Golf: Former Wranglers return to dish out assists for program

Their professional careers included appearances in NBA All-Star Games and playoffs, the Olympics, and in leagues overseas.

A handful of former Odessa College basketball players could not pass up the chance to help out the program that gave them their start.

The Larry Johnson Golf Tournament on Monday was just part of a busy week for Johnson and other former OC players. Johnson, the No. 1 pick in the 1991 NBA draft and that season’s rookie of the year, and former Wranglers Craig Ehlo, Rodney Dent, Riley Smith and Chuck Evans also are helping conduct the Larry Johnson Basketball Camp at OC.

“I only went to two schools — Odessa and UNLV,” Johnson said during Monday’s scramble at Odessa Country Club. “I don’t do too much with UNLV. This here is the most I do with the schools I went to. The camps and all that, I should be doing. I went to school here.”

Ehlo went from OC to Washington State and then a 14-year NBA career. He made the playoffs 10 times.

“It’s always good to be back to where you start something,” he said. “I basically started my career here in Odessa. It’s always fun to see faces that we know, like Coach (Ron) Mayberry, who was my coach.

“That kind of stuff, you always get bombarded with memories and what happened and how much fun you had here. It’s always a pleasure to come back.”

Dent finished his college career at Kentucky under Rick Pitino before being drafted by the Orlando Magic. He was with the Magic for their run to the NBA Finals in 1994.

“It’s been 16 years since I’ve been back here in Odessa,” he said. “I get to meet a lot of friends, and they’re teaching me how to play golf. I’m not that good at golf, but they’re teaching me, and I’m getting better. I’m not the best, but I’m getting better.”

Smith helped Idaho to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances before spending a season in the NBA and playing professionally in Europe.

“It’s good to give back to the college,” he said. “They gave us an opportunity. We could be doing other things, but we chose to come here and have fun and help the students and players in the basketball camp that we’re giving.”

Evans has spent most of his professional career in Germany, recently signing with Grevenbroich in the Bundesliga. He still was dealing with jetlag after flying in from his home in Leverkusen, Germany.

“Working with the kids (Monday) morning kind of gave me a burst of energy,” he said. “I didn’t feel fatigued. I’ve been up since like 7 this morning, worked the camp with the kids and came directly (to the tournament).”