KALAMAZOO, Mich. (June 27, 2014) – For the first time in the Steve Hawkins era, a Western Michigan men’s basketball player is heading to the NBA.
Shayne Whittington and the Indiana Pacers have agreed in principle to a deal, according to a release from the university on Friday.
“I got the phone call from my agent Herb [Rudoy] this morning,” Whittington said in the release. “I had an instant smile on my face.”
“He said, ‘Shayne, you’re going to be a Pacer.’ It was really emotional, and all I could think to do was call my family and let them know.”
Whittington can’t officially sign the contract until the league’s free agent period starts on Tuesday.
Whittington was a first-team all-MAC center for the Broncos in the 2013-2014 season, averaging 16.1 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. He helped the program win regular season and tournament conference titles – and led Western Michigan to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004.
He was MAC Player of the Week four times last season – including three consecutive weeks from February 17-March 3.
