CBS analyst Wally Szczerbiak has deep admiration for Gonzaga, Mark Few: ‘He’s done it the right way’
PORTLAND – If Wally Szczerbiak didn’t already know about Gonzaga’s story by the time he was selected with the sixth overall pick of the 1999 NBA draft, he became quickly acquainted by the end of his sixth season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The CBS broadcaster who will be on the TBS call for No. 3 Gonzaga’s 7 p.m. NCAA Tournament opener against No. 14 Kennesaw State at the Moda Center had a number of run-ins with former Zag players during the early stages of his professional career.
In 2004, Minnesota finally drafted one of them. By 2005, the Timberwolves had traded for another.
Szczerbiak briefly got to know Blake Stepp, who was taken by Minnesota with the 58th overall pick of the 2004 NBA draft before being waived by the Eastern Conference franchise after the preseason.
Richie Frahm was traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Timberwolves in 2005 and spent less than a year on the same roster as Szczerbiak, who was traded midseason to the Boston Celtics.
“I just remember being friendly with Dan Dickau, Richie Frahm, Blake Stepp,” Szczerbiak said on Wednesday from Moda Center. “Some of the guys I came across. All great guys.”
Szczerbiak only spent a handful of months with Stepp, but recalls the golf outings players would organize in Minnesota after preseason practices and workouts.
“I remember Blake was a pretty good golfer,” Szczerbiak said.
A former NBA All-Star (2002) and All-Rookie selection (1999), Szczerbiak retired from pro basketball in 2009 and joined CBS as a college basketball analyst.
Not unlike everyone else in the industry, he’s marveled at what Gonzaga’s accomplished under 27th-year coach Mark Few, who’ll be coaching in his 73rd NCAA Tournament game on Thursday.
“He’s a legendary coach, he’s a Hall of Fame coach,” Szczerbiak said. “It’s impressive with the dominance he’s had for such a long time. That’s not easy to do in this business. With things changing, he always figures out the next wave. Players love to play for him. He’s done it the right way and I give him a lot of credit.
“He’s had a lot of success in the NCAA Tournament. This is a team that can do the same and he coaches to his personnel at times. He can play any different style.”
Szczerbiak is calling Thursday’s game alongside Brad Nessler and Jared Greenberg. He’s watched numerous Gonzaga games this season, but was still doing homework on Kennesaw State, the Conference USA champion, when asked Wednesday to handicap the matchup.
“I’m catching up. Obviously I know a lot about the Zags,” Szczerbiak said. “(Kennesaw) plays a tight rotation, very interchangeable parts, they get after it on the defensive end of the floor. Low seed to get out of C-USA and they’re very athletic.” They have some pieces that can go. They’re very good on the offensive glass, so they’re going to attack their misses.”
The former Miami University (OH) star was a CBS employee by day and diehard RedHawk fan by night on Wednesday. Once Szczerbiak clocked out at the Moda Center, he was planning to locate the nearest television set to watch his alma mater play Southern Methodist University in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio.
The college basketball world embraced Miami’s story after the RedHawks went unbeaten in the regular season, becoming the first team to do so since Gonzaga in 2020-21.
“Excited, yes,” Szczerbiak said. “After we’re done with all the practices, we can go back to the hotel. We have a setup in the meeting room, have some dinner and cheer on my RedHawks.”
The night finished on a sweet note for Szczerbiak and the RedHawks, who outlasted SMU for a 89-79 victory in Dayton.