Corder Carries Nighthawks To New Heights

KJ Corder, NPC Nighthawk, dunking.In his youth, National Park College guard KJ Corder looked up to his NBA role models as superheroes. Little did he know, however, that years later, he would grow up to help lead his hometown to basketball greatness.

“I first started playing basketball when I was around five or six years old,” Corder said. “All the Michael Jordan and other basketball posters around the house influenced me to play the game. I remember wanting to be just like them. My dad got me a basketball goal and me and my little brothers Paris and Matt have been playing ever since then.”

As Corder grew with the game, so did his talent. The former Hot Springs Trojan attributes much of his success to the guidance he received from his family.

“Individually, I think that being raised by two great parents—Jeff and Trish Corder—made me into the man that I am today,” Corder said. “They always stayed on my back about school, basketball, washing dishes—everything. My dad was my coach when I was younger and he’s the one who made me tough, mentally. He always told me to never give up and push harder because he wants me to take advantage of the opportunities that I have. He always tells me that he’s living his dream through me by watching me on the court.”

Before he was a National Park Nighthawk, Corder was a young man with a dream to continue playing the sport he loved at the next level.

“Right out of high school, I went to Henderson State University for a year and tried to walk on to their basketball program,” Corder said. “However, their coaches didn’t seem interested in me. I transferred to National Park College afterward because it was cheaper and closer to home. I didn’t think I’d ever play basketball again, though.”

Corder’s second chance to play college basketball came when he least expected it.

“I remember signing up for intramural basketball here, just to have something fun to do,” Corder said, “During one of my games, Coach Jason Hudnell approached me and talked to me about starting the Nighthawks. I could tell that he was a nice, respectful man who cared about starting something that we hadn’t had in a long time. I figured, ‘why not,’ and gave it a shot. I’ve never regretted it.”

As the only player from Hot Springs on the team, Corder takes great pride in representing the community he calls home.

“Staying in Hot Springs to play basketball was important to me because, in many ways, Hot Springs is still an unknown place, when it comes to athletics,” Corder said. “I remember playing in AAU tournaments and telling people where I’m from and they had no idea what I was talking about. By deciding to play here, I feel like I’m helping put my hometown on the map. My goal is to give us more exposure so that we can give other athletes more inspiration to come here and continue playing the sports they love.”

Since day one, No. 13 has made quite the impact for National Park College. In an inaugural season that defied expectations, Corder and the Nighthawks took Hot Springs by storm with an impressive 12-5 record. As a sophomore, the guard averages 12 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in the team’s historic first year in the NJCAA.

“My goal this year was to pave the way for people to come play in Hot Springs,” Corder said. “To get offered scholarships and be able to play for free in their hometown. I want to really inspire others because there are so many kids out there who expect to go somewhere like a big Division I school right out of high school, but they don’t understand that you can come to a place like National Park College, play junior college basketball and have the time of your life.”

With just eight games remaining in his Nighthawk career, Corder aims to treat each game like it’s his last.

“Our goal at this point of the season is just to go out there every night, play our hardest and have fun while doing it,” Corder said. “Basketball lasts only so long in life, and as a team, our sophomores only have a few games left together. We want to win every game left on our schedule, but if we don’t, we want to make sure that we gave it everything we had on the court.”

When he’s not on the floor in Nighthawk blue, Corder is spending time with his teammates—playing Fortnite and making great memories together. For the sophomore, the comradery has been the highlight of his junior college career.

“Being a Nighthawk these past two years has meant a lot to me,” Corder said. “After high school, I never thought that I would be able to bond with another team, but meeting new people like Seth Duke, Braylon Steen, Lowell Washington, Jarvis Ricks and Clyde Ricks—they changed everything for me.”

Although he hasn’t made any plans yet, the sophomore is optimistic for his future after National Park College.

“Right now, it’s still a little early for me to know what I want to do in life, but I’ve been focusing on my academics for whenever I figure it out,” Corder said. “I hope to continue playing basketball. I have a few schools looking at me right now and I’d love to keep playing at the next level.”

As a role model to athletes in the Spa City, Corder encourages hard work and perseverance as the key factors for success.

“For the young athletes out there, I would tell them to keep on grinding and working,” Corder said. “Keep your head up. There was a point in time where I didn’t think that I would ever play college basketball, but look at me now. Look at us now. Look at how far we’ve come. We’re just one year into NJCAA play and we’re about to bring in three more sports. Keep pushing and never give up and the rest will come.”

National Park College travels to Williams Baptist University today at 7 p.m.