Ryan Wittman
Encyclopedia
Ryan Scott Wittman is an American
basketball player currently playing in the Polish Basketball League for the Zastal Zielona Góra
.
Wittman was born on October 26, 1987 in Atlanta, Georgia
. He is the son of Kathy and Randy Wittman
and he has one sister, Lauren. Randy Wittman is currently an assistant coach of the Washington Wizards
and was previously head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers
(1999–2001) and Minnesota Timberwolves
(2007–2008). The elder Wittman was a player on the 1980–81 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team
which won a championship under Bob Knight. Drafted 22nd overall in the 1983 NBA Draft
, Wittman played for NBA teams Atlanta Hawks
, Sacramento Kings
, and Indiana Pacers
for nine seasons.
Ryan Wittman grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota
and occasionally played pick-up game
s with Kevin Garnett
at the Target Center
. Wittman attended Eden Prairie High School
, where he posted an average of 11.5 points per game in his junior year. He was named one of the preseason Top 30 players in Minnesota for the Class of 2006 by GopherIllustrated.com.
In July 2005, Wittman played for the AAU
team Minnesota Select. The team was 5-1 in the Las Vegas Classic, an AAU playoff tournament. He led Select scorers with 15 points in a quarterfinal loss to the Houston Hoops, 59-53. Their season record was 27-14.
As a senior, his points per game average expoded to 20.5, and he hit 50 percent of his shots from three-point range and 84 percent from the foul line. One of the highlights of that season was upsetting Braham High School on December 30, 2005, who had a 65-game unbeaten streak snapped by the 80-67 loss to the Eagles. Wittman scored 30 points in that contest, including five-of-six from beyond the arc. After the season was over, Wittman was one of the five finalists for Minnesota Mr. Basketball
and was listed as the sixth best Minnesota high school player by GopherIllustrated.com. In addition to being selected onto the First Team All Metro, he was a First Team All-State selection by the Timberwolves and a Second Team All-State selection by the St. Paul Pioneer Press
.
He was recruited by Air Force
, Bradley
, Cornell
, Eastern Kentucky
, and Indiana
. Cornell, which had recruited Wittman since his junior year in high school, was unable to offer him an athletic scholarship
due to Ivy League
rules. Nonetheless, Wittman inked his letter of intent
to the Big Red
on December 31, 2005.
, was Cornell's first victory against a Big Ten school in 39 years. At Cornell, Wittman was a member of the Quill and Dagger
society.
and then three games for the New York Knicks
in the NBA Summer League
.
In the 2010 season, he played six months in Italy for the Fulgor Libertas Forlì
, then he went in D-League at the Fort Wayne Mad Ants
.
In the 2011 season he played for the Zastal Zielona Góra
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball player currently playing in the Polish Basketball League for the Zastal Zielona Góra
Zastal Zielona Góra
Zastal Zielona Góra is a Polish professional basketball team, based in Zielona Góra, Poland. The team plays in the Polish Tauton Basket League....
.
Early life and high school career
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. He is the son of Kathy and Randy Wittman
Randy Wittman
Randy Scott Wittman is a retired American basketball player, in the guard position, and former coach of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.-College:...
and he has one sister, Lauren. Randy Wittman is currently an assistant coach of the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
and was previously head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
(1999–2001) and Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
(2007–2008). The elder Wittman was a player on the 1980–81 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team
1980–81 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team
The 1980–81 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. The Head Coach was Bobby Knight. The team played its home games in the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference.-Roster:...
which won a championship under Bob Knight. Drafted 22nd overall in the 1983 NBA Draft
1983 NBA Draft
The 1983 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1983 in New York City. A total of 226 players were selected over 10 rounds by the league's 23 teams. At least three players from the 1983 draft now serve as coaches...
, Wittman played for NBA teams Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, and Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
for nine seasons.
Ryan Wittman grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Eden Prairie, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 54,901 people, 20,457 households, and 14,579 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 21,026 housing units at an average density of 649.2 per square mile...
and occasionally played pick-up game
Pick-up game
In sports, a pick-up game is a game that has been spontaneously started by a group of players. Unlike exhibition games and regular games, players are generally invited to show up beforehand, but there is no sense of obligation or commitment to play. Pick-up games usually lack officials and...
s with Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
at the Target Center
Target Center
The Target Center is an arena in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is sponsored by Target Corporation. The arena has a capacity of 20,500 people. It contains 702 club seats and 68 suites....
. Wittman attended Eden Prairie High School
Eden Prairie High School
Eden Prairie High School is a four-year public high school located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The present high school opened in 1981 and was significantly added to in 1990, 1994 and 1997. Eden Prairie High School has been graduating students for over seventy years. The school was named a Blue...
, where he posted an average of 11.5 points per game in his junior year. He was named one of the preseason Top 30 players in Minnesota for the Class of 2006 by GopherIllustrated.com.
In July 2005, Wittman played for the AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
team Minnesota Select. The team was 5-1 in the Las Vegas Classic, an AAU playoff tournament. He led Select scorers with 15 points in a quarterfinal loss to the Houston Hoops, 59-53. Their season record was 27-14.
As a senior, his points per game average expoded to 20.5, and he hit 50 percent of his shots from three-point range and 84 percent from the foul line. One of the highlights of that season was upsetting Braham High School on December 30, 2005, who had a 65-game unbeaten streak snapped by the 80-67 loss to the Eagles. Wittman scored 30 points in that contest, including five-of-six from beyond the arc. After the season was over, Wittman was one of the five finalists for Minnesota Mr. Basketball
Minnesota Mr. Basketball
Minnesota Mr. Basketball is an annual award recognizing excellence in Minnesota boys' high school basketball. The female equivalent is Minnesota Miss Basketball. The award was established in 1975 and is given to the person chosen as the best high school boys' basketball senior in the U.S. state of...
and was listed as the sixth best Minnesota high school player by GopherIllustrated.com. In addition to being selected onto the First Team All Metro, he was a First Team All-State selection by the Timberwolves and a Second Team All-State selection by the St. Paul Pioneer Press
St. Paul Pioneer Press
The St. Paul Pioneer Press is a newspaper based in St. Paul, Minnesota, primarily serving the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the eastern metro region, including Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties, along with western Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota and Anoka County,...
.
He was recruited by Air Force
Air Force Falcons
The Air Force Falcons are the collegiate athletic teams that represent the United States Air Force Academy, near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The intercollegiate program has 17 men's and 10 women's NCAA-sanctioned teams...
, Bradley
Bradley Braves men's basketball
The Bradley Braves men's basketball team represents Bradley University, located in Peoria, Illinois, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2006, reaching the...
, Cornell
Cornell Big Red men's basketball
The Cornell Big Red men's basketball team represents Cornell University , located in Ithaca, New York, in NCAA Division I men's competition. The Big Red's appearance in the 2008 NCAA Tournament was their first trip to "The Big Dance" since 1988...
, Eastern Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky Colonels men's basketball
The Eastern Kentucky Colonels men's basketball team is a college basketball team at Eastern Kentucky University, located in Richmond, Kentucky. The basketball team has been competing in the Ohio Valley Conference since 1948. Home games are played at Alumni Coliseum, located on EKU's campus. The...
, and Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
. Cornell, which had recruited Wittman since his junior year in high school, was unable to offer him an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
due to Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
rules. Nonetheless, Wittman inked his letter of intent
Letter of intent
A letter of intent is a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalized. The concept is similar to a heads of agreement...
to the Big Red
Cornell Big Red
The Cornell Big Red is the informal name of the sports teams, and other competitive teams, at Cornell University. The university sponsors 36 varsity sports, as well as numerous intramural and club teams. Cornell participates in NCAA Division I as part of the Ivy League.The men's and women's hockey...
on December 31, 2005.
College career
In Wittman's first collegiate game, he broke the Cornell record for most points in a freshman collegiate opener with 18 points, also finishing with three rebounds and two assists. That game, a 64-61 road win against NorthwesternNorthwestern Wildcats men's basketball
The Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team representing Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference. Men's basketball was first introduced at Northwestern in 1901...
, was Cornell's first victory against a Big Ten school in 39 years. At Cornell, Wittman was a member of the Quill and Dagger
Quill and Dagger
Quill and Dagger is a senior honor society at Cornell University. It is often recognized as one of the most prominent collegiate societies of its type, along with Skull and Bones of Yale University...
society.
Professional career
He played in four games for the Celtics in the Orlando Summer LeagueOrlando Summer League
The Orlando Pro Summer League is a pro basketball league run by the NBA club the Orlando Magic in the United States each summer following the NBA Draft. Teams consist of players who have been in the league for 3 years or fewer as well as newly drafted talent....
and then three games for the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
.
In the 2010 season, he played six months in Italy for the Fulgor Libertas Forlì
Fulgor Libertas Forlì
Fulgor Libertas Forlì is an Italian professional basketball team that is based in Forlì, Italy. The club is now competing in the second-highest Italian professional basketball division, Legadue.-History:...
, then he went in D-League at the Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Fort Wayne Mad Ants
The Fort Wayne Mad Ants are a team of the NBA Development League, located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is the home venue for the team. The team is the first minor league basketball franchise to play in Fort Wayne since the Fort Wayne Fury...
.
In the 2011 season he played for the Zastal Zielona Góra
Zastal Zielona Góra
Zastal Zielona Góra is a Polish professional basketball team, based in Zielona Góra, Poland. The team plays in the Polish Tauton Basket League....
.
NCAA
| |
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | Cornell Big Red Cornell Big Red men's basketball The Cornell Big Red men's basketball team represents Cornell University , located in Ithaca, New York, in NCAA Division I men's competition. The Big Red's appearance in the 2008 NCAA Tournament was their first trip to "The Big Dance" since 1988... |
28 | 27 | 35.4 | .438 | .431 | .887 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 15.6 |
| 2007-08 | Cornell Big Red | 28 | 28 | 33.7 | .465 | .459 | .867 | 4.2 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 15.1 |
| 2008-09 | Cornell Big Red | 31 | 30 | 34.1 | .452 | .416 | .818 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 18.5 |
| 2009-10 | Cornell Big Red | 34 | 33 | 33.9 | .474 | .426 | .826 | 4.0 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 17.5 |
External links
- Ryan Wittman at Ivy League Basketball News - Ryan Wittman tag at unofficial news site featuring video archives & news links