Kelly Komara started her basketball career at Purdue with a bang on Nov. 15, 1998--in her first college game, she came off the bench to nail a three-pointer that helped the Boilermakers defeat defending national champion Tennessee, and end the Lady Vols' 46-game winning streak. The victory was a good omen, as Purdue went to win the 1999 national championship.

A native of Schererville, Ind., Komara was named Indiana Miss Basketball and second-team Parade All American after averaging 21.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 4.4 steals per game as a senior at Lake Central High School.

The 5'7" guard averaged 5.3 points while appearing in all 35 games her freshman year at Purdue, and last season doubled her output to 10.9 points per game. This season, Komara is averaging 8.7 points per game while hitting more than 40 percent of her three-point shots for the 22-4 Boilermakers, who are currently ranked number six in the Gball rankings.

In the following interview, Komara talks about the importance of playing defense, looking up to Michael Jordan, and her goal of someday becoming a coach.

Gball: When did you first start playing basketball?
Komara: Basketball wasn't my first sport, softball was. I got into basketball around third or fourth grade. Where I'm from, they had biddy-ball leagues, and my dad was the coach. So I started playing then.

When did you start to get good at it?
Early on, I was one of the shortest players, and at that age, usually the tallest players are the best, since nobody can jump that high. I wasn't really good when I was younger, but it was in my freshman and sophomore years in high school when I realized I might be able to get a scholarship.

You were named Indiana Miss Basketball in high school, which is pretty big honor in that state.
Growing up, I wasn't even aware that there was such as an award, because my hometown is so much closer to Chicago than any big city in Indiana. I hadn't heard of it until my freshman year in high school, when Stephanie White-McCarty, who I played with my first year at Purdue, won it as a high school senior. But it had been a dream of mine since that freshman year.

What spurred your choice to attend Purdue?
It was really important for me to be close to home. I like having my friends and family come to my games, and Purdue was probably the best school nearest my hometown. Plus, Purdue had an incredible coaching staff. I was recruited by Nell Fortner, who became the U.S. Women's National Team Coach, and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to play for her. Plus, I knew half the team, having played with them or against them in Indiana. So it was a perfect situation.

You didn't actually play for Coach Fortner, though--Carolyn Peck became the Head Coach for your freshman year at Purdue. What was she like to play for?
She's an incredible coach. I came in my freshman year, and we got right down to business. She had such a great personality, and made not only the players, but their families and the fans, so comfortable, it was like a family atmosphere. Every time Coach Peck walked into a room, she just commanded your attention and respect.

How would you compare your current coach, Kristy Curry, to Coach Peck?
They're very similar in a lot of ways, but they also have differences. Coach Curry is at slight disadvantage in the height area, but they're both very competitive. Coach Curry is one of those coaches who would do anything for her players‹she's really genuine and caring. She just had a baby this summer, so she's taken a mothering approach to the team this year, especially since we have four or five freshman. She's had to take a more calm approach to things. But they're both great coaches.

Not too many freshmen can come in and win the National Championship during their first year. When you look back at that season, do any highlights stand out?
Well, the season started off with us beating Tennessee, who came in ranked number one, as the defending national champions. I was a freshman sitting on the bench at Mackey Arena at what was basically my first collegiate game. I got the call to come in and 12 seconds later I knock down a three-pointer. That kind of set the tone for the rest of the season. That whole year was incredible and to be able to win the national championship on top of that was a dream come true.

What was the toughest thing about making the jump from high school to college ball?
If I could give advice to any high school player coming into NCAA Division I basketball, one of the things that I've noticed playing here is that everything that you do--every pass, every shot, every pick, your defensive game--is 100 percent. You see kids who score 2,000 or 3,000 points in high school--they're not going to score that many points in college, because the defense is so great. To be a great collegiate player, you have to be a great defensive player, and I think a lot of people overlook that. They want to talk about how many points or assists you get. That's all well and great, but if you can't play defense in Division I, you're not going to be a great player.

Who's been the toughest player for you to guard?
I'd have to say Brandi McCain from Florida. She's one of the quickest players I've ever guarded--every time she got the ball, you have to play two or three feet off of her or she would just blow by you like you were standing still.

Did you have any basketball players as role models growing up?
Living so close to Chicago, I always loved the Bulls and Michael Jordan. That's a typical answer from a lot of people, but we got to go to two or three Bulls games every season, even before they were really good. To see the way Michael Jordan handled himself--not just on the court, but off it, too--just made him one of the best role models in the game.

Kids nowadays have the WNBA to look up, and players like Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie. Girls in my age group didn't have that growing up, so we looked to the Michael Jordans, Magic Johnsons, and Isiah Thomases from the NBA.

You've mentioned that you play an all-out style. One of the things sometimes overlooked about Michael Jordan is that he was so competitive and hated to lose.
I was watching the NBA All-Star Game last weekend and hearing what the commentators had to say about the game changing so much--there's no defense, no intensity, and most of the players don't even start playing until the postseason. But the thing that set Michael Jordan apart from everyone else is that he played 100-percent, full out every game. You can take a lot from that, not just as a basketball player, but as a person in everything you do. If you give everything you have, you're going to be successful.

What parts of your game have come the furthest since your freshman year?
I think my defensive game. Like I said before, coming from high school, the toughest thing to get used to in college is having to play defense for 40 minutes. The coaches I've had here have helped to turn me into one of the better defensive players on our team. Without defense, you're not going to produce offense.

Purdue is ranked in the Top 10 right now, even though your team has suffered a few injuries. How are things looking as you approach the postseason?
In the beginning of the season, it's really hard, especially when you have so many new players, to jell a mix of new and old. One of the things I noticed during my freshman year was that one of the reasons we were so successful is that we had so many leaders. Any team can be successful if you have leadership, and Katie Douglas and Camille Cooper are obviously the two main leaders on our team, especially in the way they conduct themselves on and off the court. That trickles down to our freshmen, and has helped us to jell more quickly.

You've got one more year at Purdue. Have you thought about what you'd like to do after you graduate?
I'm getting my degree in education and will hopefully become a teacher. But more than anything, now that I've played college basketball for three years, I think coaching is the way I want to go. A lot of players can play the game, but not too many can think the game. I believe I can think the game, so I'd like to take that on and become a coach.

I've coached a bit at basketball camps at Purdue, and enjoyed that a lot. But I don't know if I could coach too much of the younger kids--I think I'd have to go to a higher level, because I'm not too patient when it comes to coaching.

Have you thought about the WNBA at all?
Oh gosh, yes. Even if I just got the chance to try out, I'd definitely go for it. You never know, there might be some team looking for a scrappy little girl who's out there hustling her butt off. So I'd love to take a crack at it.

In the Purdue media guide, you listed 'N Sync as your favorite musical group. Who's your favorite member?
[lots of laughter] The reason I put that down is that I was in the airport this summer picking up a couple of my friends, and 'N Sync was on the same flight as my friends. They were just cool guys--they looked like my brother or the guys who I would've hung out with in high school. So I had to list them as my favorite group, because it was so funny that I got to meet them. But I don't have a favorite member--I think they're all pretty cool.

Photos courtesy of Purdue University Sports Information.

Interview conducted by Gball Associate Editor Jim Catalano.


Check out last year's q&a's by clicking here