Brad Wanamaker knows about Roman Catholic’s basketball tradition. Now it’s his time at the helm.
Wanamaker, a former Cahillites star who had an accomplished professional career, will add his own twist to the program as its new coach.
Brad Wanamaker knows the long-standing tradition that Dennis Seddon and Chris McNesby established inside the third floor gymnasium at Roman Catholic High School.
It’s written on the walls, hanging on purple and gold banners. Seddon led the Cahillites for 22 years and won 10 Catholic League championships along the way. He coached Wanamaker, alongside his twin brother, Brian, for four years before the two graduated in 2007.
McNesby, a 1995 graduate of the school, took over in 2009 after serving as an assistant under Seddon. In two stints (12 seasons total), he helped Roman to four PCL titles and three PIAA championships.
In June, when the Cahillites announced that McNesby was stepping down, Roman president John Prendergast said, “They knew they would have big shoes to fill.” But their coaching search didn’t last long because what they were looking for already was in the program.
Wanamaker, who served the previous season as an assistant, wanted to follow in the footsteps of the legendary coaches, and on Thursday, he was introduced as Roman’s new head basketball coach.
“Those are two men that I’m very close to, and getting their blessing on it is big,” Wanamaker said. “I’m super excited, I’m super proud, and I’m ready to get going.
“Seeing Chris day in and day out, his dedication, his preparation for the games, I wanted more. Then he stepped down, so it kind of worked hand-in-hand, but when I was on the sideline last year watching Chris go through it, I was like, ‘I want to do that.’”
The 36-year-old becomes the 17th coach in Roman basketball history and the first with professional experience since Billy Markward, who coached at the school from 1901 to 1941. Speedy Morris also was among the legendary Cahillites coaches.
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Wanamaker was named an honorable mention All-American at Pittsburgh, where he scored 1,090 points over four years, and had an accomplished pro career.
After going undrafted in 2011, he spent his first seven pro seasons largely overseas. He made his NBA debut with the Boston Celtics in 2018 and then jumped around the league, with stints playing for the Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, and Washington Wizards.
His career spanned 11 seasons — the seven seasons overseas before four in the NBA. Being in different locker rooms, Wanamaker has seen and experienced a lot. He can pass on the mentality that comes from playing at the highest level to his players.
“I was picked through a lot of different situations and different times of the games,” Wanamaker said. “Whether it be a game-winner or down two, things like that, so just trying to instill all the things I learned as early as possible into the kids and get them ready for whatever comes next for them.”
When Wanamaker came to Roman as a freshman, the goal was to win a PCL championship, and he did just that as a senior in 2007 on a team that finished 28-3.
Locking back, it’s one of his proudest moments, he said, as Roman rallied to beat Neumann Goretti, 59-56, at the Palestra.
“Being a Philly kid and coming to Roman and getting a second chance,” Wanamaker said, “Roman changed a lot in my life coming in, so I feel like I’m forever indebted to them, and what better way to give back then leading the team?”
While Wanamaker will add his twist as a first-time high school head coach, the idea of a winning culture remains the same.
Some of Roman’s returning players were in attendance for their new coach’s introduction, including rising senior Sammy Jackson and his younger brother, Shayne, who spent last season playing at Penn Charter as an eighth grader. Their father, Marc, a Roman alumnus and former 76ers big man, was there, too.
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Wanamaker’s son, Brad, a rising sophomore, also is a member of the team.
“Like every parent-and-son coaching duo, you have your days,” the coach said jokingly, but he has seen his son grow into a young man, thanks to the leadership and guidance from the upperclassman on the team.
Some might say he’s a tough coach, Wanamaker said, but he looks at it as tough love. Throughout summer workouts, he has reminded the Cahillites that “this sport can you take you far, so don’t take it for granted.”
He has high expectations for this year and is looking forward to tipoff.
“We’re going to come in here and be the best that we can be,” he said. “And that’s winning a championship. Sometimes you fall short of your goals, but we’re going to prepare, we’re going to work hard, and we’re going to make sure we are ready when the opportunity comes.”