By: Jesus Vargas
On Thursday, May 2nd, the Meridian Sports reporter interviewed Lehman’s rising basketball star, Kai Parris, who was recently named 2nd team All-Met, an award of recognition for being one of the best athletes in the entire metropolitan area. Kai is a Junior majoring in Recreational Education whose love for the sport is instilled in his daily routine.
The Meridian: What interested you in joining the Lehman basketball team?
Kai Parris: I began my journey when I attended Westchester Community College. Shortly after my season ended, Lehman's basketball head coach Steven Schulman showed interest in me and wanted to recruit me. I was hesitant at first and was unsure of what school I would attend. Midway in September 2022 I reached out to Coach Schulman and said “I wanna play.” Basketball has impacted my life as a student in a positive way. You have to stay focused on your grades and keep your head down in the books. It teaches discipline and accountability.
No one man is above the team.
Through his journey, Kai battled adversity. “It’s different when you're not scoring as much and other teams aren’t paying you mind versus them having a specific game plan just for you.”
The Meridian: How do you balance individual performance with playing as part of a team?
Kai Parris: You have to go out there and try and win no matter what. My mindset in the game is to help my teammates get better as the game progresses.
This year, I did have to adjust to the different plans and strategies other teams would throw at me. Coming into the 2024 season, I needed to hit the weight room and build strength because I was getting tired of being pushed around in the game. I needed to get used to playing with two people in front of me instead of one to sharpen my skills.
Kai’s greatest strengths on the court are his mid-range shot and athleticism. Weighing 185 pounds and towering over the court at a height of 6' 7", he can jump explosively and block shots. Even so, he never settles for less than perfection. Right now, he's looking to improve his 3-point shooting and handling the basketball.
The Meridian: How do you feel about this past season and the way it ended?
Kai Parris: Truthfully, I think this was a great season. As a team, we overcame adversity and persevered throughout that entire season. We started 0-5 ... and nobody thought we were gonna make it to the championship, let alone the playoffs. As for the championship game, I'm still upset about that. I feel like we could have won, but I can't dwell on it now. ... I gotta move on to next year.
Kai scored more than any other player on either team in that game with a total of 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. He leads his team in points, free throws, and minutes played, and he’s 3rd in rebounding and 2nd in blocks. Whenever people ask him how he handles the pressure, he responds saying he "[doesn’t] see it as pressure, it's all about performing my best and trying to win.”
The Meridian: When asked about the rivalry between Lehman and Baruch’s basketball team Kai said;
Kai Parris: we're the 2 best teams in CUNY and it’s always been the two best teams going at it for the past few years so I guess you could call it a rivalry.
The Meridian: Are there any last words you'd like to share on the upcoming season and whoever Lehman plays?
Kai Parris: They better be ready, 'cause I’ll be ready.
