DETROIT (10/10/2024) -- Practice is hard, and school is tough, but Detroit Mercy men's basketball freshman Ryan Kalambay will take all of that because he has a chance to play Division I.

That chance was taken away from his brother, and it drives him to work even harder every day. 

Kalambay's brother, Dylan, was a promising basketball recruit a few years ago. He had DI offers, including one from Yale, but at just 16, he suffered a heart ailment, which eventually required a heart transplant. 

"I look up to my brother a lot," said Kalambay. "Where I am right now, he is supposed to be, playing Division I. He really wants me to be the best I can be. Knowing what he went through makes me work harder."

While Dylan is on the road to recovery and is a sophomore on the basketball team at the University of Calgary, Ryan is just starting his college basketball career and as a freshman, he knows all the hard work that lies ahead. 

"Practices are so intense. The coaching staff demands that you compete and keep pushing yourself," said Kalambay. "We have a lot of great guys, a lot of guys who want to prove themselves. We are all hungry, and we all have one goal in mind, and that is to compete and win."

Practices are one of many things to get used to. College is a different experience on many levels, and he knows that balancing basketball and academics is the key in just the six weeks he has been here. 

"Just being a college student and a student-athlete, you really need to work on balancing and time management," said Kalambay. "You have practice, workouts, and school, which has been the biggest adjustment. You have to make a lot of sacrifices and put things you want to do to the side."

For Kalambay, he was looking for an opportunity to play at a high level, but was weighing all his options. When Detroit Mercy came along, it was a perfect fit for academics, athletics, and family.

"Coach Monty showed me his plan for this program. He told me his expectations and I trusted him and it felt like a great place to call home. He has coached at a high level and explained his vision to me. He believed in me. With him and all the coaches, there is a change of mentality and culture, and I am glad I am a part of it," said Kalambay. 

Hailing from Brampton, Ontario, UDM is a place close to home and had the major he is pursuing, and those were two other reasons why he chose to be a Titan. 

"A lot of people have told me they are planning on coming to see me play," said Kalambay. The drive is not that long, so it was great that Detroit Mercy is close to home. I am a cybersecurity major, and I don't know exactly where I will go with that, but that is where I want to be.

As for his play on the court, Kalambay hopes to be as big on the court as he is off with his 6-9, 240-lb frame. He knows that he has to battle that low and give the Titans a presence on the floor. 

"I am hardworking, and I can stretch the floor and facilitate. I am a tough defender and an energy guy, and I try to do all the little things that most players don't want to do," added Kalambay. 

Day in and day out, Kalambay works hard to help the Titans be at their best. Nobody knows what the future holds, but he has one dream that may one day come true. 

"I would love to play with him (his brother)," said Kalambay. "Because of everything he went through, I considered going to Calgary to play with him. I chose to come here, but playing with or against him one day would be great."