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Benet’s Brady Kunka got to see a lot of Division III basketball games while he was growing up.
He spent countless hours in the car with his father driving to various small colleges in Illinois and Wisconsin.
“My dad is a huge Division III basketball fan. So is my stepdad,” Kunka said. “I went to a lot of games growing up, and just seeing guys come through Division III who were really, really good, I knew that’s not going to be a step down if you don’t go to a higher-level school.”
Kunka’s father, Dave, played basketball at Illinois Wesleyan. His stepfather is Keith Bunkenburg, who played at Benedictine from 1984 to 1988 and later coached the Eagles from 1995 to 2022, including a trip to the NCAA Division III national championship game in 2016.
Kunka is following in their footsteps. The 6-foot-4 senior guard recently committed to DePauw, a Division III school in Greencastle, Indiana.
Kunka chose DePauw — whose most famous former player is Brad Stevens, the Boston Celtics’ president of basketball operations — over St. Norbert and Trine.
“Those were the three schools that recruited me from the beginning,” Kunka said. “I felt those three were the ones that wanted me the most, which was important to me, not just a place everyone else thinks is good or I think is good.
“I wanted to go to a place where I felt wanted and I felt comfortable. The coaches knew me and my game. Overall, it was the school I felt was the best fit.”
DePauw went 18-9 this past season under first-year coach Rusty Loyd. Kunka hopes to earn playing time as a freshman.
Benet coach Gene Heidkamp is pleased for Kunka.
“It’s a great opportunity for him,” Heidkamp said. “The school and the basketball program sound like they’re a great fit for him.
“I think they’re going to be very pleased with the type of player and type of worker and type of leader that he is. They’re getting an excellent player and a great person, so I think it’s a win-win.”
The Redwings did a lot of winning with Kunka on the floor. The three-year varsity player and two-year starter tied for the team lead in scoring as a junior and led in scoring and rebounding as a senior.
Kunka averaged 12.9 points and 6.3 rebounds and shot 54% as a senior, helping the Redwings (35-2) finish second in Class 4A. He was named third-team all-state by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and an honorable mention by The Associated Press.
Kunka is the fourth member of Benet’s senior class to commit to play in college. He joins Niko Abusara (Dartmouth), Brayden Fagbemi (Johns Hopkins) and Andy Nash (Carthage).
“His best basketball is in front of him, and he’s a pretty solid player right now,” Heidkamp said. “He brings a lot of intangibles.
“He shoots the three well. He scores around the basket well for his size. For a guard, he’s as good of an offensive rebounder as you’re going to find because he’s got toughness and he’s got a nose for the ball. He goes after every rebound, which is unique for somebody his size.”
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Although he attended a few Division I games over the years, Kunka said he knew Division III schools were more his size.
“I kind of understood that from the beginning,” he said. “Obviously, I’m not going to be the biggest, strongest or fastest or whatever, but I can bring a lot of the intangibles and things that affect winning.
“I grew up around Division III basketball. I know it’s a very high level of basketball, so I was super happy when a bunch of Division III schools started recruiting me. I’m very excited for picking one.”
Kunka also is glad he picked Benet.
“I think Benet is one of, if not the best, high schools in the state, both academically and athletically,” Kunka said. “There’s some good college-level courses that students take, and I’ve taken a few, so I feel like academically I’m prepared better than I could ever imagine.
“And athletically, since day one, coach Heidkamp and his assistant coaches opened up the gym for me, giving me a chance to get in there and get better. The coaches and all the guys that I’ve played with are a huge part of me being able to commit to the next level.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
