TCU’s Desmond Bane has one word when looking back on storied career: Thankful.
TCU standout Desmond Bane is preparing for the NBA Draft in Miami these days. It’s not the typical South Beach experience with just about everything shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But that’s where the sports agency, SAC Sports Family, Bane signed with is located and he’s preparing with the mindset that anything is possible. The NBA hasn’t made a formal decision on postponing or canceling the draft combine scheduled for next month in Chicago, nor the June 25 draft date.
Maybe those go on as planned, or both could be postponed. The general belief is that, if the NBA resumes play in the near future, it doesn’t want to be playing games during the draft.
“It’s all in limbo,” Bane said. “They’re trying to figure it out.”
What’s not in limbo is Bane’s legacy at TCU. He left as a player who would be included in any conversation about the program’s “Mount Rushmore.”
Bane is the school’s all-time winningest basketball player, being part of 84 victories, and all-time leader in games played at 141. He’s also the 3-point king with 249 and ranks third on the all-time scoring list with 1,768 points.
Pretty impressive for a player who had only one Power Five offer (TCU) coming out of Seton Catholic High School in Richmond, Indiana.
“When I first got to TCU, I just wanted to play,” Bane said. “I thought it was going to be a process. TCU was my only big school offer and I didn’t think I’d play until I was a junior or a senior.”
At the time of his signing, Bane expected to be riding the bench his freshman year behind Chauncey Collins and Malique Trent. But Collins opted for a professional career in the summer and Trent left the program in the middle of the season.
Eventually, Bane played his way into the starting lineup, starting the Horned Frogs’ final four games of their NIT championship run in 2017. Bane credits coach Jamie Dixon for his sooner-than-expected playing time.
“Coach Dixon came in here and changed the program around and gave me an opportunity from the jump, probably when I really didn’t deserve one,” Bane said. “It just allowed me to grow into the player that I became. He gave me a lot of confidence.”
Bane averaged 7.1 points and 20.7 minutes as a freshman. He saw that increase as a sophomore, averaging 12.5 points and 30.5 minutes on an NCAA Tournament-bound team.
And Bane kept producing more. As a junior, he averaged 15.2 points and increased that to 16.6 points a game as a senior last season.
Bane’s senior season saw him score 20 or more points in 12 games, the most in the Big 12, and knock down a conference-leading 44.2% of 3-point attempts. He earned first-team All-Big 12 honors, the first TCU player to accomplish that since it joined the league in 2012.
Even if NBA teams have to solely rely on his game tape, Bane is confident they’ll like what they see.
“I think my career speaks for itself,” Bane said. “I played at a high level for the last three years and was a small contributor that first year. Most importantly, I feel I’ve been consistent.”
There’s no questioning Bane’s consistency. He was an iron man over his career, never missing a game and missing only one non-summer practice (sickness).
That type of work ethic and drive will be an attractive asset for pro teams.
“That’s Coach Dixon’s thing — show up every day and get better,” Bane said. “I just tried my best to show up. I was fortunate being healthy and blessed. Other guys worked just as hard as me, but maybe didn’t get as lucky.”
Whether some luck was involved or not, Bane’s proud of what he accomplished at TCU. Sure, he would’ve liked to win even a few more games and gone to the NCAA Tournament more than once, but nobody in program history can match what he’s done.
84 wins. 141 games played. 249 3-pointers.
“The only word I can think of is thankful. I’m really thankful for TCU as a whole,” Bane said. “I didn’t have anything and they gave me an opportunity and really taught me to work hard, how to grow up off the floor. My four years meant everything to me.
“I want to be known as a winner on and off the court.”
