Christian Kirk commits to Missouri State basketball (Updated with Kirk quotes)

Christian Kirk

It’s official. Missouri State basketball coach Cuonzo Martin has landed his first local recruit — Christian Kirk.

“After talking to the coaching staff and my family, I felt Missouri State was my best bet to become a better basketball player and a better man,” Kirk said.

Kirk committed to Missouri State basketball Wednesday night. Kirk also had offers from Creighton, Southern Illinois, Iowa, Murray State, Saint Louis and Loyola (Chicago), he said.

The 6-foot-7 senior who averaged 17.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while shooting 58.5 percent from the field as a junior at St. Charles West will meet with Martin Thursday to confirm his commitment face to face, Kirk said.

Of course, Kirk has a lot of MSU history. He’s the younger brother of Kyle Kirk, who was recruited to Missouri State out of Kickapoo by Barry Hinson in 2005 and Hannah Kirk, who played for the Lady Bears in the mid-2000s. Kirk downplayed his family lineage, saying he could have chosen a Big 10 school, but liked the area and Martin’s demeanor.

“I never really thought about (my brother and sister) when making the decision,” Kirk said. “A lot of people to me I’m going  because of my brother or sister, but that’s not the case. The school and program is a lot different than when they went there.

“I really like Coach Martin. He doesn’t beat around the bush. He’s not there to baby you. He tells you what you need to improve and you do it. He said he thinks I can come in a be a big part of the program.”

Kirk also said that Martin and his staff said they like the workmanship of Kirk’s game, using his 6-7, 215-pound frame to get post position and his 36-inch vertical leap to dunk of defenders.

If his name sounds familiar to local basketball fans for his own play, there’s a reason. Kirk attended Kickapoo as a freshman, but transferred to St. Charles West for his sophomore and junior years. According to MSHAA spokesman Jason West, Kirk will have to satisfy terms of MSHSAA’s transfer policy to gain his eligibility. That issue should be resolved in the coming weeks.

“I actually moved back down because of some family health issues I needed to take care of,” Kirk said in a previous TAGsgf.com article. “My dad was kind of sick so I’m back down in Springfield helping him out. I know everyone there (at Kickapoo) since I went to elementary and middle school with them so I have a pretty good relationship with all of them. I’ve played in a couple team camps with them, one at Missouri State and another in Kansas City. We should have a pretty good team; we look pretty good.”

Last week, Branson senior Avery Dingman chose Creighton over Missouri State leaving Martin without a local recruit throughout his two-plus season tenure.

Looking forward, Kirk will join an already experienced Kickapoo roster that features Pump ‘N Run teammate Brodie Wingert, as well as fellow senior starters Cody Anderson, Tyler Hall and Chris Underwood.