Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Coronado grad plays pro hoops in Europe

Mike Kale

Courtesy photo

Kale

While most high school basketball players dream of reaching the NBA, Coronado coach Paul Berg said former Cougar Mike Kale's dreams were more realistic.

A workhorse who spent hours practicing in the Coronado gym, Kale always told coaches he wanted to play professionally in Europe. Four years later, Kale is in Bosnia playing for the Siroki Eronet.

After leaving Coronado, Kale, 22, averaged 4.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in three years for the University of Idaho.

Kale earned his degree in business management last May with a year left of eligibility. But he decided it was time to test the European waters.

"It was just time to move on," Kale said. "They asked me to come back and I really thought about it, but I felt like I had gotten everything I could out of college. I wanted to see what was out there for me."

Using contacts he had made through former college teammates as well as his father, a Croatian citizen, Kale was given a tryout with Siroki Eronet. Rather than attend a workout in front of his possible future coaches, Kale was put into a game on Sept. 6.

"They threw me right in," he said. "I wouldn't say I was nervous, probably more excited. I had my adrenaline going and I wanted to do my best. The style of play over there is not as fast as college ball in the United States and that works to my advantage."

Kale posted 11 points and 14 rebounds in his first game and signed a contract that night.

"I always knew that if Mike got a little stronger and kept working on his skills he could go as far as he wanted," Berg said. "He had a big frame and just needed to build that up. Now he's 6 feet, 8 inches and 203 pounds — he's a beast."

Kale said the communication barrier caused by the language difference can be a difficult hurdle to overcome. He has only one American teammate and a coach who speaks little English.

"It can be real rough. Our coach will pull me aside sometimes and try to explain things to me, but his English is really broken," he said. "I have to watch what everyone else does and try to copy them."

Despite the communication breakdowns, Kale said the most difficult part is being far away from his family in Henderson. His mother and stepfather, Barbara and Fred Spierer, said the distance has been difficult on them as well.

"Obviously we wish he was closer," Fred Spierer said. "I know it gets lonely for him but we talk on weekends and get the scoop on how he's doing. But, he's living his dream and getting paid to do it. A parent can't really want more than that."

Though he's still a bit overwhelmed, Kale said the bigger picture has not been lost on him.

"When I start missing home or anything I just think about what it is that I'm doing here," Kale said. "I get to play basketball for a living. I dreamed about this my whole life and now I'm doing it."

Jared Harmon can be reached at 990-8922 or [email protected].

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