Tuesday, March 24, 1998

Former Cooper great has an agent now

By Al Pickett / Sports Editor

It didn't take Bill Blakeley long to sell Indiana University star Andrae Patterson.

By the time the Dallas sports agent finished our telephone interview Monday afternoon, I was ready to join the bandwagon. Blakeley has that kind of infectious personality.

"The bottom line is Andrae and his family have not only made my year, they have made my decade," he said, "by offering me the opportunity to represent him. I'm so excited I can't sleep. Andrae shouldn't have to prove himself, but he does. So I'll be there to help him in any way I can."

Blakeley, who signed the contract this weekend to become Patterson's agent, is certainly no stranger to basketball fans in Abilene.

He is a member of the Abilene Christian University Athletic Hall of Fame, having played basketball for the Wildcats from 1954-56. He met his wife at ACU and all three of their children are ACU graduates.

He later spent one season coaching the Dallas Chaparrals, who eventually became the San Antonio Spurs, and served as the head basketball coach at the University of North Texas from 1975-83.

Blakeley, who had several 20-win seasons at North Texas, said he was fired after winning 17 games in 1983, "because a new president came in. He was ex-military, and I didn't salute."

But that led Blakeley to the career he enjoys today. He is a partner in the Dallas firm of Casterline, Vines, McElroy, Blakeley and Nalley. The group has 50 football players as clients, although Blakeley handles just basketball players.

The first player he signed was Tom Sewell of Lamar University in 1984. The next year came three of his biggest-name clients - Karl Malone, Joe Dumars and Spud Webb. Malone and Dumars are no longer represented by Blakeley, but Webb still remains his client today.

In fact, the initial meeting Friday between Andrae, his parents and Blakeley was held at Webb's house in DeSoto.

Although this weekend was his first meeting with Patterson, Blakeley was certainly aware of the former Cooper all-American's career.

"I watched him in high school and I followed his career on TV," Blakeley said. "Here is a kid who could have averaged 25 points anywhere else in the country. But at least he has learned how to play defense."

NBA Draft projections have put Patterson going anywhere from the middle of the first round to not being drafted at all. Blakeley admits Patterson is probably not a first-rounder at this point, but that could all change.

"All Andrae has to do is be himself and enjoy playing the game again," Blakeley said. "He hasn't enjoyed playing the game he loves for four years."

He said Patterson will not play in the National Association of Basketball Coaches' all-star game in San Antonio because "that is just a social gathering for the NBA and the NCAA."

Patterson, however, will attend the NBA's invitational tryout camp next month in Phoenix. Blakeley said that will be step one in proving he can play in the NBA.

What attracted Blakeley to Patterson?

"Family," he said, "intelligence, character, loyalty, commitment, talent, spirituality. Do you want me to keep going? I haven't had one I wanted to bust my tail for like him since 1985.

"I'll promote him with a capital P. He knows what he can do, and I know what he can do. Now we've got to convince the people who are convinced he can't. Andrae will take care of the rest.

"We're going to make it (in the NBA). You can take that to the bank. I just can't tell you an exact time."