Kadeem Allen took lessons from Hutch, Eck to Arizona

. For a star athlete, humility can be hard to come by. Especially when you get to the level Arizona junior guard Kadeem Allen got to before he got the biggest dose of it in his entire life.

And while Allen may have had to take a step back from the path he was on because of it, he never lost his focus. And headed into Thursday’s South Regional opener against Wichita State at the Dunkin Donuts Center, he was quick to point out where he learned some of the lessons that helped guide him.

“Steve Eck,” Allen said. “Coach Eck taught me a lot, man. He’s very unique, a very good coach and a very religious man. He cares about his players more than anything. He doesn’t care what anybody thinks about him, he just wants what’s best for his players and for the team.”

Allen, Arizona’s 6-foot-3 junior combo guard, played for Eck for two seasons at Hutchinson Community College. He was a two-time NJCAA All-American and the 2014 NJCAA Player of the Year.

He picked Arizona over Kansas and Cincinnati before his sophomore season.

“I just really wanted to get out of the state,” Allen said. “The University of Kansas is a great place to play basketball, but the cold was really getting to me.”

But when he showed up on Arizona’s palm tree-lined campus to play for Coach Sean Miller in the fall of 2014, it quickly became apparent he wasn’t ready to play Division I basketball.

Miller wanted him to redshirt and the top junior-college recruit found himself on the sideline for an entire season.

“At first, it was really hard,” Allen said. “But you know what? I wasn’t ready, physically or mentally. Sitting out ended up being the best thing for me, to see how (Miller) wants his team to run and how he wants things done.”

Eck said he wasn’t surprised that Allen had to redshirt.

“He would’ve wasted a year,” said Eck, whose team earned a zone bid to the NJCAA Tournament and defeated Moberly (Mo.) in Wednesday’s second round. “He also needed to get his academics in order. They were alright, but that first year in Division I he probably needed a little more help to get adjusted.”

Eck also wasn’t surprised by how Allen handled his redshirt season — instead of pouting, he worked harder. And, like he said, he learned what Miller expected.

“He was the best player in the country, but if you had to chew him out, you could do it and he would just come back harder,” Eck said. “He was a great player, the best player in the country. One thing a juco does for you, it makes you grow up. You either become a man or you (flame) out ... Kadeem became a man.”

A player that’s become a key piece for the Wildcats this season. Allen has moved into a starting role, averages 8.3 points and 3.6 assists and has scored in double digits the last two games. He’ll likely find himself matched up with WSU senior guard Ron Baker on Thursday.

“I’m excited, it should be a lot of fun going out and competing with (Wichita State),” Allen said. “They’re a great team in the postseason, and we’re a great team. It’s going to be a gritty game.”

This story was originally published March 16, 2016 at 9:19 PM with the headline "Kadeem Allen took lessons from Hutch, Eck to Arizona."