Kanon Catchings looking to become family’s next basketball star
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (BVM) – Brownsburg High School junior Kanon Catchings has quickly emerged into one of the top high school basketball prospects in the state of Indiana. For many, it’s no surprise considering the weight that the Catchings family name holds when it comes to basketball across the Midwest.
Catchings’ mom, Tauja Catchings, was a 2,000-point scorer, two-time state champion and Miss Basketball award winner during her high school career at Adlai E. Stevenson in Illinois. Tauja went on to become a first-team All-Big Ten player for the Illinois Fighting Illini where she was the first player to rack up more than 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, 300 assists and 200 steals before playing briefly in the WNBA.
Meanwhile, Kanon’s aunt, Tamika Catchings, had an even more decorated career on the hardwood. Also a star at Adlai E. Stevenson and later Duncanville High School in Texas, Tamika went on to become a national champion, All-American and Naismith College Player of the Year with the Tennessee Lady Vols.
From there, Tamika had a legendary 15-year WNBA career with the Indiana Fever. Over the course of her 15 years as a pro, she was a 10-time All-Star, five-time Defensive Player of the Year, league MVP, and WNBA Finals champion and MVP. Tamika concluded her incredible career as the WNBA’s all-time leader in steals, as well as the league’s leader in points, rebounds and steals in postseason play.
Now, the next generation of the Catchings family is looking to follow what Tauja and Tamika accomplished, and that begins with Kanon. While the 6-foot-8 forward relishes coming from such an accomplished basketball family, he is also looking to make his own name in the sport while exceeding some of the expectations that have been placed on him.
“I feel a little bit of pressure, but it’s pretty good,” Kanon said. “I’m just trying to separate myself from what my aunt and my mom were.”
Yet, Kanon has always looked up to both his mom and aunt. For him, not only have they served as role models, but they have also provided plenty of basketball knowledge that he has been able to apply to his young basketball career.
“I’d say one of my biggest role models is my mother,” Kanon said. “I never really saw her play that much, but sometimes, it’s good to hear all these good things about my mom … I was able to take away from her how hard you have to work to be able to be great at what you want to do, and also, the focus that’s required.”
From Tamika, Kanon has learned the importance of the defensive end of the floor, and also what it takes to be a leader. Growing up, he was able to witness that first hand as he watched his aunt play with the Fever.
“I remember going to a lot of her games when I was younger,” Kanon said. “I remember when she went to the championship, and I remember all the practices … Now days, she just tells me, ‘If you want to be able to do what I did, you have to work hard.’ I just try to listen to her.”
Playing professionally like his aunt is something Kanon hopes to replicate someday, and is a goal he has set since he first stepped foot on the hardwood.
“I think I have what it takes as long as I can stay on the course I am on now,” Kanon said. “That would mean a lot to me and my family. It’s something I’ve always been dreaming of ever since I started playing basketball.”
It will be a long journey to get to the pros someday for the junior forward, but he is already on the right path. After beginning his organized basketball career in second grade, Kanon didn’t take long to thrive, realizing his great potential by his middle school years.
As he entered high school in 2020, Kanon began by playing on JV, looking to prove his talent further at the next level with Brownsburg. However, he admits that the adjustment to the high school level took some time, and he may not quite have been ready for it in his first season.
“The adjustment, I think I just wasn’t strong enough at the time, and probably not as mentally strong as I am now. Physically, I wasn’t ready.”
However, the year would prove to be beneficial for Kanon. Working hard after realizing what it was going to take to succeed, while also continuing to grow physically, he returned to the floor as a sophomore on Brownsburg’s varsity squad. Throughout last season, Kanon showcased his high upside, averaging 11.6 points and three rebounds while shooting over 42% from 3-point range.
“I developed more maturity, just realizing that if I want something, I have to go get it,” Kanon said. “I was surprised at how I did my sophomore season because I didn’t know how it would go after the first one.”
Coming off a strong sophomore campaign, Kanon excelled throughout the spring and summer playing AAU basketball with Indy Heat. Not only did it help improve his game by turning him into a more well-rounded player, but it also put him further on the recruiting radar.
2024 wing Kanon Catchings continued to turn flashes into productivity over the course of the summer with @indyheatgymrats.
Rangy 6-6 with two-way tools. Grown into a knockdown shooter — connected on 44% of no dribble jumpers and 41% on all 3PT. Nephew of Tamika Catchings. pic.twitter.com/VdUXlmqXdG
— Max Feldman (@MaxFeldman6) August 5, 2022
Currently, the Brownsburg junior is a three-star recruit who is ranked No. 116 nationally in the Class of 2024. He is also the third-ranked player in his class in the Hoosier State. It’s been an impressive rise that Kanon hopes to keep going during his junior season.
“This year, some of my goals are to make Indiana Junior All-Stars, and being able to help my team go as far as we can in the postseason,” Kanon said.
So far, the 6-foot-8 forward has more than lived up to the expectations. While it’s still early in the season, Brownsburg has gotten off to an undefeated start, and Kanon is showing further improvement and athleticism in his game, averaging around 20 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.
Kanon Catchings with 33 on Saturday vs. #6 Chesterton 🔥
He’s averaging 20 points, 7 rebounds, and almost 2 steals through six games.#BulldogTough pic.twitter.com/IAkkDtND0E
— Brownsburg Athletics (@bhsdogs) December 12, 2022
— kanon catchings (@kanoncatchings) November 19, 2022
“It’s been pretty good so far,” Kanon said. “We’re undefeated. It can’t get much better than that.”
While he still has a couple of high school seasons to play out, many are already looking ahead to Kanon’s future. Although he was garnering some other interest from additional Big Ten schools, including his mom’s alma mater in Illinois, this past September, the Brownsburg standout verbally committed to Purdue.
#BoilerUp #commited ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/1pdtLYxgfw
— kanon catchings (@kanoncatchings) September 3, 2022
“I think I knew I was ready to commit when I took my official visit on Sept. 1,” Kanon said. “It means a lot that they picked me.”
With his commitment, Kanon became the second player in Purdue’s 2024 class, joining another Indiana product in Brownstown Central shooting guard Jack Benter. It continues a trend for the team who is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation, as the Boilermakers will also add Heritage Christian standout Myles Colvin in 2023 after bringing in in-state products like Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman and Caleb Furst in recent years.
Off to a perfect 10-0 start in 2022-23, it is clear the strategy of keeping Indiana’s best in-state is paying off for Matt Painter and company. With Kanon’s recent rise on the hardwood, he could be an integral part of the Boilermakers’ future success.
“Once I’m in college, I just want to play as many games as possible,” Kanon said. “Hopefully I’ll be an All-Big Ten player by the time I leave college.”
The legacy left by Tauja and Tamika on the basketball court will never be forgotten in Illinois and Indiana. No one knows exactly what the future holds, but there is little doubt that it is a bright one for Kanon as well. Sooner than later, he very well could be the next Catchings that people reminisce about in the Hoosier State.
