Kenneth graduated from Colbert Heights High School in 1976 where he helped lead the Wildcat basketball team to it's greatest success in school history. During his varsity career the Cats were 57-9 advancing to the 2A State Basketball finals, finishing as the runner-up in 1975 and then following that by capturing the State 2A State Basketball Championship in 1976. In 1975 Kenneth was selected to the All-State Tournament Team and was the 2A State Tournament MVP, averaging 15 points and 11 rebounds per game. During the 1976 season he was again on the All-State Tournament Team and Times Daily All-Area Team,averaging 18 points and 12 rebounds per game. Following high school Kenneth was awarded a basketball scholarship to Union University in Jackson, Tennessee where he was a four year starter and was a member of the 1000 point, 500 rebounds and 200 steals club. He was the 1980 Union MVP. After graduation from Union he joined the Air Force serving for twenty-two years in Europe and continuing his basketball career playing on five United States Air Force European Championship Teams as a player in Germany and two additional championships as head coach at Springdahlem Air Force Base, Germany.