Like many teenagers, KeShawn Curry grew up playing multiple sports.

"I played football and baseball growing up. Then, all of my friends started playing basketball, so I started playing basketball with them" Curry explained.

What started as fun, recreational competition turned into a passion that he quickly fell in love with. As time went by, the Jacksonville, Fla. native continued to show an increased interest in the game. It didn't take long for Curry to realize that this was something he could see himself pursuing.

"My oldest brother started pushing me to play and be passionate about it if it was something I wanted to do," he said. "Going into the summer of my junior year, I was like 'I have a chance to do this at the next level and hopefully professionally."

With that attitude in mind, Curry began reaching out to coaches and looking for a new home after high school. Unfortunately, his phone wasn't buzzing like he had hoped. After extensive consideration and weighing his options, Curry decided to enroll at Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Va. His choice proved to be transformational. Curry says Fork Union had a profound effect on him. It was a lifestyle unlike anything he had experienced before, one he grew to appreciate.

"Fork Union was probably the hardest thing that I've ever done. The military aspect was prestigious and very real," said Curry. "It was my first time doing all of the basics, such as waking up at six o'clock every morning, making my bed immediately, breakfast at 6:08, cleaning my room every time I was in there, and shaving, amongst many others."

The intense experience allowed Curry to learn more about himself off of the court. What started as a journey to achieve a basketball dream turned into an opportunity to better prepare himself for life.

"It definitely built discipline and patience in my life," he said. "I wanted to go home so bad, but I couldn't so I just had to be patient. I couldn't do the things that I wanted to do so I learned how to adapt in uncomfortable situations."

While at Fork Union, Curry began developing his game transitioning from an individual mindset to a team-oriented mindset.

"Being that they run the passing game, it taught me how to pass, cut, and move without the ball while seeing a lot of off-the-ball movement. It definitely helped my basketball I.Q. a lot," he said.

As he became more comfortable in his role, his phone started buzzing more frequently. One of those phone calls came from VCU Head Coach Mike Rhoades.

"He saw how hard I play and the things I do offensively and defensively. He seemed to like how energized I was and how much of a ball hawk I was on defense," said Curry. 

The relationship eventually took off, as Curry became more interested in the "VCU family" concept preached by Rhoades.

"The thing I liked the most about Coach Rhoades and the coaching staff was how into it they were. They showed me that they wanted me here by being family-oriented and that they cared about me and wanted the best for me," Curry said.

After joining the Ram family, Curry embraced his time throughout his first season.

"I sat next to [Director of Player Development} Darius Theus a lot last year. I started feeling slightly discouraged when I wasn't playing much, but Darius kept telling me, 'you have to work hard, push yourself with extra workouts, get extra shots up, get your ball handling in. You never know when your name will be called."

Curry took that advice to heart and began using it as fuel throughout the season and offseason.

"I worked all off-season and summer and got the opportunity to be in the rotation. My off-season and summer were all hard work due to the fact that I wanted to play and help my team win," said Curry.

He began watching and learning from fellow teammates. Curry says senor De'Riante Jenkins became one of his biggest mentors.

"He's been a guy I look up to just because of the way he handles everything and how he goes about himself on and off of the court," Curry said.

Curry's patience and hard work paid off. As a freshman, Curry played just 86 minutes all season, but this year, the 6-foot-4 slashing guard became a fixture in the Rams' rotation. In 31 games, Curry averaged 4.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. He also provided VCU fans with a number of memorable moments, including a coast-to-coast, rim-rattling dunk against Jacksonville State on Nov. 17. The highlight was featured on Sportscenter's Top 10 Plays that night.

The future looks bright for Curry. It's clear his experience at Fork Union Military Academy, and the lessons he's learned in two years on campus at VCU have equipped him with the tools to become an integral part of the Rams' future.