WALTHAM, Mass. — In the week between each NCAA Tournament’s first and second weekends, media types often are left searching for things to talk about. This year, they found Matt Stainbrook.
If you were at all invested in college basketball this March, you’ll remember Stainbrook: the shaggy, bespectacled, Uber-driving big man who helped power Xavier to a Sweet 16 berth. Stainbrook averaged 15.3 points and 8.3 rebounds during the Musketeers’ three-game tournament run, including 17 and 10 in the loss to second-seeded Arizona that proved to be his collegiate swan song.
With his college hoops days now behind him, Stainbrook has spent the spring traveling the country in hopes of catching the eye of an NBA team. After working out Wednesday for the Boston Celtics, he looked back on the wild ride his last four months has been.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” Stainbrook said. “Even starting from high school, where I got one Division I offer coming out of high school, going to Western Michigan. Started every game there, transferred and went to Xavier. And then making the tournament, it’s been a complete whirlwind. I went on ‘The Dan Patrick Show,’ was an intern for a day.”
“I still go through the airports,” he continued, “and people are like, ‘Hey, good job in the tournament,’ or, ‘Hey, how’d you let McLovin score on you on ‘The Dan Patrick Show’?’ I get everything. But it’s been a cool experience. Even driving Uber and doing that and having people get in your car and say, ‘I know who you are.’ Overall, I’ve had a good time with it.”
Stainbrook has no illusions of NBA superstardom. He knows he almost certainly will not be drafted, and that even if he does latch on with an NBA team, it likely will be as an end-of-the-bench roster filler. But as someone who simply wants to play more basketball, he’ll take whatever he can get.
“I’m realistic in my approach,” said Stainbrook, who added he’d be willing to continue his career overseas. “I don’t plan on being drafted. I don’t see myself doing that. But I’m trying to make a summer league team, then from there, try to get invited to training camp.
“I’m trying to make a team — that’s my goal. If I can be the 13th, 14th, 15th guy on a team, that’s what I’m trying to do. So right now, I’m trying to separate myself from some of those guys. You try to show the intangibles, show that you have that heart, show that you can be a good teammate, those kind of things.”
Thumbnail photo via John David Mercer/USA TODAY Sports Images
