BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Kadar Waller was already comfortable with moving as his family moved when he was young from Texas to Bakersfield. Not only is he about to move back to his original roots to continue playing the game he love, but he's also about to join his fourth school since he started high school.
But you can believe that he's still busy making moves on the court, too.
Following up a solid high school career here in Bakersfield, Waller moved to Maryland to continue his training at Mt. Zion Prep. An opportunity to become a better basketball player and get seen by college coaches.
"Personally it just helped me grow as a man and then basketball-wise. It has helped me evolve my game to be more mature and make the right play," Waller said. "So, just around a whole bunch of people from different areas, but we all had the same goal was to make it to the next level and the level after that."
Before Maryland, Waller had already transitioned from Liberty to Bakersfield Christian for his final year of high school. Giving him the tools to adapt.
"Getting out of my comfort zone, going in different environments, and adapting, and adjusting and just getting something good out of every situation," Waller said.
For the baller who has always been on the move, both on and off the court, he was eager to find a new landing spot in college. But, like for many athletes, the COVID-19 pandemic changed his plans.
"I had a lot of options going into colleges, but unfortunately with the COVID I couldn't take any visits and everything so I felt like the national JUCO route was the best route for me at the time," Waller said. "I’m going to Collin College in Plano, Texas."
The pandemic never changed his passion.
"Last month and a half, two months we were working out like pretty much every day working on my jump shot but this a blessing I've been out getting my head down and getting in the gym with my best friends and my brother and really grind," Waller said.
While he keeps working in the gym until he leaves for Texas on August 18, he'll make sure to pass any knowledge off to the next Waller in line.
"It feels good to see my little brother grow up," Waller said.
And the next BCHS Eagle, Bentley Waller.
"He’s tall, he’s almost the same height as me, we’re almost eye-to-eye so it feels good working out with my brother, teaching him everything I learned now, and him learning it at a young age so I feel he’s going to be great. number one in the nation, I feel," Waller said.
And when I ask Kadar what's to follow Collin College, his answer is simple and kind of predictable.
"Wherever it takes me I’ll go," Waller said with a smile.
But you can expect a basketball to be a part of those plans.
"And, it's what I love to do so I want to eventually be able to take care of my family doing the thing I love," Waller said.
