Who Was Future NBA Player Who Wanted to Go to MU and Deane Said NO?

[Avenue Commons]

Here's a 25 year old question. Who was the future NBA player who wanted to go to Marquette when Mike Deane was the coach and Deane said no? My memory is the player's family had a MU connection and the father reached out to Deane and Deane said the player wasn't good enough. Player goes on to be bad ass college player and go to NBA.

I want to say Wally Szerbiak or Chris Mihm? Anyone else remember this?

[MUdmb]

Pretty sure it was Wally

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

It was Wally.  Deane took John Polonowski instead. Oops.

[avid1010]

It was Wally.  Deane took John Polonowski instead. Oops.

All good in the end.  Wally cashes in the NBA and we get rid of Deane sooner rather than later. 

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

All good in the end.  Wally cashes in the NBA and we get rid of Deane sooner rather than later.

It definitely worked out in the long run. Crean, Wade, Big East...lots of dominoes fell into place.

[Avenue Commons]

It was Wally.  Deane took John Polonowski instead. Oops.

Side note: Polo is a great dude.

Anyone remember the detail about how Deane said no? I think the dad called Deane and Deane laughed him off? Deane was probably nursing a wicked hangover from being at Hegarty's until 2 am so his judgment was cloudy. 

I was talking to a Miami Ohio alumn the other day and telling him the story and I was pretty sure it was Wally and he didn't believe me. So wanted to nail down the details.

[Avenue Commons]

I want to say Wally Szerbiak or Chris Mihm? Anyone else remember this?

Chris Mihm's dad played tennis at Marquette. I conflated stories. Forgive me, I'm getting old. I'm even old enough to have been a Marquette Warrior!

[willie warrior]

It was Wally.  Deane took John Polonowski instead. Oops.

Yeah, if true  a huge oooooops.

[willie warrior]

It definitely worked out in the long run. Crean, Wade, Big East...lots of dominoes fell into place.

You forgot a couple of dominoes after big east....Buzz, Buzz gone, Wojo, lack of success, loss of Hausrs  and dumping of Wojo-Dukiet.

[Billy Hoyle]

Side note: Polo is a great dude.

Anyone remember the detail about how Deane said no? I think the dad called Deane and Deane laughed him off? Deane was probably nursing a wicked hangover from being at Hegarty's until 2 am so his judgment was cloudy. 

I was talking to a Miami Ohio alumn the other day and telling him the story and I was pretty sure it was Wally and he didn't believe me. So wanted to nail down the details.

it wasn't that he "laughed" him off. Deane was higher on Polo based on Polo's HS stats (20 and 10) and Deane having recruited Polo's brother.  Polo was a good dude and was in the PT school. A great representative of MU.

Chris Mihm's dad played tennis at Marquette. I conflated stories. Forgive me, I'm getting old. I'm even old enough to have been a Marquette Warrior!

Mihm's grandparents also lived in Milwaukee. Deane didn't follow up on him. We got Greg Clausen instead.

[San Diego Warrior]

Didn't Polonowski quit the team his senior year to just party?  I remember seeing Polo at every party. 

[MUDPT]

Side note, read in Gasaway's book that Raymonds was one of the 15 coaches that got an in person with Patrick Ewing. Never had heard that before.

[Billy Hoyle]

Didn't Polonowski quit the team his senior year to just party?  I remember seeing Polo at every party.

I don't know about that, he started 7 games and got 11 mpg as a senior (that says a lot about the team Deane left TC). I do remember him at Big Shots most of the times I went in 1997-98.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/john-polonowski-1.html

[Knight Commission]

Cant validate this but I was told by a reporter that Deane offered Polo without even scouting him.  He called the local reporter and asked his impression.

[The Sultan]

Cant validate this but I was told by a reporter that Deane offered Polo without even scouting him. 

No one will doubt this.

[JWags85]

Side note: Polo is a great dude. 5-6

When I was a kid, there was a program through the Athletic Department for kids of season ticket holders where you got a gift package of some sort, but also, got matched with a student athlete pen pal.  My first year I got a track athlete who was a really nice guy.  Next year was a soccer player I was excited about but he only replied once in a short note which was a bummer.

I figured the basketball team was exempt due to all their other demands.  Well, my last year, I got matched with a sophomore Polo.  Not exactly Aaron Hutchins or Wardle, but I was amped either way.  Sent an excited letter.  Didn't hear anything for probably 5-6 weeks.  Figured it was a lost cause.  Then one day I got a letter, hand written in messy cursive, covering both sides fully of a piece of paper.  It was great.  I remember specifically him talking about his family and calling his brother a "dirty hippie of sorts".  We exchanged probably 2-3 more letters throughout the season.  Pretty awesome.

[MU82]

When I was a kid, there was a program through the Athletic Department for kids of season ticket holders where you got a gift package of some sort, but also, got matched with a student athlete pen pal.  My first year I got a track athlete who was a really nice guy.  Next year was a soccer player I was excited about but he only replied once in a short note which was a bummer.

I figured the basketball team was exempt due to all their other demands.  Well, my last year, I got matched with a sophomore Polo.  Not exactly Aaron Hutchins or Wardle, but I was amped either way.  Sent an excited letter.  Didn't hear anything for probably 5-6 weeks.  Figured it was a lost cause.  Then one day I got a letter, hand written in messy cursive, covering both sides fully of a piece of paper.  It was great.  I remember specifically him talking about his family and calling his brother a "dirty hippie of sorts".  We exchanged probably 2-3 more letters throughout the season.  Pretty awesome.

I love this. It didn't cost the player anything but a very little bit of time, and he made a fan for life and created significant goodwill for the program. I mean, you're an old dude now and you're STILL calling it "pretty awesome"! Outreach like this is so valuable. I wish Marquette would still do it.

[cheebs09]

I love this. It didn't cost the player anything but a very little bit of time, and he made a fan for life and created significant goodwill for the program. I mean, you're an old dude now and you're STILL calling it "pretty awesome"! Outreach like this is so valuable. I wish Marquette would still do it.

I don't know. We've had seasons go off the rails after players have written letters.

[Billy Hoyle]

When I was a kid, there was a program through the Athletic Department for kids of season ticket holders where you got a gift package of some sort, but also, got matched with a student athlete pen pal.  My first year I got a track athlete who was a really nice guy.  Next year was a soccer player I was excited about but he only replied once in a short note which was a bummer.

I figured the basketball team was exempt due to all their other demands.  Well, my last year, I got matched with a sophomore Polo.  Not exactly Aaron Hutchins or Wardle, but I was amped either way.  Sent an excited letter.  Didn't hear anything for probably 5-6 weeks.  Figured it was a lost cause.  Then one day I got a letter, hand written in messy cursive, covering both sides fully of a piece of paper.  It was great.  I remember specifically him talking about his family and calling his brother a "dirty hippie of sorts".  We exchanged probably 2-3 more letters throughout the season.  Pretty awesome.

that's funny!  I know his brother was a benchwarmer for Michigan State then somehow played pro in Ireland.

Polo was definitely a character. Wore 70's style glasses he got at a second-hand store (would be stylish today) and rode a little kid's bike around campus. He's a well regarded PT in Alaska now:

https://www.unitedpt.com/meet-the-staff

[Avenue Commons]

Side note, read in Gasaway's book that Raymonds was one of the 15 coaches that got an in person with Patrick Ewing. Never had heard that before.

We also were runners-up to Kentucky for Sam Bowie. Who is now best known for being picked ahead of MJ.....but was a great college player before injuries took him down.

[Avenue Commons]

When I was a kid, there was a program through the Athletic Department for kids of season ticket holders where you got a gift package of some sort, but also, got matched with a student athlete pen pal.  My first year I got a track athlete who was a really nice guy.  Next year was a soccer player I was excited about but he only replied once in a short note which was a bummer.

I figured the basketball team was exempt due to all their other demands.  Well, my last year, I got matched with a sophomore Polo.  Not exactly Aaron Hutchins or Wardle, but I was amped either way.  Sent an excited letter.  Didn't hear anything for probably 5-6 weeks.  Figured it was a lost cause.  Then one day I got a letter, hand written in messy cursive, covering both sides fully of a piece of paper.  It was great.  I remember specifically him talking about his family and calling his brother a "dirty hippie of sorts".  We exchanged probably 2-3 more letters throughout the season.  Pretty awesome.

And here I started this thread looking for a random bit of trivia and we come away with this gem that literally made me smile when reading. Thanks for this. It is pretty awesome.

[JWags85]

I love this. It didn't cost the player anything but a very little bit of time, and he made a fan for life and created significant goodwill for the program. I mean, you're an old dude now and you're STILL calling it "pretty awesome"! Outreach like this is so valuable. I wish Marquette would still do it.

Totally agree.  It's incredible.  And now with email, it could be even easier and just as impactful. I was already obsessed with the program as a kid, but it made it even more human and personal.

And here I started this thread looking for a random bit of trivia and we come away with this gem that literally made me smile when reading. Thanks for this. It is pretty awesome.

Absolutely.  I'd not thought of it in awhile, it was fun to remember.

[The Lens]

The women's team has done some of this.  My daughter (10) has participated.

[Galway Eagle]

Side note, read in Gasaway's book that Raymonds was one of the 15 coaches that got an in person with Patrick Ewing. Never had heard that before.

Woah that would've been crazy different

[MU82]

I don't know. We've had seasons go off the rails after players have written letters.

Almost made me do a spit-take!