Trotter helps fill the void for the Stanford men’s basketball team

By Rick Eymer

Palo Alto Online Sports

By the time Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins contacted then Campolindo High senior Jack Trotter in late April of 2008, it was almost too late.

Looking at it from today’s perspective, picking up the phone that day may have been one of Dawkins’ most important decisions.

At the time it was little more than a cursory call to a potential walk-on, an extra body to use in practice. Dawkins called to assure Trotter he would honor the school’s agreement, originally made by Trent Johnson, that he remain a preferred walk-on.

Had Dawkins waited another day or so, Trotter may have accepted one of the scholarship offers he received from UC Davis or St. Mary’s and just where would the Stanford men’s basketball team have been as it prepared for Thursday’s 5 p.m. Pac-10 game at Arizona?

“You hope kids develop when you take the time to work with them,” Dawkins said Tuesday. “You get after it and see where it leads. They (along with Elliott Bullock and Matei Daian) were here, they love the game and they wanted to be part of the team.”

Not even Trotter could have envisioned becoming a full-time starter in his second year in the program. After all, Josh Owens became a force toward the end of his sophomore season; Anthony Brown was headed to Stanford as a top recruit and Andrew Zimmerman was transferring in from Santa Clara via Foothill College.

“After coach Johnson left I wasn’t sure about anything,” Trotter said. “I was seriously considering going elsewhere to play basketball. It was literally just hours before the deadline (to affirm his acceptance at Stanford) that Dawkins called me. I was a Stanford growing up and never really wanted to go anywhere else.”

Trotter (6-9, 220) joined the 6-10 Daian and 6-11 Bullock as what is, perhaps, the tallest group of walk-ons in college basketball history.

“That’s something that hardly ever happens,” Dawkins said. “Usually you get the speedy perimeter player walking on (re: Kenny Brown). Size is a rarity.”

Coaches love walk-ons for the simple fact they fill out a roster and usually act more like crash test dummies than scholarship players. At the end of last year, Dawkins thought he was set at the post. Then the bad news rapidly sent the best laid plans into a tailspin.

Brown tore an ACL in his knee, Owens’ career remains in the balance due to a medical condition and Zimmerman was injured early against Washington State. Stanford was suddenly without any real experience in the post.

“What happened to Josh you never want to see but I did view it as an opportunity,” Trotter said. “I needed to stay focused. I’d definitely say my confidence is on the upswing. When you can hold your own against a tough senior, it’s a confidence booster.”

There was really only one thing to do when the news turned from bad to worst to nightmarish between the Pac-10 media day and the first game of the season. Stanford was picked to finish last by the media, who still thought Owens would be part of the team.

“We go into the season with stability in the post,” Dawkins said. “Then one guy is gone and another is gone. There’s a void and you have to figure things out, especially early on. Where do we go from here? What are the options? When there’s no timetable (for Owens), you eventually have to start planning without him.”

There’s a chance Owens may never be able to play basketball again. Brown is rehabbing through the season and should be ready to go at the start of next year. Trotter worked on his game over the summer not really knowing what want kind of role he would play.

“You have to give him a lot of credit,” Dawkins said. “He’s responded and he’s gotten better. He understands what we want from him on both ends of the court. Jack is having a terrific year for us thus far.”

Notes: Senior guard Drew Shiller was set to attend Bucknell to become a multi-sport athlete once he withdrew from USF following his freshman year in the Dons’ basketball program. Stanford wasn’t even a consideration until Menlo School grad and former Stanford assistant coach Eric Reveno called about the possibility of transferring to Stanford. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from him,” Shiller said. “I have no regrets; I wound up at my dream school.” . . . Shiller was recruited for football by San Diego and current Cardinal football coach Jim Harbaugh out of Burlingame High . . . Zimmerman is a week away from being able to participate in light basketball drills . . . Stanford assistant coach Dick Davey left the team for two days to take part in Wednesday’s funeral services for his friend Dan Fitzgerald, the former Gonzaga coach, who passed away last week . . . The Cardinal (4-3, 10-9) is currently tied for second place with Arizona, among others, in the Pac-10, a game behind conference leader California . . . Stanford is 1-7 away from Maples Pavilion and that was a win over Virginia in the Cancun Classic . . . Stanford has lost 13 of its last 14 road conference games . . . Trotter, Daian and Bullock are all on scholarship for this season.