Vanderbilt Basketball: White Power

Today we salute you Vanderbilt white guy. While everyone else got on board with recruiting long, athletic players long ago, the Commodores preferred that their stars come to play as white and stiff as possible. These are the guys who aren’t exactly the most talented, but you’ll never hear the end of how they “come to play” or “make the most of their talent” or “are the kinds of guys you want in a trench with you”.

In honor of current big white stiff Alex Ogilvy, it’s only fitting that we take a look back at some of the guys who paved the slow-footed way for him and what they are up to now.

Dan Langhi - After finishing second in Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball race, Langhi went to Vanderbilt and brought pain to the SEC. Pain in the form of the tube sock. It wasn’t quite the tube sock statement made by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but it was equally as gay.

Langhi blew up his senior year with 22 points and 6 rebounds per game and was a second round pick of the Dallas Mavericks - a franchise who knew a stiff when they saw one. After being swapped for Eduardo Najera, Langhi played for the Rockets, Suns, Warriors and Bucks before retiring with an unbelievably round 3.0 ppg career average.

So where is Langhi now? I have no earthly idea. Can’t find a thing. Please send me an update if you have one.

Matt Freije - If there was ever a non-UK player that I wanted to succeed, it was Freije. Once you got past hearing every game about how in-state Kansas had overlooked him in high school, it was easy to appreciate his balls-to-the-wall mentality as he did everything for the Commodores on the court. Plus he looks like Milky from Me, Myself, and Irene.

Vanderbilt’s all-time leading scorer was drafted by the Heat but suited up for the Hornets and the Hawks. His NBA career came to a painfully tragic end when the Atlanta Hawks released him in favor of someone even slower and whiter - Slava Medvedenko.

I’m not sure what Freije is up to, but I know that he is living in Kansas, looking like Mick Jagger and ignoring my Myspace friend requests. See if he will add you here.

Dawid Przybyszewski - Standing seven feet, two inches tall and looking to fire the three, Daqid Przybyszewski was born for Vanderbilt. He became a fan favorite early in his career when he could clean up Freije’s misses and find open space to fire the three. He didn’t really develop beyond that.

Although he finished his career 4th all-time on Vandy’s blocked shot list, the NBA scouts didn’t come knocking. Luckily for him, Europe did. After a short stint with the Bulls summer league team, “The Chef” went to Poland were he either did or did not dominate. I don’t know because I don’t speak Polish and I’m not paying for Euro League stat access. It does look like he’s on the National team though, but I could be wrong. See “I don’t speak Polish” above.

Scott Hundley - The Mr. Kentucky basketball from Scott County moved south to Nashville and didn‘t seem to do a whole lot of stuff great, but a little bit of everything kind of ok. He isn’t as big as the other guys on the list, but he’s certainly as white and stiff.

Hundley left the Commodores with career averages of not very many points and not a whole lot of rebounds. He is now an assistant coach for Montgomery County High School in Mount Sterling, Kentucky and offers private basketball lessons through this website.

Honorable Mention:

Ross Neltner - Another former Kentucky Mr. Basketball who still has eligibility for the Commodores. Look for him to be included on this list next year.

Rick Jones - Jones was thrown out of Vanderbilt and Murray State for smoking dope and isn’t really stiff enough - or probably white enough for that matter - to be included on this list. I just wanted to note that a guy with a major weed problem played professionally for the Houston Blaze. Great fit.