By: Mark Wasik
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State Men's Basketball has signed three players in the early signing period that will be joining the Owls for the 2026-27 season, third-year head coach
Antoine Pettway announced. The class is comprised of Levi Ball (West Columbia, S.C.), Zyree Brown (Austell, Ga.) and Kyler Theophile (Coral Springs, Fla.).
With the signing of Brown, the Owls have now signed 11 players from the state of Georgia under Pettway since the spring of 2023, easily the most among all in-state Division I programs.
"I'm super excited to have these three quality young men join our program," said Pettway. Levi, Zyree and Kyler are really going to be great assets for the Owls and have an immediate impact here at Kennesaw State." All three of these kids come from terrific families and they possess the things we prioritize in character and work ethic, and we're excited to welcome them to our family here at Kennesaw State."
Ball, a 6-6 three-star forward from Gray Collegiate Academy, had a dominant junior season where he averaged 13.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game while also recording seven double-doubles. The team captain added several accolades, including all-region and all-state teams for 4A, MVP of Poinsettia Classic Tournament, and he has also surpassed the 1,000-career point mark. As a sophomore, he claimed first-team all-district and team MVP status while playing for Salado HS in Salado, Texas where he scored 849 points in his two seasons. Currently he is ranked as the No. 6 small forward in the state of South Carolina.
"Levi Ball is a big combo forward that plays with a great motor and shoots the ball really well," said Pettway. "He comes to us from a really good program in Gray Collegiate coached by the legendary Dion Bethea. With his skill set, his motor and his rebounding ability we're looking for him to make an immediate impact at Kennesaw State."
Brown is a 5-10 point guard out of Pebblebrook High School. The local product has been a leader on the court, guiding the Falcons to two straight Class 7A quarterfinals and a semifinal appearance as a junior. Among his many accolades are two all-region honors, as well as being named all-metro. Brown has also been named to the Atlanta Tip-Off Club All Metro Boys Preseason Watch List for this current season.
"Zyree is a local product out of Pebblebrook High School that we watched all summer, he came to our camps and we left extremely impressed with his scoring ability, his playmaking ability, and his will to win," said Pettway. He's a super competitive kid that I think is going to be able to impact our program early in the back court. He comes from Pebblebrook High School, coached by legendary George Washington, who's had a lot of success with guards in the past with Collin Sexton and Jared Harper. Zyree's coming to us having been well coached and having been pushed every single day of a high school practice and we feel like that will bode well for him as he transitions into college."
Theophile is a 6-5 small forward from Coral Glades High School. Another three-star recruit, he is currently averaging career-highs in scoring (16.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.8 rpg) this season through the first five games. A co-captain as a junior, he led the Jaguars to the second round of the 2025 state championships while posting 11.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest. Theophile is also the first Division 1 signee in Coral Glades HS history.
"Kyler is a Florida kid who possesses great size and skill for a combo position," said Pettway. "We identified him at the Georgia High School event, and as a staff, we made him a top priority for our program. His shooting ability, coupled with his defensive tenacity is going to allow him to get early minutes from the first day he steps on campus. I'm super excited about his potential and his upside. Coached by Stefan Whittingham, they work extremely hard in that program, so again, that's going to help in his transition to Kennesaw State as well."
The Owls Fund
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Join The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.
