Former Air Force basketball players getting workouts with NBA teams

Another sign of the recent success of the Air Force men’s basketball team has been revealed this offseason — interest from the pros.

Dan Nwaelele, a 2007 graduate, was in Oakland on Monday to work out for the Golden State Warriors, while classmate Jacob Burtschi worked out for the Phoenix Suns last Tuesday.

“It’s great for the program,” Air Force basketball coach Jeff Reynolds said. “It’s great for the academy that we’ve had young men that the NBA thought enough of — and thought enough of our program — to invite them to work out.”

Nwaelele and Burtschi are not expected to be drafted, and even if they are offered free agent contracts, they will have to put their dreams of playing professionally on hold for two seasons. An Air Force policy released earlier this year states an airman who wants to pursue a professional sports career “must have served on active duty for at least 24 months.”

Before the policy was in place, 2006 academy graduate Antoine Hood was able to play for the Colorado 14ers of the NBA Development League last season by applying for “excess leave.”

Burtschi said he was holding out hope that an exception could be made for him and Nwaelele if they were offered contracts. He also mentioned Air Force classmate Karl Bolt, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 15th round of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft.

“They’re saying we’ve got to wait 2 years, but hopefully we can come to an agreement,” Burtschi said. “It’s not something where we’re looking to get out of our commitment. They can double our reserve time. ... (But) the opportunity is great, and the PR we could bring to the academy is unreal.”

If nothing changes, Burtschi will spend next year coaching at the Air Force Academy prep school, while Nwaelele has been assigned to Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi.

“If we want it bad enough, we’ll stick to it and hope to goodness that after 2 years come around, there’s a team in the NBA or a team in Europe that would sign us,” Burtschi said.

The 6-foot-5 Nwaelele led Air Force in scoring last season with 14.3 points per game and was named to the All-Mountain West Conference first team. His biggest asset when it comes to the pros is his shooting ability. He shot 45 percent from 3-point range last season, and Reynolds said Nwaelele is as good a shooter “as anyone I’ve coached in 25 years at the collegiate level.”

“He has a very unique gift in his ability to shoot the basketball,” Reynolds said. “And that has become a needed commodity in the NBA.”

According to Draftexpress.com, Nwaelele is scheduled to work out Wednesday for the Chicago Bulls.

The 6-6 Burtschi, who averaged 13.5 points, a team-high six rebounds and 1.6 steals per game last season, said workouts with the San Antonio Spurs, Seattle SuperSonics and Toronto Raptors are possible, but nothing has been set.

Last week he worked out in front of Suns officials with Ramon Sessions (Nevada), Dominic McGuire (Fresno State) and Gabe Pruitt (Southern Cal). In addition to the workout, he had a formal interview and lunch with Suns coach Mike D’Antoni, general manager Steve Kerr and players Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw.

“It was awesome,” Burtschi said of his time with the defending Pacific Division champions. “It shows all the hard work I’ve put in playing ball is paying off.”

Reynolds said Burtschi’s versatility would be attractive to NBA teams.

“He can rebound, dive on the floor, get a loose ball, shoot the 3, bring it up against an athletic player,” Reynolds said.

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