In basketball, any great shooter must have patience to perfect their shot. A player will take shot after shot in practice, tinkering with their technique, adjusting their footwork and simulating in their minds a shot for any in-game situation.
But junior shooting guard Keith Hornsby has learned an entirely different kind of patience in his first three years of college. It is not the patience Hornsby needs on the court with his jumper, but one off the court, finding and waiting for the perfect place to showcase his talents.
Hornsby will make his LSU basketball debut this fall after playing two seasons at UNC-Asheville and sitting out last season as a transfer. The Williamsburg, Va., native is one of six LSU players who did not play for the team last season.
“I actually enjoyed coming into the gym alone,” Hornsby said, referring to times the rest of the team was on the road. “It was almost kind of like therapy for me to get in the gym, get out of the spotlight of the world. I was kind of in my own world, and I could do what I wanted and work on what I wanted.”
Hornsby’s journey began his junior year of high school when he transferred from Hampton Road Academy to the prestigious Oak Hill Academy. Oak Hill, which consists almost entirely of boarding school students, is famous for producing elite basketball talent, like Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo and Josh Smith.
The transition to the basketball powerhouse went well for Hornsby, who received playing time almost immediately. He tallied 11.4 points a game and led in three-point shooting his senior year, while Oak Hill went 29-4 and finished ranked No. 6 nationally by Rivals.com.
Hornsby developed into one of UNC-Asheville’s top offensive weapons his sophomore season, scoring 15.1 points a game and shooting a team-leading 92.5 percent from the free-throw line. Hornsby also played in the NCAA tournament his freshman season, the only current LSU player with such experience.
Hornsby decided to transfer after the 2013 season, citing the resignation of UNC-Asheville coach Eddie Biedenbach as part of the reason. Hornsby has not forgotten his time in Asheville, and he took many lessons with him to LSU.
“I learned so much there,” Hornsby said. “A lot of it as far as on the basketball court is the pacing of the game. I came in guns blazing, going 99 mph the whole time. I then realized in the college game, if you slow yourself down, the game slows down.”
NCAA rules required Hornsby to sit out a season after transferring, so Hornsby spent most of his time on the practice court. While the rest of the team went on road trips during Southeastern Conference play, he was in the gym, working on his game and staying patient.
The one time Hornsby was able to showcase his talents came in October, when he competed in the slam dunk contest at “Bayou Madness,” a pre-season event put on by the team for the fans. Hornsby dazzled fans with multiple dunks and finished second to freshman forward Jarell Martin.
Though known for his shooting, Hornsby said his explosiveness to the basket is one of his lesser-known qualities, and the contest was a great way for him to show it off.
With six LSU players from last season either graduating, transferring or declaring for the draft, Hornsby will have an opportunity for ample playing time. His three-point and free-throw shooting should greatly help a team ranked 187th and 269th nationally in both respective categories last season.
Now, Hornsby is just ready to get back onto the court and play again. He’s gone from Virginia to North Carolina to Louisiana, and his patience has led him to a place he can call home.
“I am a Louisiana fan. I love Louisiana,” Hornsby said. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect when coming down here — I’ve always been on the east coast. But I loved my first year at LSU with the school, the people I met and the basketball.”