If the Kent State men’s basketball program is going to be in the upper echelon of an ever changing Mid-American Conference and compete for a championship in 2025-2026, several things are going to need to happen.
First, the returning players will have to improve and take the next step. With the momentum of Head Coach Rob Senderoff’s contract extension and a renewed commitment in the program from administration, every player that could return to Kent State with the exception of sophomore forward Donny Hunter, is returning.
The core group of guards Cian Medley, Jamal Sumlin along with wing Morgan Safford and front court piece Rico Gillespie will be asked to help lead the group.
But, several important newcomers will be asked to step up as well.
For the last 25 years and perhaps beyond, Kent State has long been a program where players can go and get another chance, renew their reputation, and their game, while contributing to winning at a high level.
Kent State is hoping the transfers of Rayvon Griffith (Cincinnati) and Rob Whaley Jr. (UNLV) will be key pieces in this season’s success.
Speaking to Ken Cross on the “Marching to Madness” podcast on May 16, Senderoff spoke about both players.
“What I’m most excited for both of them is they have individually a lot to prove, and I think those guys really do well here at Kent too,” Senderoff told Cross. “Our program is not a pretty boy program if that makes sense. It’s not made for guys who everything has been given to and have had things handed to them on a silver platter. This is not a great place for guys like that. This is a really good place for guys who have a chip on their shoulder and have something to prove and using those two guys, that’s what I’m most excited for.”
Griffith, comes to Kent after two years at Cincinnati. After a decorated High School career at Taft in Cincinnati where he won a State Championship as a Junior, Griffith redshirted the first year at UC in the 2023-2024 season. Last season, Griffith was limited to 19 games and played sparingly. A 6-6, 210 pound wing, Griffith was ranked as high as number 54 nationally as a player, including the nation’s 11th rated small forward by 247Sports. Griffith and KSU assistant Jalen Avery had a connection due to Avery being from the Cincy area.
“Rayvon was a top 75 player in the country coming out of high school,” Senderoff told Cross. “I think some places I saw him as high as a top 50 player coming out of high school, so he goes to Cincinnati. He redshirted his first year and played sparingly this year. He’s got an opportunity here at Kent to sort of get his name back as a player because people have forgotten about him.”
“It’s a “what have you done” for me lately type world that we were in, and people have forgotten about him because he really hasn’t seen the court in the last two years so he has an opportunity here, because of all the that guys we’ve graduated to really step in and get his name back and let people understand “I’m a pretty good player,” just didn’t have a great opportunity at Cincinnati, because they’ve had some pretty good players too.”
Whaley Jr. comes to Kent State from UNLV. A back injury cut his season short last season, but in 2023-2024 appeared in all 34 games, starting 16, averaging 7.6 points per game. A 6-7, 270 pound skilled forward, Whaley’s father Rob Whaley Sr, was the 51st overall pick of the Utah Jazz in the 2005 draft. At Kent State he gets to get his game back and reunite with family. His cousin is Gillespie. The first order of business for Whaley Jr. will be to get his weight into playing shape and conditioning levels improved.
“And Rob, was one of the top 10 to 15 junior college players in the country,” Senderoff told Cross. “He had a huge impact on UNLV’s program two years ago. At the beginning of the year he didn’t play a ton, and then as the year wore on he played more and more and their team was much much better the more he played at UNLV and they made a really good run in the NIT two years ago. He got hurt this past year and didn’t play. He put on some weight during that injury and right now he’s training and trying to get himself back.”
If Griffith and Whaley Jr. can get their name and game back, Kent State will have a roster as talented any they’ve had in recent years.
“And if those things all align, if he has that chip on his shoulder, if Rayvon has that chip on his shoulder, and is out to prove those things, boy those guys are gonna have unbelievable years here at Kent and they’re going to add tremendous, tremendous value to our program because they have great experience. They’ve played against really good competition. They’re older, they’re really good, talented players and they’re also winning players,” Senderoff said.
SAFFORD UPDATE: Senderoff gave an update on Safford, who was out the second half of last season after having surgery.
“Morgan Safford had hurt himself in July and tried to play through the injury but really couldn’t, and had to stop playing and have surgery in December so he’s back, and the year prior to him getting hurt , averaged 15 points a game in the league, really, really good player so he’s back. I’d say he’s probably about 80/90 percent, close to 100 percent.”
COACHES CARAVAN: Kent State athletics announced the Coaches Caravan event will be held June 30 at Sibling Revelry in Westlake. Senderoff and women’s Head Coach Todd Starkey are attending to discuss their upcoming seasons.
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