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Making The Leap

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Nick Williams/The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 15, 2007

Former Wharton High standout Shawn Vanzant has had to make a few adjustments during his first semester at Butler University.

Tougher classes, living in a new city and above all, figuring out what his role should be on the No..18 Butler men's basketball team.

"It's like being a freshman in high school all over again," Vanzant said. "When I come in, I know my role is to play defense and move the ball on offense."
Vanzant and Butler (8-1) face Florida State (9-2) tonight in the Wooden Tradition tournament in Indianapolis.

The guard is averaging 1.0 points, 0.4 steals and 8.6 minutes per game on a team that starts five seniors. Butler catapulted into the upper echelon of nationally ranked teams after winning the Great Alaskan Shootout. During the nationally televised tournament, Vanzant got his first chance to show the nation what he was made of.

"I got a lot of phone calls [after that]," Vanzant said.

Vanzant said the veteran players have been great role models.

"I definitely look up to Mike [Green] and A.J. [Graves]," Vanzant said. "They actually take you aside and try to make you better."

Butler coach Brad Stevens said Vanzant has become a part of the team's success.

"He has an incredibly high ceiling," Stevens said. "He's come in with intent to win."

While at Wharton, the 6-foot-1 guard became the first player in program history to play four years at the varsity level and the first to reach 1,000 points. In his senior season, he led the Wildcats to the Class 5A region final with a 29-2 record and he was selected the 2007 Tampa Tribune Hillsborough County Boys Basketball Player of the Year. After averaging 16.4 points per game, he also was selected to play in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association all-star game in Lakeland and was selected to the Florida Sports Writers Association Class 5A All-State second team.

Butler was the only school to show interest in Vanzant coming out of high school.

"We're certainly glad to have him here at Butler," Stevens said.

"Before I signed, I didn't think I'd be playing for a nationally ranked team," Vanzant said.

Former Wharton coach Tommy Tonelli, now USF's men's basketball director of operations, said he knew Vanzant would be a special player.

"He was the first freshman to play on the varsity," Tonelli said. "I'm very proud of him. I've seen him play on TV three times, and I think he more than held his own."
Stevens said he sees a lot of potential in his freshman guard.

"I'm looking forward to watching him play," he said. "He's not a guy who takes baby steps. He's going to take leaps."

Vanzant said he will try to return to Tampa next Sunday and visit for a few days. While adjusting to college life has been an ongoing process, there is one thing Vanzant said he hasn't had a problem with.

"The atmosphere," he said. "At some games, there's 5,000-plus, but I was more nervous when I played in high school for some reason."

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 865-4848 or nwilliams@tampatrib.com

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