Pitt's Wanamaker nears milestone
-
Pitt's Brad Wanamaker needs 43 points to reach 1,000 in his career.
Share with others:
When Pitt coach Jamie Dixon was recruiting senior guard Brad Wanamaker, he believed he was getting an extremely versatile player.
Wanamaker certainly has not disappointed, and now he is approaching a milestone which would suggest he is, at least statistically speaking, one of the most versatile players in school history.
Wanamaker needs 43 points, 50 rebounds and 6 assists to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists for his career.To put such a feat in perspective, consider this: former point guard Carl Krauser (1,642 points, 526 rebounds, 568 assists) is the only player in school history who has accomplished that feat.
At Wanamaker's current pace, an average 5.3 assists per game, he should get his 400th assist Saturday when the second-ranked Panthers (19-2, 7-1) play at Rutgers (12-8, 3-5).
He will need about four more games to reach 1,000 points (12.7 ppg) and about 10 games (4.9 rpg) to get to 500 rebounds.
With 10 regular-season games remaining and two -- and likely more -- in the postseason, it is reasonable to expect a healthy Wanamaker to reach that three-pronged milestone and join an elite category of players.
In fact, among the 38 Pitt players who have joined the 1,000-point club, only four have comparable statistics: Ricardo Greer (1,753 points, 888 rebounds, 373 assists), Vonteego Cummings (1,581 points, 412 rebounds and 458 assists), Brandin Knight (1,440 points, 492 rebounds and 785 assists) and Darelle Porter (1,007 points, 466 rebounds, 617 assists).
Wanamaker said that while he is focused on the big picture -- helping Pitt win another Big East title and get to the Final Four for the first time -- he understands that what he is about to accomplish would put him in a special category in Pitt basketball history.
"It is special because I can have my name out there with Carl Krauser as being one of the best, or at least well-rounded, guards in Pitt history," Wanamaker said. "Just for my name to be put alongside of someone like Carl, that means something; it isn't what I am focused on, but it is something that has happened over the years.
"Since my freshman year, coach has told me I could be a really good player in this system, a playmaker, a rebounder, and that's what I've tried to do. I just try to work hard and I've always tried to just get a nose for what coach wants me to do."
First Published January 28, 2011 12:00 am
