Dean Whalen may have only played two years for the UNBC Timberwolves but his legacy and production may never, be touched.
He is the latest inductee into the Timberwolves Wall of Honour.
In 1999-2000, UNBC coach Reg Carrick recruited him out of Terry Fox Secondary School, where he had played for legendary coach Rich Chambers.
A broad-chested guard with an innate knack for scoring the basketball, Whalen was recruited by a number of schools, but decided Northern British Columbia was the ideal spot to continue his career.
In 2000-2001 season. Whalen led all BCCAA rookies in scoring, averaging 14.4 points per game to go along with 4.6 rebounds. He finished top-20 in BCCAA scoring, and helped lead the Timberwolves to and 8-10 record and their first playoff appearance in program history.
Following his freshman season, opportunities were abundant for the Port Coquitlam native.
Big schools came calling, offering him a chance to play at the CIAU (now U SPORTS) level.
He had also turned heads as a leader on Team BC at the Canada Games in London, Ontario that summer. However, Whalen had developed a strong bond with Robison, who was named the program’s new head coach prior to the 2001-2002 season.
Whalen decided to play another season for the Timberwolves, and it would prove to be historic.
UNBC head coach Todd Jordan was a freshman for the Timberwolves in 2001-2002, joining a program led by Whalen, Raju Korotana, and veteran guard Mike Davis. Immediately, he recalls, he was struck by Whalen’s unique combination of power and grace.
“Dean was one of the most physically strong athletes to ever play for our program. He was one of those guys where the weight room translated to the court. He could really shoot the ball coming off screens, and when he needed, he could body guys off the dribble and get to the rim or his pull-up jumper. His ability to put the ball in the hole was really special.”
On opening weekend, Whalen had a 35-point, 11-rebound game against the Langara Falcons, before dropping 41 points on Capilano the next evening.
As the season progressed, the buzz around Whalen and the Timberwolves grew.
The team was seeking a second playoff berth, and the phenom was looking to achieve a personal mark that had never been reached in BC college basketball.
Taking on the Okanagan University College Lakers late in the season, Whalen ensured the TWolves would be headed back to the postseason, scoring 38 points and adding 10 boards in a victory.
In the final game of the season, he added to his legacy, becoming the first player in BCCAA history to score 500 points in a single season.
Whalen averaged a stunning 27.9 points per game, to go along with 5.6 rebounds, leading the Timberwolves to a 9-9 record.
“He was so exciting to watch. To put up almost 28 points per game, you need to be incredibly consistent, and find ways to score despite defenses keying in on you,” said Jordan. “We definitely needed to play a style that was centered around Dean’s abilities, but to carry the load like that for your team is impressive at any level of collegiate basketball.”
In the spring of 2002, Whalen decided to make the jump to the university level with the Alberta Golden Bears. In 2005-2006, he led U of A in scoring and was named a First Team Canada West All-Star; a tremendous accomplishment at the highest level of collegiate sport in Canada.
Whalen now lives in Alberta with his wife Marcie and their children.
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