Findlay Prep star sets sights on national championship, beyond

By Rob Miech

Thursday, March 26, 2009 | 2:10 a.m.

Avery Bradley watched Texas lose to Duke in the second round of the NCAA tournament over the weekend and knew exactly what the Longhorns lacked.

A lethal outside shooter. A dangerous perimeter player who could open up the inside. Someone like, well, Bradley.

“And they could have beaten Duke, easily,” said the 6-foot-3 senior shooting guard for Findlay College Prep.

Bradley will begin attending classes at Texas in June and will play for Longhorns coach Rick Barnes next season.

“Yeah, I could see myself … ” said Bradley, referring to that Duke game. “That puts more pressure on opponents, knowing there’s someone else out there who can shoot from the perimeter.”

Until he lands in Austin, Texas, Bradley will be busy. His itinerary is loaded. He leaves this weekend for Miami, where he will play Wednesday in the McDonald’s All-America game.

He will meet his Findlay teammates in Bethesda, Md., where the third-year program that’s 30-0 will try to claim its first national title in the ESPN RISE National High School Invitational from April 3-5.

He’ll go home to Tacoma, Wash., to spend some time with his mother, sister and two older brothers, and will compete in the USA Hoops Summit, in Portland, Ore., on April 11.

He will participate in the Jordan Brand All-American Game at Madison Square Garden in New York on April 18.

“Yeah, it definitely seems like I’m about to take the springboard of my life,” Bradley said. “It came so fast. I’m doing all this stuff I always dreamt of, and I’ll be in college in three months. It’s big and exciting.

“The sky’s the limit, like everybody says.”

In good company

Early Monday morning, 15 minutes before an anatomy class, Bradley was awarded with a McDonald’s certificate and some luggage as one of a prestigious group of two dozen of the country’s best prep players.

He is Findlay’s first McDonald’s All-American. The bleachers inside the gym at the Henderson International School, with which Findlay is affiliated, were packed with his adoring peers, teammates and teachers.

Bradley was as cool and calm as he always is at the free-throw line as he accepted his honors and posed for photographs with a Ronald McDonald character.

Later, after practice, Bradley admitted that it is amazing to be included in a game that has featured Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.

“That was definitely a big deal to me,” Bradley said. “That is something I’ve wanted to be a part of since the eighth grade. I’m looking forward to the event.”

It might be easy, he acknowledged, to take such an honor in stride, to look too cool and too calm. He said that’s not the case.

“I think someone could get a big head and get lazy, because a high percentage of players who play in that game also play in the NBA,” Bradley said.

“A lot could take it as they’ll be in the NBA and not work as hard. I’m not that way. I’ll always work hard, no matter what.”

Bradley, 17, leads Findlay with 19 points a game, and he averages 4.4 rebounds, three assists and three steals.

He shoots a silky smooth 3-pointer, has a nifty feel for his teammates and can finish with an array of thunderous dunks.

The figure that excites him most, though, is his 3.5 grade-point average. About a month ago, Bradley called Pilots coach Mike Peck to announce that he had aced an anatomy exam.

“It was at an odd time, out of the blue,” Peck said. “Our guys get so pumped up about that. It’s great. They can text me or call anytime to share that type of news.”

A nifty move

Bradley left Tacoma Bellarmine Prep to shore up his academics and test his skills against some of the top high school competition in the country.

Both would ease his transition to major Division-I ball at Texas, he hoped. The move paid immense dividends.

“I think it was a good move for me, academically and basketball-wise,” Bradley said. “It helped me with a lot of things, getting more exposure and especially becoming a better person.

“The main thing for me was playing for a coach I get along with and respect. That’s the best thing.”

Bradley admitted that he tangled with Victor Rudd, an electric forward who left Findlay last month, after a home game. Rudd also got into it with another teammate after a game in Dallas.

Willie Hankins, a guard whose father, Bill, is Rudd’s guardian, bolted from Findlay before Rudd departed.

“The coach made the best decision for this team,” Bradley said.

“I’m very pleased with our group right now, and the chemistry they’re exuding and giving off,” Peck said. “It seems like it’s fun. It’s loose. It’s comfortable. It’s open. They’re perceptive and willing to work hard every day.

“That’s a great combination.”

Peck often talks with Bradley about “being a pro.”

“That’s the term he uses,” Bradley said. “Being drama-free. Not doing things that cause drama.”

Was there drama on the squad, even though it’s undefeated, this season?

“Yeah, there definitely was … it lingered,” Bradley said. “Coach Peck said being a pro is not being involved in that drama or trying to solve that drama.”

Silent and serious

Bradley’s mother, Alicia, and father, Avery Sr., divorced when Junior was in the fifth grade. Senior recently retired from the Army and moved back to his hometown of Mound Bayou, Miss.

Both parents traveled to Texas for Findlay’s final regular-season road game in Dallas. There’s no doubt where Avery Jr. gets his quiet confidence.

“We shook hands,” Peck said of Senior. “Avery looks like him. He walks with a little toughness and grit.”

Bradley smiles as frequently as a solar eclipse. At one practice this season, he sailed high for a dunk on the right side only to land flat on his back, elbows and spine smacking the court.

In a flash, he was back on his feet ready to attack the next play.

He displayed the tenacity that fuels Findlay last week in a scrimmage. Bradley missed a shot and raced down to the other end of the court to make amends.

“It looked like the guy would score a layup, but Avery came out of nowhere, he just flew down there from an almost impossible angle to swat the shot,” Peck said. “It was goaltending, but it was incredible.

“I turned around and thought, ‘You know what? This kid is ready to win and he’s focused on winning a national championship.’ He’s ready.”

Bradley, measuring his words, agreed with Peck.

“I feel confident,” Bradley said. “We’re just so close as a team. We don’t have any drama or anything. I just feel like everybody’s hungry to win a national championship.”