Watching a player continually develop through his college career is one of the great joys of a college basketball fan. Not every NBA basketball player started as a high school All-American, and every good NBA team has important players who made the most of their time in college to mature as players and people. St. Mary’s forward Brad Waldow wasn’t known by many when he arrived at that the school five years ago, but as he finished his college career, he was one of the best big men in the country.
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Waldow was an important part of the St. Mary’s teams which won 99 games over the past four seasons he played, including making two NCAA Tournament appearances, and building a rivalry with conference power Gonzaga that has turned into must-watch television for college basketball fans.
He wrapped up his college career in March, finishing in the top 40 nationally in both scoring and rebounding. Looking back at the whole experience now, he sees where he’s developed to most over the past few years.
“My time at St. Mary’s definitely helped me grow my confidence in all areas of the game,” said Waldow. “I was lucky to have a lot of guys to look up to while I was there, like Matthew Dellavedova and Omar Samhan, who taught me a lot about basketball.”
After averaging a double-double as a senior in high school, Waldow took a route not many players opt for in this day and age, redshirting his freshman season. He realizes though that it was the best move in his particular case.
“When I first got to St. Mary’s, there were four or five guys at my position who could have played ahead of me,” Waldow explained. “Coach Bennett thought it would be better for me to save the year, instead of just playing a few minutes here and there. It definitely prepared me more for when my time came.”
Waldow wasted little time in making an impact once he was on the court, averaging over 8 points and 4 rebounds, plus 1 block, in just over 18 minutes per game. His playing time and production grew as a sophomore, and by his junior season, he was one of the West Coast Conference’s best players.
As a senior, Waldow continued to shine, being named All-WCC for the second straight year, and putting up some of his best numbers, even as the focal point of opposing defenses. The big man averaged 19 points, on 56 percent shooting, and 9 rebounds, as well as 2 assists, per game. Waldow’s 13 double-doubles helped the Gaels to its eighth consecutive 20-win season, and he was also a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award for Center of the Year.
Waldow believes that he has some important traits and skills that NBA teams need. “My ability to defend and rebound can certainly translate to the NBA level,” Waldow explained. “There aren’t truly a lot of guys who are willing to focus on those things. Watch a guy like Tristan Thompson and you can see how important it is.”
Now, Waldow is hard at work in Fort Worth getting ready to show NBA teams what he does well, and what he’s been working on since the season ended. “The development of my outside shooting is important,” Waldow said. “I was put in a situation in college where I never really had to show any shooting, so I want to show that I can knock down the jumper consistently.”
Waldow had his first post-college chance to show NBA personnel what he could do as an invitee to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a showcase for the best seniors in the country. Portsmouth has never been an easy place for big men, but Waldow took a lot away from it. “You have to learn to adjust to not always being a primary scorer anymore,” Waldow said. “There’s no guarantee you will always get the ball, so you just have to go out there and control the things you can, like effort and defense.”
Though a lot of the focus is on bigger name schools come NBA Draft time, Waldow believes that playing in the West Coast Conference still helps him. “Since my redshirt freshman year, someone has gotten to the NBA from the WCC,” said Waldow. “It’s great that a lot of guys are sticking in the league, and I think my experience at St. Mary’s will help.”
Waldow gives a lot of credit to Head Coach Randy Bennett for creating an environment where players develop and reach their goals. “He does a great job recruiting guys with great attitudes who stay out of trouble and do well academically,” Waldow explained. “He teaches us that if we work hard and give 100 percent, things will work out. He saw me as a four or five year project out of high school, and he helped me build the solid foundation to become the player I did.”
As Waldow waits to start the next phase of his career, he believes he has a lot to offer any team he plays for. “I’m a versatile player, know my role, and can be whatever a team needs me to be to win,” said Waldow. “Whether I play significant minutes, or just have to be the toughest practice player I can be, I’m prepared to do what it takes to contribute and improve.”
Waldow has come so far already as a player, it will be worth paying attention to what he has in store next.
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