Summer hoops in the Roundhouse is less than a week from returning.
The AfterShocks are set to begin its annual pursuit of the $1 million grand prize in The Basketball Tournament with an opening-round game against No. 8 seed Midtown Prestige, a Wichita-based minor-league team, at noon Saturday. The game will be broadcast on FS1, while all-session and single-session tickets to TBT action from July 20-24 at Koch Arena are available through GoShockers.com.
The Wichita State men’s basketball alumni team has routinely drawn record-setting crowds and is the only TBT squad to win a regional championship in each of the last three summers. The AfterShocks were a basket away from advancing to the 2022 championship game.
AfterShocks head coach Zach Bush and assistants Garrett Stutz and J.R. Simon are confident they have their most skilled team yet. Many fans will remember certain players from their days as a Shocker, but The Eagle has studied film on each player to give a scouting report on how they have matured as professional basketball players.
Here’s a breakdown for WSU fans to know what to expect from the team’s roster when the games begin on Saturday.
Conner Frankamp
Vitals: 6-1 guard, 28, six-year pro
College: Kansas (2013-14), Wichita State (2014-18)
Stats: Averaged 6.7 points and 2.0 assists while knocking down 36% of 3-pointers and 80% of free throws for Zunder Palencia in Spain’s top league, considered one of the best in the world.
What to know: Frankamp needs no introduction to Wichita fans, as his mixture of craftiness, high-IQ play and 3-point shooting has long made him one of the most entertaining players to emerge from the city in decades. He has a well-earned reputation for an Elam Ending closer and the City League’s all-time leading scorer figures to once again be a threat with the ball in his hands at the end of games.
Alterique Gilbert
Vitals: 6-0 guard, 26, three-year pro
College: Connecticut (2016-20), Wichita State (2020-21)
Stats: Averaged 7.6 points and 2.4 assists while shooting 38% on 3-pointers for Helsinki Seagulls in Finland’s top-tier league.
What to know: An injury hampered his AfterShocks debut last summer, which robbed him of his explosiveness. Back again, Gilbert should be able to show off the same electric ball-handling ability and shot-making that helped WSU win the AAC championship during his sole year with the Shockers.
Rashard Kelly
Vitals: 6-7 forward, 28, six-year pro
College: Wichita State (2014-18)
Stats: Averaged 8.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 40% from the field and 77% on free throws for ADA Blois in France’s top-tier league, one of the world’s best.
What to know: The ultimate glue guy for the Shockers has made a career in some of the world’s best leagues doing the same as a pro. Back after missing last summer, Kelly is an invaluable member to the AfterShocks due to his leadership, defense, rebounding and connective passing.
Jeremiah Martin
Vitals: 6-3 guard, 28, five-year pro
College: Memphis (2015-19)
Stats: Averaged 18.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 54% from the field and 42% on 3-pointers for BC Enisey in the VTB United League, another one of the world’s best leagues.
What to know: Arguably the best non-alumni player to ever suit up for the AfterShocks, Martin is coming off his best professional season to date and should be a TBT superstar. A truly gifted scorer who has a lethal step-back jumper and smooth left-hand finish, Martin is simply an elite bucket-getter.
Markis McDuffie
Vitals: 6-8 forward, 26, five-year pro
College: Wichita State (2015-19)
Stats: Averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 41% from the field and 79% on free throws for Victoria Libertas in Italy’s world-class top league.
What to know: Another constant on the AfterShocks has been McDuffie, a tall, lean, tough bucket-getting machine. A difficult matchup for opposing forwards at 6-8, McDuffie makes the AfterShocks nearly invincible when he’s in a scoring zone.
Jabari Narcis
Vitals: 6-9 center, 27, four-year pro
College: Texas-Arlington (2018-20)
Stats: Averaged 8.2 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 44% from the field and 29% on 3-pointers for Ehime Orange in Japan’s second-tier league.
What to know: Had a brief stint in the NBA’s G-League, which is a testament to his size and leaping ability. All that will be required of him from the AfterShocks is to protect the rim and be a lob threat in the pick-and-roll game with the team’s explosive guards. Also has the ability to step out and knock down the occasional 3-pointer.
Jordan Parks
Vitals: 6-7 forward, 30, nine-year pro
College: North Carolina Central (2013-15)
Stats: Averaged 9.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 49% from the field and 75% on free throws for Reyer Venezia in Italy’s world-class, top-tier league.
What to know: The New York swagger in the Bronx native comes out in the best ways on the basketball court. Another player dedicated to the winning details of the game, Parks often makes plays at both ends by simply wanting it more and using his athleticism and length to seize opportunities.
Trey Wade
Vitals: 6-6 forward, 25, two-year pro
College: UTEP (2017-18), Wichita State (2019-21), Arkansas (2021-22)
Stats: Averaged 7.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 52% from the field and 34% on 3-pointers for MKS Start Lublin in Poland’s top-tier league.
What to know: A role player who embraces his role to its fullest extent, Wade is a versatile defender, a tenacious rebounder and a willing passer. Every championship team, including WSU’s 2021 AAC title squad, needs a forward like Wade, who does all of the little things that add up to winning in the end.
Caleb Walker
Vitals: 6-4 guard, 34, 12-year pro
College: Nebraska (2010-12)
Stats: Averaged 11.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 49% from the field for SLUC Nancy in France’s top-tier league, one of the world’s best.
What to know: It didn’t take long for Walker to become a fan favorite and a crucial part of the AfterShocks’ success last summer. The most veteran player on the roster who plays like it, Walker is the type of dependable, two-way player that is always needed for deep TBT runs.
Darral Willis Jr.
Vitals: 6-9 center, 28, six-year pro
College: Wichita State (2016-18)
Stats: Averaged 15.7 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 49% from the field, 79% on free throws and hitting 81 3-pointers on 35% accuracy for Levanga Hokkaido in Japan’s top-tier league.
What to know: Few can match the scoring tenacity of “Machine Gun” Willis, who can be a lethal pick-and-pop weapon when his 3-ball is falling. Also has the ability to play bully-ball inside when needed, but prefers to do most of his damage roaming the perimeter and hitting mid-range jumpers.
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