Hot Prospect: Gary Wilikinson

Posted by admin on June 15, 2009

Utah State ● Senior ● Forward ● 6-9 ● 240 ● 10/2/82
17.1 ppg ● 6.8 rpg ● 1.3 apg (2008-09)

Highlights: Was named to the 2009 Portsmouth Invitational All-Tournament team in April as he averaged 16.7 points and 11.7 rebounds in three games and shot a tournament-best 71.4 percent from the field (20-28).  Wilkinson was one of 13 players named to the all-tournament team joining A. J. Abrams (Texas), Alade Aminu (Georgia Tech), Jimmy Baron (Rhode Island), Jon Brockman (Washington), Paul Delaney III (UAB), Wes Matthews (Marquette), B.J. Raymond (Xavier), Alex Ruoff (West Virginia), Garret Siler (Augusta State), Jermaine Taylor (Central Florida), A.D. Vassallo (Virginia Tech), and DeMarre Carroll of Missouri who was named the tournament’s MVP… Started all 70 games during his two years at Utah State (2008-09) and scored in double-figures 58 times, including 14 career 20-point games… Also had 13 career double-doubles… Ranks fifth all-time at Utah State in field goal shooting at 58.2 percent (387-665), eighth all-time in free throw shooting at 82.1 percent (276-336), and 28th all-time in scoring with 1,065 points… During his two years at USU he helped the team to a 54-16 (.771) record, including a 26-6 (.813) league record, and back-to-back regular season WAC Championships… USU also led the nation in field goal shooting during both his junior and senior season as it shot 49.6 percent from the field in 2009 and 51.4 percent in 2008… Finished his Aggie career averaging 15.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

2008-09 (Senior): Earned honorable mention All-America honors from the Associated Press and was named the Western Athletic Conference’s Player of the Year as a senior as he averaged 17.1 points and 6.8 rebounds to lead the team in each category… Finished the year ranking second in the WAC in scoring and free throw shooting (.826), fourth in field goal shooting (.580), and sixth in rebounding as he led USU to a school record 30 wins (30-5), its 10th-straight 23 win season and its 10th-straight postseason appearance as the Aggies played in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in the last 10 years… His 58.0 percent field goal shooting also ranked 24th in the nation… Was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2009 WAC Tournament as he led USU to its first-ever WAC Tournament Championship as he averaged 19.3 points and 4.7 rebounds during the three-day event, while shooting 54.1 percent from the field (20-37) and 78.3 percent from the free throw line (18-23)… Scored in double-figures 31 times during his senior year, including 10 20-point games… Also had 10 double-doubles during the year… Had a career-high 33 points at Fresno State on Jan. 31 and grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds at New Mexico State on Jan. 8… Scored 598 points during the season to rank 15th all-time at Utah State for a single-season… Was named the WAC’s Player of the Week three times during the 2008-09 season… Was also named first-team all-district by both the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the United States Basketball Writer’s Association, along with earning high major second-team All-America honors from CollegeHoops.net… Was the team’s leading scorer 18 times and the leading rebounder 14 times, both of which were tops on the team.

2007-08 (Junior): Earned second-team all-Western Athletic Conference honors as well as being named to the league’s all-newcomer team as he finished the year by averaging 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 58.4 percent from the field and 81.5 percent from the free throw line… Ranked fourth in the WAC in overall shooting, fifth in free throw shooting, eighth in rebounding and 13th in scoring… His shooting percentage from the field ranks tied for 16th all-time at Utah State for a single-season… During WAC games, he averaged 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds and shot 60.6 percent from the field… Started all 35 games in his first year at USU and played an average of 27.9 minutes per game… Scored in double-figures 28 times during the season including 18 of his last 19 games… Also had four 20-point games including a season-high 23 against Nevada on Feb. 2 as he was 9-of-11 from the field… Posted seven double-doubles during the season which included a home-stretch in February where he had three straight double-doubles against UC Santa Barbara (14p, 12r), Louisiana Tech (19p, 10r), and Fresno State (17p, 10r)… Recorded a season-high 13 rebounds against Idaho on Jan. 19… Was USU’s leading scorer four times during the season and the team’s top rebounder 18 times… Played 30-plus minutes in 17 games and 20-plus minutes 30 times… Finished the year by leading the team with 13 dunks and was tied for third on the team in charges taken with five… Voted by his teammates the best player that represents Aggie Basketball… Was also an academic all-WAC selection.

2005-07 (Junior College): Earned National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) honorable mention All-America honors as a sophomore at Salt Lake Community College in Utah, as he averaged 18.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 60.2 percent from the field and 74.2 percent from the free throw line… Ranked third in the Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC) and 38th in the nation in scoring and was first in the conference in rebounding as he led the Bruins to a 24-9 record… As a sophomore, he scored in double-figures 30 times including a career-high 33 points against Eastern Utah, as he was 12-of-17 from the field and 9-of-12 from the free throw line… Also posted eight double-doubles on the year and had a season-high 15 rebounds against the College of Southern Idaho… As a freshman at SLCC, he earned third-team NJCAA All-America honors as he averaged 14.6 points and 7.0 rebounds, while shooting 61.3 percent from the field and 73.1 percent from the free throw line… Along with earning first-team all-SWAC honors both years at Salt Lake CC, he also was a two-time academic All-American.

Is he Jazz material?

2 Comments

Josh F on June 15, 2009 said:

YES HE IS!!! I have seen this guy play live at every home game. He is so dedicated and hard working. He was coached by one of the best in Stew Morrill. He would fit great in Sloan’s style of play. I have never seen a player so high spirited during a game, yet respectful. Great free throw shooter and has a deadly shot anywhere withing 15 feet.

schwitz on July 01, 2009 said:

i went to highschool with this kid. He’s not only a really nice guy, but he is a hard working, amazing ball player. As long as he plays more solid defense than Okur, he’s jazz material.

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