Waddell looking to give Cowboys post presence, added toughness

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming redshirt freshman Adam Waddell works on setting a screen with Cowboy coaches Heath Schroyer and Anthony Stewart.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

If three words could describe Wyoming redshirt freshman Adam Waddell this season, it would be bigger, faster, stronger.

A fourth word would be potential.

The Cody native showed that promise early last year before suffering a stress fracture to his left foot in the sixth game and sitting out the season with a medical redshirt.

Waddell is now being counted on to provide some much-needed post presence and toughness in Heath Schroyer’s second season at the helm.

“Adam Waddell is going to win a lot of basketball games at Wyoming, there’s no question in my mind,” Schroyer said. “He’s tough and he can rebound out of his area. It’s really hard to find post players who can go get it out of their area, and Adam is one of those guys.”

Waddell’s redshirt season proved to be a blessing in disguise, although looking back, he said at times it was a frustration in reality.

A competitor who reminds many old Cowboy fans of Jon Summers (1986-88) -- not only with his aggressive in-your-face play, but in the face -- Waddell didn’t want to watch from behind the bench; he wanted to be on the front line.

At the same time, he said he knew it was the right thing to do. That frustration has since diminished.

“In a way, it was beneficial because I have grown a little bit and I have gained a little bit of weight,” he said. “I think I have gotten better as a player. Looking back, it was a good decision.”

Knock on wood, Waddell’s left foot is fine. Not only has he beefed up, but he has been able to work on his post game on the court. His biggest improvements? Facing up to the basket and rebounding.

“I’m trying to be an aggressive player and I think I have maintained that since I broke my foot,” Waddell said.

In a recent practice, the Wyoming coach staff, armed with pads, beat on Waddell and sophomore post Mikhail Linskens mercifully while they drove to the basket. The end result is to go up strong despite the pounding.

Then bigger and stronger than anyone else on the court at Cody High School, Waddell said he had to adjust to the physical play as a Cowboy.

“Although we did that in high school, when I got to college, I was a little hesitant to get in there and bang,” he said. “But I got more and more used to it. Last year, Joe (Taylor) was a physical player and pushing Mikhail off the block is not an easy job. I think it is what my game should be.”

Waddell and Linskens will have to go toe-to-toe with the best the Mountain West Conference has, particularly Utah’s Luke Nevill.

Waddell said it is critical that he and Linskens establish a post presence. He said Schroyer tells them that every day in practice.

“We want to be the aggressor, the more physical team at the post spot,” he said. “You can’t be a finesse player when you are my size. I am kind of a smaller five guy for the guys in my conference. I have to be that way to play.”

Waddell was listed at 6-foot-9, 215 pounds last season. He was still at about 215 earlier in the summer before he put on about 15 pounds. And he grew an inch.

“This is where Coach wants me to play at,” he said.

The added weight has been an adjustment for his body, he said, as he felt the weight initially.

“But it is not a bad thing; it is a good thing,” he said.

Although still a very young team, Waddell said the Cowboys have high hopes for the season.

“Coach has all of his guys that the has recruited in here and I have been fortunate enough to stay here,” Waddell said. “Having Brandon (Ewing) and with Sean (Ogirri) able to play, and Tyson (Johnson) those three seniors being leaders are going to help us a lot. There’s a ton of experience right there.

“The new guys brought in are very athletic and very long. We have Djibril (Thiam) back in December and he will be a huge help. We’re excited. We’re hoping for the best and we’re striving to get that record going and getting momentum going into conference so we can so some things this season.”

Johnson suspended
University of Wyoming senior forward Tyson Johnson has been suspended for the first two "events" of the 2008-09 season, due to a violation of team rules, Schroyer announced on Wednesday.

Schroyer said he will have no further comment on this matter.

Johnson will miss Saturday's scrimmage in Seattle against Washington and the exhibition game on Nov. 8 against the Colorado School of Mines.

The 6-foot-6 Johnson, a transfer from Blinn Community College in Brenham, Texas, came on in the Mountain West Conference season last year and averaged 12.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and played 27.6 minutes a game in his final 12 contests, scoring in double figures in 10 of those games.

Johnson’s best scoring performances of the season came on March 5 when he scored 20 points against BYU. He also scored 18 against San Diego state, 17 against Colorado State and 16 points against UNLV.

Johnson averaged 7.0 points for the season.