Moore aka “DMo” and] my brother. My family [is] always pushing me not just to do one side of the floor, but to value both sides.”
He also thanks his mom and brother for their support at the games: “My mom’s always there recording… that helps a lot, always getting film to send out to coaches. She’s always screaming– I even hear it in the videos…I got videos of my brother skipping around when I get a dunk.”
Fans can expect many more dunks and blocks in DeMuynck’s future. The high-flying player is determined to give everything he has towards the playoffs, keeping in mind that defense and focused effort win championships.
