Kyle Kelm knows he's living the good life.

Late last week, the Randolph senior gave his oral commitment to attend UW-Milwaukee next fall and play men's basketball for coach Rob Jeter.

This week, Kelm was finally able to walk without the aid of crutches. It was a good sign that his broken right foot is almost healed and the 6-foot-9 center will be ready to start his senior season in November.

"I have another month with the boot, but I'm already off crutches," Kelm said. "So I'll be ready to go by the time the season starts."

That's more than his friend and future Horizon League rival Kameron Cerroni of Sussex Hamilton can say. The UW-Green Bay-bound shooting guard suffered a torn ACL in his right knee playing quarterback for the Chargers in a football game last week against Menomonee Falls.

After reading of Cerroni's misfortune, Kelm sent his friend a text message to try to boost his spirits.

"I told him to keep his head up," Kelm said. "I've been through it. It was hard missing my AAU season.

"I just told him I hope all goes well and good luck."

Indeed, Kelm had plenty of time to make his college decision this summer after injuring his foot on Mothers' Day and re-injuring it in early July. He had surgery to insert a pin into the foot, a procedure that forced him to miss most of the AAU season with the Wisconsin Swing team that's coached by his uncle Tyler Selk.

"Of course, I missed playing the game," Kelm said. "But (being away from basketball) makes you love the game that much more."

And as much as Kelm has loved playing the game for Randolph - a perennial Division 4 power - he knows he's going to love it even that much more once he gets to UW-Milwaukee - the school he chose over Saint Louis after also receiving interest and offers from Marquette, Iowa State, Bradley, Northern Iowa and UW-Green Bay.

"It's interesting; I think Coach Jeter and Milwaukee were the first to offer," said Randolph coach Bob Haffele, whose third Division I recruit in the last decade - joining Ryan Tillema (Green Bay) and Greg Stiemsma (Wisconsin) - received that offer before his freshman year. "They stayed patient as other offers came in. He looked at some other options, but his injury this summer kind of took him off people's radar.

"I think it came down to Saint Louis or Milwaukee and his uncle made the comment that when you leave Wisconsin you kind of get forgotten. ... I think this will be a good fit."

Kelm, who averaged 17.1 points and 6.1 rebounds as a junior, knows it will.

He is the second area standout to cast his lot with UW-M. His AAU teammate Evan Richard, a 6-3 shooting guard from Cuba City, committed to the Panthers last month.

"(He and I) were always close," Kelm said. "I loved him feeding me in the post. And he always loved me giving him open shots while I was posting up. We'll make a good team."

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