Dr Dave Adkins and why he should be in the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame
February 14, 2021
Wayne Kreklow
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 1/4/57
- Place of Birth: Neenah, Wisconsin (USA)
- Position: SG
- Height (CM): 193
- Weight (KG): 79
- Junior Assoc: USA - None
- College: Drake (1975–1979)
- NBL DEBUT: 31/05/85
- AGE AT DEBUT: 28
- LAST NBL GAME: 16/08/85
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 28
- NBL History: Sydney 1985
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Kreklow was born in Neenah, Wisconsin, Wayne is the son of Wayne Sr. (d.2018) and Joanne. He is one of six Kreklow children.
His father coached and taught for 42 years. Kreklow played on the 1975 state championship basketball team at Neenah High School. Kreklow scored 23 points in Neenah’s state quarterfinal loss in 1974. Kreklow led the 1975 Wisconsin State High School Basketball Tournament in scoring with 69 points, including 19 in Neenah’s 64–55 victory over Milwaukee Marshall in the WIAA Class A final.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Wayne Kreklow made his NBL debut with the Sydney Supersonics at 28 years of age. He scored seven points in his first game.
Wayne Kreklow played one season in the NBL. He averaged 18.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 15 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 28 | Sydney | 9-17 (11) | 15 | 0 | 276 | 47 | 59 | 16 | 31 | 59 | 0 | 66 | 49 | 121 | 228 | 53% | 12 | 29 | 41% | 22 | 30 | 73% | 57% | 56% | 32 | Totals | 15 | 0 | 276 | 47 | 59 | 16 | 31 | 59 | 0 | 66 | 49 | 121 | 228 | 53.1% | 12 | 29 | 41.4% | 22 | 30 | 73.3% | 57% | 56% | 32 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 28 | Sydney | 9-17 (11) | 15 | 0.0 | 18.4 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 8.1 | 15.2 | 53% | 0.8 | 1.9 | 41% | 1.5 | 2.0 | 73% | 57% | 56% | 32 | Total | 15 | 0.0 | 18.4 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 8.1 | 15.2 | 53.1% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 41.4% | 0.8 | 1.9 | 73.3% | 57% | 56% | 32 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 32 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
Wayne Kreklow was drafted by the Boston Celtics with pick #53 in the 1979 NBA Draft.
Kreklow played 25 games in the NBA. He averaged 1.2 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- July 24, 1978: Sent to the Boston Celtics (as a future 1979 3rd round draft pick) as compensation for the Indiana Pacers signing Kevin Stacom as a veteran free agent.
-
June 25, 1979: Drafted by the Boston Celtics in the 3rd round (53rd pick) of the 1979 NBA Draft.
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January 21, 1981: Waived by the Boston Celtics.
-
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 91% | 94% | 100% | 0% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 32 | 11 | 4 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 121 | 228 | 53.1% | 12 | 29 | 41.4% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-81 | 24 | Boston | SG | 25 | 0 | 100 | 30 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 20 | 11 | 47 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 29% | 25% | Total | 25 | 0 | 100 | 30 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 20 | 11 | 47 | 23% | 1 | 4 | 25% | 7 | 10 | 70% |
NBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-81 | 24 | Boston | SG | 25 | 0 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 23% | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 29% | 25% | Total | 25 | 0 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 23% | 0.0 | 0.2 | 25% | 0.3 | 0.4 | 70% |
COLLEGE
Kreklow played college basketball at Drake, As a freshman in 1975–76 he joined the Bulldogs in the Missouri Valley Conference under head coach Bob Ortegel and played 27 games while averaging 23.7 minutes, 8.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game, while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 68.3 percent at the foul line as Drake finished 8–19 overall and 3–9 in league play for seventh place in the MVC.
He wore No. 15 at Drake and came to the program from Neenah High School after also drawing recruiting interest from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Marquette.
As a sophomore in 1976–77, Kreklow again played 27 games and raised his production to 11.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in 28.6 minutes, while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 80.6 percent from the free throw line for a Drake team that went 10–17 overall and 5–7 in MVC play to finish fifth.
During that 1976–77 season he averaged 5.1 made field goals on 10.1 attempts per game, 0.9 made free throws on 1.1 attempts per game, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks, 1.9 turnovers, and 3.4 fouls per game.
As a junior in 1977–78, Kreklow started all 28 games and averaged 32.2 minutes, 15.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.1 blocks, 2.4 turnovers, and 3.4 fouls per game, while shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 79.2 percent from the foul line for a Drake team that finished 6–22 overall and 2–14 in MVC play under Bob Ortegel.
He totaled 425 points, 89 rebounds, 72 assists, 31 steals, 2 blocks, 163 field goals, and 99 free throws in 1977–78, and that season earned second-team All-MVC honours.
As a senior in 1978–79, Kreklow started all 27 games and delivered the best season of his college career with averages of 34.7 minutes, 19.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game, while shooting 52.0 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the line as Drake improved to 15–12 overall and 8–8 in the MVC.
His 1978–79 totals were 526 points, 127 rebounds, 83 assists, 41 steals, 2 blocks, 224 field goals, and 78 free throws, and he earned first-team All-MVC selection, all-district honours, and Associated Press honorable mention All-America recognition that season.
One of his biggest single-game performances came on December 16, 1978 against Memphis State, when he scored 43 points and went 19 for 22 from the field and 5 for 6 at the foul line, which stood among the best scoring games in Drake history.
Kreklow set Drake’s single-season free throw percentage record at .857 in 1978–79 by going 78 for 91 from the line.
Across his four seasons at Drake, he played in 109 straight games and finished with 1,471 career points, which placed him among the top scorers in school history, along with a 13.5 points-per-game average, 614 made field goals, 1,229 field goal attempts, a 50.0 percent career field goal percentage, 79.1 percent free throw shooting, and 278 assists.
His career scoring climbed steadily from 8.0 points per game as a freshman to 11.2 as a sophomore, 15.2 as a junior, and 19.5 as a senior, and he closed his Drake career as a two-time team captain, a two-time all-conference selection, an All-American honouree, and a member of the school’s All-Century team.
AWARDS
- NBA champion (1981)
Related
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