Gary Wilkinson (basketball)

Last updated
Gary Wilkinson
Gary Wilkinson Breakers.jpg
Wilkinson with the Breakers in April 2011
Personal information
Born (1982-10-02) October 2, 1982 (age 42)
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Listed height204 cm (6 ft 8 in)
Listed weight113 kg (249 lb)
Career information
High school Bingham (South Jordan, Utah)
College
NBA draft 2009: undrafted
Playing career2009–2014
Position Power forward / center
Number55
Career history
2009 Wonju Dongbu Promy
2009–2010 Peristeri B.C.
2010–2012 New Zealand Breakers
2012 Vaqueros de Bayamón
2012–2013 BC Kalev/Cramo
2013 Indios de Mayagüez
2013–2014New Zealand Breakers
2014Indios de Mayagüez
2014Vaqueros de Bayamón
Career highlights and awards

Gary Kristopher Wilkinson (born October 2, 1982) is an American retired professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Utah State and has played previously for professional teams in Greece, South Korea, New Zealand, Estonia and Puerto Rico.

Contents

Early life

Wilkinson was born in Salt Lake City and grew up in South Jordan, Utah. [1] At Bingham High School, Wilkinson was cut from the basketball team and dropped out his senior year; he told ESPN The Magazine : "I really didn't have any goals. I didn't have any ambition to play college basketball, didn't have any ambition to go to the Utah State university at all. I just sat around and partied with my friends." [2] One of Wilkinson's friends committed suicide eight months after Wilkinson quit school; a friend of that friend recommended the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for Wilkinson. Eventually, Wilkinson earned his GED, went on a two-year mission in Alberta, Canada, and enrolled in Salt Lake Community College. [2] Recalling his missionary work in Canada, Wilkinson said in an interview with the New Zealand Herald : "Sometimes it was so cold I actually couldn't speak because my jaw was frozen. We had to write with pencils as the ink in the pens would freeze." [3] Wilkinson now shares his life story with youth groups and schools. [2]

College career

Salt Lake Community College

For two seasons (2005–2007), Wilkinson played for the Salt Lake Community College basketball team. He averaged 18.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and shot 60.2 percent from the field and 74.2 percent from the free throw line. [1] Coach Norm Parrish was skeptical at first after Wilkinson called him for a tryout but was impressed enough to invite Wilkinson to the team. [4] Wilkinson's awards during his time at SLCC include the Scenic West Athletic Conference First Team (2006, 2007) and NJCAA All-American Third Team in 2006. [1] [4] With a 3.96 grade point average, he also was on the NJCAA Academic All-American Team after his first season. [4]

Utah State

Wilkinson played for the Utah State Aggies from 2007 to 2009. His first season, he scored an average 13.3 points per game and shot 58.4 percent from the field and made 81.5 percent of his free throws along with 7.0 rebounds per game. [1] As a senior, and the only senior in his team, Wilkinson averaged 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. [5] Utah State won the WAC men's basketball tournament in 2009 after beating Nevada 72–62. For that game, Wilkinson scored 21 points. [6] However, in the first round of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, Utah State lost to Marquette 58–57. Wilkinson scored 15 points and made four rebounds and missed a three-pointer when Utah State was trailing 57–54. [7]

Wilkinson graduated from Utah State in 2009 with a summa cum laude degree in sociology and was Sociology Outstanding Student of the Year. In August 2009, Wilkinson became the first Utah State student-athlete to win the Stan Bates Award for top academic achievement. [8] He was also Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year for 2009. [9]

Scott Powers, in a profile of Wilkinson for ESPN The Magazine, commented: "...the fact he's 26-years-old, dropped out of high school after never playing basketball there, found God, spent two years in Canada on a mission, is married and is the lone senior on the 25–2 nationally ranked Aggies is what really separates him from every other elite college basketball player." [2]

Professional career

In July 2009, Wilkinson signed with the Korean Basketball League team Wonju Dongbu Promy. [10] He averaged 15.9 minutes, 9.2 points, and 4.1 rebounds per game, and Dongbu cut Wilkinson in November 2009. [11] Wilkinson signed with the Greek team Peristeri BC; among his teammates at Peristeri was former Utah State player Spencer Nelson. [12]

The Australasian National Basketball League team New Zealand Breakers signed Wilkinson in August 2010. [13] With the Breakers, Wilkinson scored in double-digit figures for 13 straight games by February 2011 and played the most minutes overall. [3]

Wilkinson was named Player of the Month for January 2011, averaging 20.3 points per game, shooting the ball at 61% from the field and 42% from the perimeter. He also made 82% of his freethrows and averaged 8.0 rebounds per game, [14] and was later named to the All-NBL First Team (alongside teammate Kirk Penney). [15] With a 71–53 victory over the Cairns Taipans in the third game of the NBL Grand Final on April 29, 2011, the Breakers became the NBL champions of the 2010–11 season. Wilkinson scored 13 points and made six rebounds. [16]

On August 2, 2011, Wilkinson re-signed with the Breakers on a one-year deal. [17]

On May 6, 2012, Wilkinson played his first game in Puerto Rico for the Vaqueros de Bayamón. Later that year, he signed with BC Kalev/Cramo of Estonia for the 2012–13 season. He then joined Indios de Mayagüez for the 2013 BSN season.

On October 28, 2013, Wilkinson re-signed with the New Zealand Breakers for the remainder of the 2013–14 season after the Breakers started the season 1–3. [18] [19] Following the conclusion of the NBL season, he re-joined Indios de Mayagüez for the 2014 BSN season.

Personal life

In June 2006, Wilkinson married Utah State volleyball player Jessica Petersen. [4] [20] They have two children, son Jordan (born 2011) and daughter Eva (born 2013). [21] [22]

During his professional basketball career, Wilkinson lived in Logan, Utah for off-seasons. [12] In 2014, Wilkinson retired from basketball and enrolled at the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. In 2016, he joined the Salt Lake City office of the law firm Snell & Wilmer as a summer associate and was also on the junior staff of the Utah Law Review. [23] [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirk Penney</span> New Zealand basketball player

Kirk Samuel Penney is a New Zealand former professional basketball player. He is the all-time leading scorer for New Zealand's national team and he ranks 12th all-time in points scored at the FIBA World Cup. In 2024, he was inducted in the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Casey Frank is an American-New Zealand former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks before playing in New Zealand and Australia between 2002 and 2016. He was a regular member of the New Zealand Tall Blacks.

Alex John Pledger is a New Zealand former professional basketball player. He played college basketball in the United States for Kansas City and Belmont Abbey before playing eleven seasons in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) between 2009 and 2020. In nine seasons with the New Zealand Breakers, he won four NBL championships. In the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL), he won championships with the Auckland Pirates (2012) and Southland Sharks (2018). He was also a regular member of the New Zealand national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Loe</span> New Zealand basketball player

Robert Loe is a New Zealand professional basketball player for Melbourne United of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for Saint Louis University and represents the New Zealand national team. He also holds a British passport.

Leon Hofeni Nehemiah Henry is a New Zealand former professional basketball player. He debuted in the New Zealand NBL in 2004 and won seven championships in 19 years. He also played five seasons in the Australian NBL, where he won three straight championships with the New Zealand Breakers between 2011 and 2013.

Cedric Lamar Jackson is an American former professional basketball player. He played two years of college basketball for Cleveland State University, where he made a notable game-winning full-court shot against Syracuse and helped the Vikings past Wake Forest in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnum Rolle</span> Bahamian basketball player (born 1986)

Magnum Rolle is a Bahamian former professional basketball player who last played for the Nakhon Pathom Mad Goat of the Thailand Basketball League. Born in Freeport, Bahamas, Rolle did not play basketball until his freshman year of high school and was taught by his coach at St. George's High School, Darrel Sears. After his senior year at St. George's, Rolle transferred to the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina, where he was an integral part in leading the team to an undefeated record and the national prep school championship. He was considered a five-star prospect out of Laurinburg, and committed to play at Louisiana State University (LSU).

Tai William Evans Wesley is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Utah State Aggies, where he was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2011. After beginning his career with successful stints in Europe, he made a name for himself in Australia and New Zealand, winning two Australian NBL championships and three New Zealand NBL championships. Wesley also represented the Guam national team on numerous occasions.

Everard Verdon Bartlett is a New Zealand basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as the head coach of the Hawke's Bay Hawks of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). Bartlett was a regular in the NZNBL between 2005 and 2022, playing the majority of those years with the Hawke's Bay Hawks. He also had various stints in the Australian NBL for the New Zealand Breakers, Perth Wildcats and Adelaide 36ers, and was a regular with the New Zealand Tall Blacks between 2012 and 2016.

Dion Anthony Prewster is an American-born New Zealand basketball player for the Wellington Saints of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He played college basketball for San Jacinto College and Stephen F. Austin State University. He served as an assistant coach of the Shimane Susanoo Magic in the Japanese B.League during the 2023–24 season.

Duane Benjamin Bailey is a New Zealand former professional basketball player who played in the New Zealand NBL and the Australian NBL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tai Webster</span> New Zealand basketball player

Tai Jack Webster is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL). Prior to playing college basketball in the United States, Webster won a New Zealand NBL championship with the Auckland Pirates in 2012 and an Australian NBL championship with the Breakers in 2013 as a development player. He played four college seasons for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, earning second-team All-Big Ten as a senior in 2017. He played professionally in Germany and Turkey between 2017 and 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D. J. Newbill</span> American basketball player

Devonte Jerrell "D. J." Newbill is an American professional basketball player for Utsunomiya Brex of the Japanese B.League. He played college basketball for Penn State before playing professionally in France, Turkey, Belgium, New Zealand, Poland, Australia and Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Timmins</span> New Zealand basketball player

Samuel Timmins is a New Zealand professional basketball player for Tryhoop Okayama of the B.League. He played college basketball for the Washington Huskies. In 2022, he helped the Otago Nuggets win the NZNBL championship.

Derone Jordan Raukawa is a New Zealand basketball player for the Taranaki Airs of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL).

Ethan Rusbatch is a New Zealand basketball player for the Franklin Bulls of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He began his New Zealand NBL career in 2012 with the Southland Sharks after spending one season in the United States playing college basketball for Lincoln Trail College. After playing for the Taranaki Mountainairs in 2013, he spent the next four seasons with the Canterbury Rams. He joined the Hawke's Bay Hawks in 2018 and won the NZNBL's Most Improved Player in 2019. He also played two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL.

Shea Ili is a New Zealand professional basketball player for Melbourne United of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He is also contracted with the Sandringham Sabres of the NBL1 South. He debuted in the Australian NBL in 2014 with the New Zealand Breakers. He was a member of the Breakers' championship-winning team in 2015 and in 2018 he named the NBL Most Improved Player. He joined United in 2019 and in 2021 he won his second NBL championship. He was named NBL Best Sixth Man in 2022 and NBL Best Defensive Player in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finn Delany</span> New Zealand basketball player

Finn Delany is a New Zealand-Irish professional basketball player for Veltex Shizuoka of the B.League. He played college basketball for the Southwest Baptist Bearcats.

Thomas James Vodanovich is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball in the United States for the James Madison Dukes between 2013 and 2017 before having a two-year stint with the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian NBL. He joined the Sydney Kings in 2021 and won an NBL championship in 2022. He won a second NBL championship with the Tasmania JackJumpers in 2024. In 2020, he was named the New Zealand NBL MVP playing for the Manawatu Jets.

Izayah Mauriohooho-Le'afa is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the Sydney Kings of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He began his career in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL), playing three seasons for the Wellington Saints before moving to the United States in 2016 to play college basketball for the Sacramento State Hornets. After graduating in 2020, he played a season for the Auckland Huskies and earned NZNBL Defensive Player of the Year and NZNBL All-Star Five. He subsequently joined the South East Melbourne Phoenix in the Australian NBL and played two seasons before joining the New Zealand Breakers in 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Gary Wilkinson". UtahStateAggies.com. CBS Sports College Network. 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Powers, Scott (February 21, 2009). "Gary Wilkinson: Down and Out to Utah State Star". ESPN The Magazine. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  3. 1 2 Burgess, Michael (February 20, 2011). "Basketball: Import thriving at Breakers". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Ashton, Steve (January 26, 2007). "From high school dropout to SLCC basketball star". Deseret News. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  5. ↑ Carey, Jack (February 4, 2009). "Wilkinson, Utah State poised to forge their own path to NCAAs". USA Today. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Utah State holds Nevada scoreless for 6 1/2 minutes, runs to NCAA bid". ESPN.com. Associated Press. March 14, 2009. Archived from the original on March 16, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Golden Eagles' steady free-throw shooting saves them from upset". ESPN.com. Associated Press. March 20, 2009. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Gary Wilkinson Named 2008–09 Stan Bates Award Winner". Utah State Aggies. August 3, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Gary Wilkinson Named WAC Player Of The Year, Stew Morrill Named WAC Coach Of The Year, While Jared Quayle Earns Second-Team All-WAC Honors". Utah State Aggies. March 8, 2009. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  10. ↑ Frandsden, Eric; Newbold, John (July 27, 2009). "Wilkinson going pro in Korea". Cache Valley Daily. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  11. ↑ Frandsen, Eric (November 25, 2009). "Gary Wilkinson cut from South Korean team". Cache Valley Daily. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  12. 1 2 Gardner, Chet (February 10, 2010). "Catching Up With Former Aggie Gary Wilkinson". UtahStateAggies.com. CBS Sports College Network. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Breakers sign American big man". National Basketball League. August 19, 2010. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Rolling Breakers sweep NBL monthly awards". February 8, 2011. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  15. ↑ "All-NBL Teams named for 2010/11 season". April 5, 2011. Archived from the original on April 8, 2011. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  16. ↑ Hinton, Marc (April 29, 2011). "Breakers secure first ANBL championship". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  17. ↑ Hinton, Marc (August 2, 2011). "Gary Wilkinson to return for NZ Breakers". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  18. ↑ "SKYCITY BREAKERS MOVE QUICKLY IN ROSTER CHANGE". Archived from the original on 2013-10-29.
  19. ↑ "NZ Breakers re-sign Gary Wilkinson, release Darnell Lazare". newshub.co.nz. 27 October 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  20. ↑ "Player profile of Jessica Wilkinson".
  21. ↑ Hinton, Marc (June 30, 2011). "Breakers import Wilkinson weighing options". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  22. ↑ "Take 40: Gary Wilkinson".
  23. ↑ "UTAH LAW REVIEW". Archived from the original on 2016-11-18.
  24. ↑ "Gary Wilkinson" .[ self-published source ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.