Kevin Hu is not just a well-known guard on the basketball team here at Chaminade University, but he’s a superstar in his hometown of Taiwan.

He is the first from his high school to win three championships in a row, as well as the first student from Taiwan to go to school here in America on a full scholarship.

His rise to stardom has come with its share of obstacles, from learning a new language to dealing with peer pressure to ultimately improving his performance on the court.

Hu knew not a single word of English until three years ago when he made the decision to come play basketball here in the United States at Chaminade.

“In Taiwan people don’t speak English that often,” said Hu, a junior guard who averaged 14.1 points and 4.1 rebounds this season.

Coming from a country where the primary language is Mandarin, Hu has had to make the transition and learn the English language. This change has come with its hardships.

“The first half year was really tough because I didn’t know English and I would try to ask a professor a question but I couldn’t talk,” said Hu.

His passion for the sport has contributed to him staying patient and improving of the English language.

While most people would give up due to frustration and time spent learning a new language, Hu has stayed focused on his dream of playing in the NBA here in the United States and now speaks English well.

In addition to playing college hoops here at Chaminade, Hu has been on the Taiwanese national team for three years and travels all around the world playing basketball in different countries.

“When I first joined the Taiwanese national team three years ago, me and my friend were the youngest on the team at the age of 18,” said Hu. “This is when I felt pressure to perform and as a result my performance was horrible for the first two years on the team. “

Taiwan is a beautiful place with a deep history, but for Hu basketball was something handed down to him from his father at the young age of 5.

“My dad was a basketball player back in the day,” said Hu. “His genes were passed down to me I love to run and jump, I remember watching him play as a young child.”

Between time spent at the court and time spent doing schoolwork, the constant grind for collegiate athletes is quite demanding and only a select few know what it takes to be successful sports as well as life.

Hu, who is majoring in business, has accepted this challenge and is patiently and humbly taking his time to master the sport that he forever loves.

“He’s a good kid to coach because he eager to learn and get better, he has a genuine love for the game,” said CUH head coach Eric Bovaird.

Hu has a dream of one day playing in the NBA and after college is looking to play basketball in Europe or China for a few years.

Whichever path Hu decides to take, he sees himself having a career participating in and giving back to the sport that he loves and has given him everything.