This is blowing us away at Catch Spokane!
A kid who showed up half way through our first 3 on 3 league three years ago on a team spot on dubbed, “Secret Weapon”, came in dunking on people straight from Missoula Montana…. 😳. He decided to jump on board with us and help some local Spokane high school players in a small selective camp of kids who were young, varsity players with requested work that needed to be done according to their coaches that we called August BOOST clinics. Jake stepped up and not only showed them what the next level D-1 athlete looked like as a player but how a 19 year old could be mature, mature enough to teach 15 and 16 year olds without a stuttered word. We knew Jake was special at that moment in 2014. SIDE NOTE- Jake planted the seed and begged us for a Spokane Summer League for college players during this time.
Fast forward… Now in 2016, while at Lewis & Clark State College and claiming NAIA ALL AMERICAN awards, he helped out our new developing summer league here in Spokane at East Central Community Center where he played AAU ball a few years prior and new the history of the center. He proceeded to lead a group of current and soon to be college players in a great come from behind victory over some of Spokane’s best adult hoopers, including Gonzaga’s Angel Nunez and SCC and NWAAC MVP Levi Taylor. In the final seconds, he called a timeout and brought the team together on the sidelines to devise an inbounds play. This moment not only announced his obvious future in coaching but showed, more impressively his intelligence towards the game and his lack of ego when it came to winning the game for the Catch Spokane Recruits. He DID NOT get the last shot. He planned the play to use himself as a decoy and draw a double team in order to open up the teams best mid range shooter (Will Tender of Spokane’s St. George’s HS and Redlands college) who buried the shot!
After that game he continued to climb the life ladder having a daughter, moving up to EWU, helping kids and local players have great experiences with him on and off the court
and ending the season as we all know by now as the Nation’s surprising BIG SKY MVP and Honorable Mention NCAA ALL AMERICAN, getting married and now to NBA DRAFT GEM!?!?!?
We know the fire that burns inside and the “Secret” that the NBA scouts are finally getting to see! The story is even more astounding when you are looking from the outside on in and believe what you’ve seen on film, in games, that Jake is a Post player… He played 4 years of the 4/5 spot because the bigs on his teams either got hurt or he was asked to play out of position due to his versatility, knowledge, selflessness, and athleticism. Did you notice that “athleticism” is listed last? Athleticism, being what most people notice with Jake, is his 5th greatest trait.
FIRE, is his #1 trait. This is what burns inside of Jake. He can’t work hard enough or long enough. He can’t be outdone. He won’t let up on loose balls. He won’t jog when a sprint is demanded. Jake will not quit! His passion and FIRE has allowed him to leap mountains and wrangle Titans and become an NBA prospect.
Jacob Wiley is a man that gets life more than the typical “entitled” young man of today’s generation and he has CHOSEN and WORKED to become what he 100% believes he can be! We are proud to call him part of the Catch Spokane family! Go get it Jake!
