Former DJDS Basketball Star Takes His Game Overseas to Lancashire

Three years ago, the final buzzer rang out over Blue Arena, and junior Keenan Winnerman was cemented in Denver Jewish Day School history: State Champion. Today, he continues to play basketball competitively at one of the top college basketball programs in the United Kingdom. From cultural adjustments to his new style of play, Winnerman shares his journey from DJDS to the UK and what he hopes to accomplish beyond. 

During Winnerman’s time on the DJDS Boys Varsity Basketball team, he helped lead the team to their 2023 state championship and to win their 1A District Championship the following year, earning 4th in the state. 

“Keenan was a great leader and played a huge part in the success of our school’s [basketball] program,” said Jackson Brooks (class of ‘26), a former teammate of Winnerman’s.

At the conclusion of his senior season, Winnerman was named an All-Conference and All-State honors player. These accolades, Winnerman’s experience and success in the playoffs, along with his notable 16 points per game, were enough to propel him into the international recruiting spotlight. However, it took time to gain recognition. 

"I knew while I was playing in high school that I eventually wanted to play at the highest level that I could," Winnerman said. However, despite the historic state run, the recruitment process was only a "senior year" surge. Like many 1A athletes, getting noticed was difficult. He received little buzz during his junior year as he played fewer minutes while sharing the court with many talented seniors. At the conclusion of his senior season, he reached out to schools and coaches, hoping he’d finally get noticed. 

After putting his film, accolades, and statistics on Field Level, a recruiting app, the very next day, the recruitment agency reached out, informing him that he would be a good fit for the University of Central Lancashire, located in Preston, United Kingdom.

“I always kept that one at the back of my mind because I was still looking for other schools at the time,” Winnerman said. "I always thought I’d be in America." 

But as he visited domestic schools, he struggled to find the right fit; some lacked the Computer Science major he wanted, while others simply didn't feel like home. The UK offered a unique opportunity: a high-level basketball program and a gateway into the European professional scene. "It was cool to realize that you could make a living over here if you really lock in," he said.

Eventually, he decided to commit to the University of Central Lancashire on a 5,000 dollar per year basketball scholarship, the highest one that the University provides. He had the opportunity to play basketball and study computer science over the course of three years— the standard length of an undergraduate degree in UK universities. 

After moving four and a half thousand miles and adjusting to life in the UK, Winnerman noted that there are significant cultural differences between basketball and other collegiate sports in the United States vs. the UK.

“It was definitely disappointing… We had 18 kids in our graduating class, but like 100s of people pull up to our games. In England, in a school of tens of thousands of kids, and having only 100 kids at your games too, was a bit of a shock,” he said.  

This contrast is especially striking considering Winnerman plays in the second-highest tier of British collegiate basketball. Unlike the three-tier NCAA system in the United States, the British university system (BUCS) spans nine distinct levels of competition. Winnerman notes that while his team sits near the top of the British hierarchy, the second-highest tier, the level of play is most comparable to a lower-level Division 2 or a high-end Division 3 program in America.

Hence, he expected a strong sports culture surrounding his competitive team, yet that wasn’t the case. 

Despite the cultural differences, Winnerman has carved out a vital role as a starting shooting guard for UCLan. “I’ve started in pretty much all of the games I’ve played in,” Winnerman said. He’s a solid two-way player, but he believes his most valuable skill is being a clutch scorer, a trait he attributes to his American roots. 

While he notes that European basketball prioritizes a heavy team focus, the individualistic, scout-driven culture of US high school basketball instilled in him an innate ability for timely shot-making. That scoring prowess is balanced by a grit that has earned him high praise from his coaches. Matan Halzel, Winnerman’s head coach at DJDS, famously noted during Winnerman’s senior night that he was the best defender he had ever coached. 

In April, Lancashire’s season ended with the team placing second in their division. Despite the successful season, only the first seed advances to the playoffs.

Before chasing professional goals, Winnerman has one more year of university eligibility. He currently plays games on Wednesdays and joins a recreational team during the offseason. This year he has his eyes set on joining a semi-pro team, with clubs in Liverpool or Saint Helens in mind.

In the English system, these semi-pro leagues function similarly to the G League or minor league baseball. If he performs well at that level, he could eventually be scouted for the Super League, the highest tier of professional basketball in England. For now, Winnerman is focused on his final year at UCLan, optimistic that they can finish first in the league and leave a legacy in Preston just as he did in Denver. 

Regardless of how his basketball career turns out, Winnerman plans to finish his degree in computer science and potentially get his master's in computer engineering. 

“I don’t know if I’m going to make a lot of money playing basketball, but at the same time, I really enjoy it. My goal is to eventually play professionally,” Winnerman said.