Dean Wade’s freshman game-winner at Georgia feels ‘a lifetime ago’ for K-State star

It seems fitting that Kansas State forward Dean Wade is playing the best basketball of his life with Georgia coming to Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday.

Wade made his first impression on a lot of K-State fans against the Bulldogs two years ago when he hit a baseline jumper to beat Georgia in the final seconds of his first college road game. He was an inconsistent freshman back then, but the game-winner offered a glimpse at his potential.

“That seems like a lifetime ago,” Wade said.

Much has changed for Wade since. No longer a timid freshman, the 6-foot-10 forward has evolved into a mismatch nightmare for opponents. The junior ranks third in the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 20.3 points since the start of conference play, and fourth in field-goal percentage, knocking down 60.6 percent of his shots.

He is accurate from three-point range, dangerous inside against smaller defenders and capable of grabbing rebounds over anyone. Quite the contrast from where he started.

Even his big shot at Georgia was flawed. Wade remembers standing on the wrong side of the court and ending up with the ball only because former wing Wesley Iwundu encountered a double team while driving to the rim.

Today, his consistent play is a big reason why K-State (15-5, 5-3 Big 12) has surged into second place of the conference standings. It’s fair to wonder if any Georgia players will recognize him.

“That was a long time ago,” Wade said. “Physically, I’ve gained weight, gotten strong. Mentally, I’m just a lot more confident in myself. I’m wearing sleeves now, short sleeves, so that’s pretty cool. I’ve changed a lot. I think I’m a whole different player than I was then.”

He has a nickname now, too.

K-State fans have begun calling him Dean Wolf, a play on words that compares Wade to the main character of the 1985 movie “Teen Wolf,” played by Michael J. Fox. Wade’s popularity grows with every 20-point game.

Wade isn’t sure he envisioned this type of success two years ago, saying “I don’t think I could look through the next week” as a freshman.

But others knew this day was coming.

“It was just a matter of when,” K-State coach Bruce Weber said. “I think he had to figure it out on his own and hopefully it continues. I don’t know if he’s going to be 9-for-12 every game, but he’s a really good player, a really talented player.”

Wade first flashed that potential two years ago against Georgia.

“It’s been a long time coming,” K-State guard Barry Brown said. “He’s playing at the level that everyone saw, and I’m pretty sure the coaches saw when they recruited him. Two years back, we were all just so inexperienced, not knowing what to expect, especially going on the road in a hostile environment at Georgia. It was pretty packed in there from what I can remember. He came to play, but now he’s a whole other Dean.”

This story was originally published January 26, 2018 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Dean Wade’s freshman game-winner at Georgia feels ‘a lifetime ago’ for K-State star."