By RICHIE HALL
After a three-year journey that included a 1,200-mile and back detour, Grant Weatherford is finally back to playing basketball in front of the people he loves the most.
Weatherford, a 2015 Hamilton Heights graduate, is among the stars on this year’s IUPUI men’s basketball team. Weatherford transferred to IUPUI last year, and after sitting out for a red-shirt year last season, he is starting for the Jaguars and already making solid contributions to what has so far been a winning season.
Weatherford had originally committed to Purdue after graduating from Heights, then transferred to Midland College in Texas after a redshirt year with the Boilermakers. He was eager to return back home to Indiana; a big reason for doing so was to be near his family, which is now able to see him play without having to catch a four-hour flight.
“It’s definitely very heartwarming to look up there after the game, just seeing familiar faces, people that have been with me through it all,” said Weatherford.
The 6-foot-2 Weatherford has started in all 18 of IUPUI’s games this season. He is averaging 7.1 points per game, and has reached double figures five times, including a 20-point performance back on Dec. 18 against Purdue Fort Wayne (formerly known as IPFW). Weatherford is also pulling 2.9 rebounds and dishing out 2.8 assists per contest, all of this helping the Jaguars to a 10-8 record so far this season.
Those wins have come against some solid programs, such as Eastern Illinois, Boston College, Bradley and Western Illinois; Weatherford said the team tried to “amp up our out-of-conference schedule a little bit this year.” IUPUI plays in the Horizon League and is currently 2-3 in the conference, with victories over UIC and Cleveland State, and losses to Northern Kentucky, Wright State and Youngstown State.
Weatherford originally was to play at Purdue after graduating from Heights, but wound up being redshirted in what would have been his freshman year. He left Purdue, and then headed to Texas. It was a long way from home, but it would ultimately prove to be a positive experience.
“I thought it was good to just get away and focus on things I needed to focus on,” said Weatherford – “get back to being myself.” He wound up having a successful season at Midland, averaging 6.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. That included two double-doubles, a 17-point performance against New Mexico Junior College and 15 points against New Mexico Military Institute.
Midland College is located in the city of Midland, about 350 miles west of San Antonio and not too far from the New Mexico border. The college was truly “deep in the heart of Texas” and an interesting experience for Weatherford, as he found himself having to recreate a support system from scratch.
“It was interesting going out there. I didn’t know anyone, so it was an eye-opening experience,” said Weatherford, who said playing that year at Midland not only helped him grow as a person, but also grow his game as well.
“I thought it was a good year,” he said. “I would have to have team success over individual success to get to the dreams and goals I wanted to reach.”
But after a year out west, Weatherford was ready to return home. He had someone who really wanted him there besides his family: IUPUI coach Jason Gardner, who had been recruiting Weatherford since high school.
“They contacted me. Coach Gardner’s been a coach that recruited me. He recruited me again when I was in junior college. We laugh about it – third time’s the charm,” said Weatherford.
So, Weatherford was finally back home again in Indiana. But he wouldn’t be able to play right away. Weatherford redshirted again in the 2017-18 season, a medical redshirt as he was out all season due to knee surgery, but he was still a presence for his new teammates.
“Coach made sure that I was at every single practice, that I was still looked at as a leader,” said Weatherford. The coaches made sure he was around the team as much as possible, and was a leader off the court.
Now, Weatherford is on the court, and he will be there for a while. Weatherford is a sophomore eligibility-wise, and was granted a clock extension by the NCAA last month, ensuring that he will be able to play for the next three years.
“Definitely looking forward for the next three years,” said Weatherford. He also wants to do his part in representing the city of Indianapolis well. “We feel like there’s people that want us to be there,” he said.
Academically, Weatherford has been quite busy. He’s already earned degrees in general studies and business, and is close to earning one in communications. Weatherford has a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership and is working on his Masters as well.
But after so much success in basketball, Weatherford wants to keep that going for as long as possible. “It’s up in the air, but I’d like to take basketball as far as I can,” he said.
“I feel like I can make a career out of this and hopefully when that’s done, I’ll have a lot of options,” said Weatherford.
Hamilton Heights graduate Grant Weatherford is back in Indiana, playing for the IUPUI men’s basketball team. Weatherford is starting for the Jaguars and has helped the team to a 10-8 record so far this season. (Photo provided)