He's big, he's talented and he has experience in U.S. college basketball. For those reasons and others, Steven Wesley is on the wish list of the UNBC Northern Timberwolves.
The UNBC men's basketball team, which is preparing for a jump to the most competitive league in Canada next season, welcomed Wesley to Prince George earlier this week. While he was here, he familiarized himself with the school and scrimmaged with current members of the Northern Timberwolves.
After seeing Wesley play and getting to know him better, UNBC head coach Todd Jordan has very clear thoughts about the six-foot-six, 205-pound Spokane resident.
Jordan wants him on the roster for 2012-13.
"I'd love to add him," said Jordan, whose club will join the Canada West conference of Canadian Interuniversity Sport in September. "It would be great for us. He's got to make that decision pretty soon so we're crossing our fingers.
"He's a high-level player that would bring a lot to us," Jordan added. "He's got some pretty diverse skills. He can play inside, he can play outside. He can play a number of different positions for us and, especially with us going into the CIS, he adds some athleticism and a little bit of size and strength to our roster."
Wesley is a mid- to long-range shooter who also loves to slash his way to the rim. He has played everything from point guard to forward but sees himself primarily as a guard who can shoot over top of opposing players and defend bigger men on the perimeter.
Wesley, 24, began his post-secondary career at highly-respected North Idaho College in Cour d'Alene. He then moved on to Eastern Washington University, a small NCAA Division 1 school in Cheney, Wash., but didn't play. Wesley's next stop was Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Tex., and his most recent basketball home was Warner Pacific College in Portland, Ore.
While in his senior year at Warner Pacific, Wesley suffered a broken wrist and sat out almost the entire season. After that, he was informed he would only have half a year of playing eligibility left. However, here in Canada, he will be granted a full year for the one missed due to the wrist injury and will then have the luxury of playing a fifth and final year, as per Canadian rules.
Wesley was made aware of the possibilities at UNBC by basketball pal Inderbir Gill, a three-time All-Canadian for the Timberwolves. Wesley is also considering Calgary's Mount Royal University and the University of Winnipeg as options. But, after his short stay in Prince George, he said UNBC ranks high on his list.
"I was already very interested coming in, based on what Gill told me - just how much he loved it here, how the city embraced him," Wesley said. "They really love basketball here and that's really big to me. And [with UNBC] winning the last few years, I feel the transition, if I came here, wouldn't be that big going up to the CIS.
"There's a good chance of me coming here. I feel like if I joined this group [of players] and they add another big or two, we'll do well in Canada West next year."
