Inside the 10-year reunion event for the 2013 Wichita State Final Four basketball team

In celebrating a Final Four run, it would seem like the 2012-13 Wichita State men’s basketball season was full of nothing but good times.

If there was one takeaway from the 10-year reunion event organized by Armchair Strategies at Mark Arts this past Saturday, it was that the Shockers faced more adversity than even their own fans probably realized at the time.

In a panel discussion moderated by WSU radio play-by-play announcer Mike Kennedy, several of the nine players in attendance opened up about the trying times that Wichita State overcame that season to reach the 2013 Final Four in Atlanta.

“I’ve been on a lot of teams in my life and this was definitely the most dysfunctional team I’ve ever been on, by far,” Fred VanVleet said, drawing laughter from the crowd of around 300 Shocker fans in attendance. “Everybody that was there can attest… it was a (messed) up year and that’s the honest truth.

“I think there’s something to that, though. Your head coach was crazy, but he really instilled a work ethic, a zero-tolerance attitude. We definitely all pushed ourselves to the absolute limit off the court, on the court and everything in between. It was a special mix of people. It’s been 10 years already and it’s definitely going to stand the test of time and that Final Four banner is going to hang up there a long time.”

The most obvious struggle came during the team’s three-game losing skid during the middle of Missouri Valley Conference play.

There were players-only meetings, come-to-Jesus meetings, meetings with legends of the program. That part of the struggle has been well-documented since the team’s turnaround at the end of the season and was once again touched upon on Saturday by the players.

“There’s always going to be that struggle to see if you’re able to come out of it and be able to handle the adversity,” former WSU guard Demetric Williams said. “We didn’t give up on the season. We went to practice, put on our hard hats, our steel-toed boots and went to work.”

But the players hinted there was an internal struggle from the outset of the season, particularly with getting the personalities on the team to all mesh together.

There was more than enough talent, but there were also strong personalities on the team that season. Despite the historic finish to the season, the team’s play throughout the regular season did not always suggest a special ending was in store.

“The fans didn’t get to see behind closed doors all of the low times that we had that season,” Ron Baker told The Eagle following the event. “There were times we felt like we weren’t even going to make the (NCAA) tournament, that’s how turbulent it got in the regular season. But I think the true character of our team really showed through, grinding through the tough times. I credit a lot of the reason why we were able to get to the Final Four because of all of the lows that we had to get through that year.”

The elephant in the room was the subject of the team’s coach, Gregg Marshall, who resigned from his position some seven years after the Final Four run in November 2020 amid multiple allegations of verbal and physical abuse. Marshall was invited to the event, but did not attend — likely to protect himself from potential legal complications since he is still receiving biweekly checks through 2026 from his $7.75 million settlement with WSU.

Marshall was featured in the hype video to kick off the program and he was referenced a handful of times early in the panel discussion. But it was VanVleet, the program’s most prominent former player as an NBA champion and All-Star and recent recipient of a $130 million contract with the Houston Rockets, who addressed the situation.

“I know there’s been a lot of (stuff) going on and whatever, but listen, can we give coach Marshall his credit one time?” said VanVleet, which led to applause from the players on stage and a standing ovation from the crowd.

Not long after, former WSU star and NBA player Cleanthony Early followed up.

“I always remember Marshall saying, ‘There’s a method to the madness,’” Early said. “I think each one of us had a little madness to us, individually and collectively. It worked for us. We were so ready to fight, but a part of that was the love in us to protect ourselves and the people standing next to us. When you put in a certain type of work, you want to protect the person next to you. I feel like when we went out there, we showed that kind of love, that kind of family, that bond that we had for each other. And all of us know families can be a little bit dysfunctional at times, but when you love each other and you’re willing to go to war for each other, that’s the only thing that matters.”

Standout defender Tekele Cotton also touched on the subject.

“When you go through what we went through, the hardships, the blood, sweat and tears, people getting cussed out, it’s hard not to look back at moments like this and not appreciate it,” Cotton said. “I have nothing but love for these guys. When you do stuff like this, it’s special. It’s going to be with you forever and it makes it even better when we have the best fans in the world.”

The most notable player absent from the evening was Malcolm Armstead, the veteran point guard who steered the ship for the Shockers that season. While he was unable to make it back to Wichita for the reunion due to a family obligation, Armstead was showered with praise.

VanVleet, the 18-year-old understudy to Armstead that season, still appreciates what the veteran did for him in their season together.

“(Armstead) was probably the most important piece to that team, especially in the tournament,” VanVleet said. “As an 18-year-old kid, I was a top-100 kid coming in, thinking I was going to start and run the show. But (WSU) had real men. Now that I’m a little older, I understand what that means. These guys were men already and showed me what it meant to work hard every day and have pride about the things we worked for. Malcolm just kicked my (behind) every day and never stopped. I tried to make him better and I think we made each other better. He taught me so much about basketball, life and everything in general. He was a great mentor to me and he still is to this day.”

Kennedy briefly went through the highs and lows of the regular season, eliciting the biggest response when he mentioned the Illinois State game. Fans instantly started murmuring about the infamous Jackie “Chan” Carmichael kick that helped spark an 8-0 game-winning run by the Shockers to erase a seven-point deficit in the final 45 seconds.

“I’ve fallen, I’ve gotten hit, I think I’m a little tough,” said Cotton, the recipient of Carmichael’s kick on a rebound attempt. “I felt it, but I think it did something to everybody else more than me.

“I haven’t even seen (a replay) since. I don’t want to watch it.”

After losing to Evansville on senior day and at Creighton when Doug McDermott dropped 41 points on his own senior day to close out the season, the team received a boost in the return of Baker, who had missed the previous three months with a left foot injury sustained in a loss at Tennessee.

“I felt like I didn’t have a left leg,” said Baker, who averaged 10.5 points in eight postseason games and quickly regained his spot in the starting lineup.

Kennedy reminded everyone how shocking it was in the moment when Carl Hall showed up with a shaved head for Wichita State’s first NCAA Tournament game. His trademark dreadlocks were gone.

“I did feel like I lost a little strength when I cut them off,” Hall joked. “I remember thinking, ‘Man, I should have kept my hair.’ Everything was a lot colder, too.”

Before the player panel, WSU’s three radio broadcasters, Kennedy, Bob Hull and Dave Dahl, shared the stage to reminisce on their own memories of the Final Four run.

Dahl detailed Cotton shutting down Pittsburgh’s Tray Woodall in WSU’s opening-round victory, while Hull became animated in describing VanVleet’s dagger 3-pointer in the Gonzaga victory. Kennedy recalled the sheer excitement that he felt, as he knew the fans back in Wichita felt, when the Shockers punched their ticket to the Final Four in Atlanta.

“There is nothing that lights up this city like Wichita State basketball when it’s good,” Kennedy said to a round of applause.

And of course, VanVleet gave his own recollection of the 3-point shot he drilled in the final 90 seconds to secure a 76-70 upset over No. 1 Gonzaga to punch WSU’s ticket to the Sweet 16 in Los Angeles.

“I didn’t want to take that shot,” VanVleet said. “I was trying to give it to Malcolm, but they were denying him and I wasn’t going to turn it over. I’m going to shoot before I turn it over. I remember coach Marshall, he used to yell our (shooting) percentages at us at practice. I wasn’t shooting it good from three, so he was like, ‘28 percent! 28 percent!’ So I just shot it, I make it and I look over at the bench and I wink at him.

“I remember going back to the hotel and watching ESPN until like 5 in the morning after that.”

More laughs followed when Early recalled his disappointment on WSU’s locker-room assignment when the team arrived at Staples Center ahead of its Sweet 16 game against La Salle.

“I wanted to sit where Kobe sat,” Early said. “We were in the Clippers’ locker room, so I was a little disappointed.”

After sharing memories on stage of their Final Four run, the players were in no hurry to leave the hallways of Mark Arts, catching up with old Shocker supporters and staff members, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.

“I still can’t get over the 10-year part,” Cotton said. “I guess it really has been that long.”

Many of the players have remained friends over the past decade. Many of their paths crossed early in their professional careers and while some have since retired from basketball, the group has remained close.

“I was just with Fred two weeks ago. I saw Nick in Taiwan. I text Tekele all the time, we go on vacation,” Early said. “A lot of these guys I see outside of this. It’s pretty amazing to see everyone back together. We’re chasing our dreams, making a living, feeding our families.”

VanVleet and Baker were in high demand, of course, as their route to replenish their drinks was blocked by fans looking for autographs and pictures. To their credit, VanVleet and Baker made sure to sign everything presented to them and pose for every picture requested.

Their paths have diverged since leaving Wichita State all those years ago, but the duo always feels right at home when they get back together. And that goes for the entire group of 2012-13 Shockers.

“To be able to come back 10 years later and share this tremendous experience with everybody is really a special moment,” Baker said. “We had a lot of characters that year, from the coaching staff to the players. Getting to hear everybody’s stories tonight was a lot of fun and it makes you feel pretty grateful for the people whose paths crossed at the perfect time and made a special memory that will live on forever.”