By Anthony Shingler | Assistant Sports Editor

Kyle Duncan, recently signed a one-year professional contract with CSM Oradea of Romania. The former APSU basketball star ended his senior season with a loss to Bradley in the CollegeInsider.com tournament.

When asked if he would hang up the shoes after his final collegiate game Duncan said, “I knew I wanted to give it a shot, I wasn’t going to quit basketball.”

“Basketball is all I have known and I have the confidence in my ability that I could play at the next level.”
As Duncan prepares for the upcoming season, he feels the hardest part of the transition will be the distance from his family.

“I am doing a lot of running, playing ball everyday and mentally preparing to be that far away from my family,” said Duncan about getting ready for the season. “That is going to be the hardest part, harder than anything physical.”

CSM Oradea has finished in 14th place of out 16 teams in both the 2008 and 2009 seasons. However, Duncan remains positive about his new team.

“To be honest, I expect to continue the winning tradition I was a part of at Austin Peay,” said Duncan. Before CSM Oradea’s two-year winning drought they had success, finishing first in Romania’s B Division in 2005 and fifth place out of 16 teams in the A Division in 2006.

As Duncan prepares mentally for playing professional basketball in Romania, he has the help of Former APSU stars DJ (Derek) Wright, Fernandez Lockett and Maurice “Squeaky” Hampton telling him what the experience is going to be like and how to adjust to the new experience.

Duncan becomes the sixth player since 2006 to sign a professional basketball contract joining Wright, Lockett, Hampton, Tomas Janusauskas and Todd Babington who have all signed deals. Former APSU star Drake Reed is currently in talks with teams overseas but nothing has been signed.

“I have talked with several teams. It’s a lot. But I do not remember most of them, so we should be closing a deal sometime soon.”

– Anthony Shingler, Asst. Sports Editor