By Kevin Cunningham
Sports Correspondent
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is known for its excellent athletic programs. Players from time to time even make it to the professional level, and on Oct. 31 – former Warhawk point guard Quardell Young could make his dream come true – as he was selected in the fifth round of the NBA D-League Draft.
First selected by the Main Red Claws, Young ended up being traded to the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks’ affiliate, in a three-team deal. Regardless of where he ended up, the two-time former national champion just wants to make the most of his opportunity.
“I was extremely excited,” Young said. “I was watching the draft board, and was anxious to see my name. It’s a blessing to be recognized. I’m watching all these players get drafted and they were all high-major, Division I program players and now I have the opportunity to compete right there with them.”
Young said he knew right before he got picked that he would in fact be taken and that a trade was going to take place, but he didn’t know many details.
“I’ve competed against a lot of Division I players,” Young said. “To me it’s just a label. Yeah they’re more recognized and get more exposure, but I know what they have to offer. I’m going to go out here and compete. The mentality stays the same.”
One of the signature moments from Young’s career at UW-Whitewater was his national championship game-winning shot in 2014. After giving up a basket and being down by one point with 4.8 seconds to go, Young travelled the length of the court against five defenders for the eventual victory.
Young said he took a lot from his college career, but head coach Pat Miller left a lifelong impression.
“Coach Miller, man, he’s awesome,” Young said. “He’s one of the most recognized coaches in Division III and he taught me a lot of things as a point guard since he played the guard position. He taught me a lot of patience and intangibles that you can take with you. Coach Miller’s an awesome coach and he deserves all the credit. I will take [the winning tradition] and use it as fuel for the professional level. I’ll continue to work hard and try to get better every day.”
Aside from his two national championships, Young also ranks highly in numerous categories in Warhawk history, totaling 1,340 points, 467 assists, 225 steals, 51 blocks and 122 games played. Despite the six-feet-tall frame, Young would seemingly often block a much taller opponent’s shot at a key moment during a big game, sparking a fire under his team and the crowd.
Even with all the success, Young’s final game as a Warhawk came last year in the first round against a Defiance team that never got the respect UW-Whitewater did throughout the season. The Warhawks (24-3) entered the NCAA Tournament as D3hoops.com’s No. 2-ranked team, while Defiance (21-6) didn’t receive a single vote for the top-25.
Defiance would eventually win by 12 on the road in a game in which it led by 19 at one point in the second half. The road team made nine three-pointers in that second half, outscoring the ’Hawks 55-35. Young’s 14 points and three signature blocks weren’t enough to lead his heavily-favored team.
“Mentally for a little bit it affected me and I was kind of devastated,” Young said. “Defiance played an excellent game and they ended up getting the win. Our hearts were broken, but you just take that experience and learn from it.”
With all the memorable moments on the court, Young strayed away from the hardwood and said it was the comradery with all his teammates and friendships that he’s made that he’ll remember 20 years from now when looking back at his time at UW-Whitewater.
Young said he remembers when he was a year old, playing basketball on a Fisher-Price rim, loving the game as a child. He knew early on that he could make his passion his job.
“It’s every athlete’s story,” said Young, about his time growing up and potentially making basketball his career. “The hard work when nobody’s watching, I just kind of had a feeling. I’ve played basketball my whole life. I’ve always had a blaze in my eye knowing that this is for me. I kept working on my weaknesses and developing those into strengths and it’s happened to turn out.”
The Texas Legends’ training camp roster features 17 players, including Young, competing for roughly 10 or 11 spots on the roster. Six of the 17 already have NBA experience, and some of the better-known names include Brandon Ashley from the University of Arizona, Sherron Collins of Kansas, Tu Holloway from Xavier and Toure’ Murry of Wichita State.
Training camps began Monday, and the Legends’ 2015-16 season begins on Nov. 13 against the Austin Spurs – an affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs – Young’s favorite NBA team.
