K. J. Maura

On May 5, 2018, Maura signed with Santeros de Aguada of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) in Puerto Rico. During his second season with Aguada, Maura helped the team reach the BSN finals. With the series being tied 2-2, the Santeros being down by 18 points with just under 7 minutes left in game 5, and Maura not being used much during the playoffs, he was given an opportunity in the fourth quarter, posting 14 points, 3 assists, and playing crucial defense to help the Santeros win and take a 3-2 lead. In game 6 of the finals, with the Santeros down again late in the third quarter, Maura was given another opportunity, playing the entirety of the fourth quarter, helping Aguada comeback and win the game, as well as the franchise's first championship. This win represented Maura's first professional championship.

Maura was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico to Erica Colón and Melvin Maura. He began playing organized basketball at around age five, being encouraged by his father Melvin, who was a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Maura grew up watching highlights of Steve Nash, who he has called his "hero" and the "best player ever." He began playing high school basketball in Puerto Rico and took part in youth national team camps, but because he only stood 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) by the summer of 2012, he was given limited attention.

In the fall of 2012, Maura began a two-year stint for the prestigious basketball program at Arlington Country Day School in Jacksonville, Florida, where he played under head coach Rex Morgan, a friend of Art Alvarez, and faced top-ranked recruits like Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker, and Andrew Wiggins. In his junior season, he averaged 10 points, 12 assists, and 3 steals per game, leading Arlington Country Day to a 30–4 record and top-15 national ranking. He earned most valuable player (MVP) honors at the City of Palms Tournament, which featured several top high school players. As a senior, Maura helped his team reach the state championship. Despite his success at Arlington Country Day, Maura was an unheralded recruit and received few offers from NCAA Division I programs.

Kevin "K. J." Maura (born July 6, 1995) is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player for Santeros de Aguada of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). He played college basketball for the UMBC Retrievers. A native of San Juan, he competed at the high school level with Arlington Country Day School in Jacksonville, Florida. He began his college career representing the Abilene Christian Wildcats but transferred to College of Central Florida after his freshman season. He spent his final two years of eligibility with the UMBC Retrievers, earning America East Defensive Player of the Year and All-Conference honors as a senior. Listed as a 5-foot-8, 140-pound point guard, he was measured as the lightest player in NCAA Division I basketball while at UMBC.