Patrick Wessler hears from USF
As the recruiting dead period continues and college basketball coaches have been forced to watch more high school game video than ever before, one player that has caught the eye of Brian Gregory and the USF staff is 2022 center Patrick Wessler.
A standout at Butler (Matthews, NC) High School, Wessler finished his sophomore season averaging 18.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, and just under one steal per game. Those kinds of numbers from a young center will attract attention. Especially a 7-foot, 250-pound center.
Wessler, who has transferred to Combine (NC) Academy, listed offers from USF, Charlotte, Creighton, Elon, New Orleans and Wake Forest. He told BullsInsider.com that he is also hearing from Clemson, East Carolina, Georgia Tech, Purdue, Stanford and several others.
“I think I’m a good post and mid-range scorer,” said Wessler in describing his game. “I can step out and shoot it a couple of steps behind the three-point line and handle it a little bit. On the defensive side I’m a pretty good interior force, rim protector.”
Wessler told us that he is inspired by a couple of NBA players from Europe.
“I would say a little bit of (Kristaps) Porziņģis and a little bit of (Nikola) Jokić just kind of blended together,” Wessler said. “I like Porziņģis’ face-up game and how he plays a lot like a guard and I’m trying to work on that and get like that. And then Jokić, just his post moves and his court vision.”
College coaches were not permitted to have direct contact with Wessler until Monday. Before the week was over the No. 143 ranked prospect in the Rivals150 heard from two members of the Bulls coaching staff.
“The assistant called me once, coach (Larry) Dixon. He was just letting me know that Coach Gregory was going to get up with me,” Wessler said before describing his conversation with Gregory. I’d never talked with him (Gregory) before so he introduced himself, he asked me about what (playing) style I thought fit me best, how I would describe myself as a player and then we talked about South Florida and all its benefits. Then he said that they were going to offer me.”
A true student athlete with a 4.3 GPA on a 4.0 scale, we asked Wessler what he was looking for in a college and a basketball program.
“Well, academically I’m not sure because I’m not sure what I’m going to do but basketball-wise I just want to go somewhere that I can contribute as soon as I get there.”