Photo by Garrett Curtis/The Choate News
Whether you are walking through the dining hall or strolling down the paths, you will surely notice Killian Gribben ’22. Gribben, a 6’ 10’’ post graduate student from Ireland, plays on the Schools’ Boys’ Varsity Basketball team. The team and Gribben are off with an impressive 6-2 record in their first eight games.
Gribben started playing basketball from the age of four, along with other sports, such as soccer and Gaelic football. At the age of 16, he stopped playing other sports and began focusing on his dream of playing basketball in America.
Citing his parents as his biggest influences, Gribben has a lot of gratitude for them. “They both played basketball in high school, and I thank them for also giving me the gift of height. My dad being 6-foot-6 and [my mom] being 6 foot, there was no wonder that I grew to be 6-foot-10,” he said.
Like many athletes, Gribben’s ability to compete in athletic competitions was significantly impaired by the Covid-19 pandemic. He was selected for the Irish U18 Basketball team and was preparing to compete in the European Championships in Romania during the summer of 2020. When the tournament was eventually canceled due to the pandemic, Gribben turned to his backyard basketball hoop and continued to train on his own.
Although Irish Basketball has very minor rule changes, the difference in speed of play was quite drastic for Killian. “The game is a lot faster and the players are a lot more physical over here. In Ireland, I never encountered a player that [was] close to my height. In the US, I will be playing boys my height or even taller than me every game.” That said, Gribben and his teammates have already begun to develop a solid chemistry. “We have such a strong bond as a team, and I feel like I have been a part of this team for years,” he said.
Gribben’s goal of playing basketball doesn’t stop in high school. Collegiate level basketball is a priority for him. Recently, the Boys’ Basketball team participated in the Zero Gravity Basketball tournament in Massachusetts, and he regularly participates in showcases. While not being able to play basketball in his home country, Gribben appreciates the new experience and is looking forward to what’s ahead. Though Gribben may be 6’ 10’’, for him, the sky’s the limit.
