Krauser not quite ready for spotlight
When Pitt coach Ben Howland assembled the Panthers for the team photograph at the Petersen Events Center, Carl Krauser headed for a chair in his accustomed position.
Front and center.
Krauser was already seated when team officials asked the redshirt freshman point guard to move. Don't blame Krauser for trying to steal the spotlight. After all, he spent last season sitting in the shadows, watching Brandin Knight become the star.
Now, it's Krauser's turn to shine — as Knight's backup.
“I accept that role,” said Krauser, who sat out as a partial qualifier. “Brandin is a very good player and he deserves to start. I'm just a freshman who needs to learn about college basketball. I can't worry about starting.”
A Bronx, N.Y., native, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Krauser came to Pitt as the Panthers' most highly touted point guard recruit since fellow New Yorker Jerry McCullough. Though he has a reputation for his sleight-of-hand ballhandling skills, Krauser promised to showcase only his control with the Panthers.
“Coming from New York, they expect flash and tricks,” Krauser said, “and they're going to be disappointed, because I'm going to play a basic game. I took bits and pieces from guys on the street who had the potential to make it to the NBA but took the wrong turn. I don't want to be like them.”
After spending an additional two years at St. Thomas More preparatory school in Oakdale, Conn., Krauser, 21, is actually seven months older than Knight, but used their practice sessions as a tutoring session on the nuances of playing point guard in college basketball.
“I picked up poise, learning how to control the game and be a leader,” Krauser said. “I feel like he was a big brother, teaching me about college basketball.”
“He doesn't know what to expect," Knight said, "until he gets out there.”
Which explains Krauser's impatience: He can't wait to get his taste of college basketball, especially after drilling four 3-pointers in the Blue-Gold game at the 2001 Midnight Madness at Fitzgerald Field House.
“Giving everybody a glimpse is what I wanted to do,” Krauser said, “because I wanted people to remember me.”
They remember him best for watching every game from the bench. It was frustrating for Krauser, but Howland credits him with helping Knight become one of the nation's top point guards by challenging Knight in practice on a daily basis.
“The thing that makes Carl so good is he's such a competitor,” Howland said. “He really helped our team become good with how he practiced. He helped Brandin because he was always going 100 percent.”
Knight responded by leading Pitt in scoring (15.6 points), assists (7.2), defensive rebounds (4.0), steals (2.3) and 3-point field-goal percentage (35.6) to earn Big East Co-Player of the Year and third-team All-America honors, as the Panthers went 29-6 and reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
“It made me a better player,” Knight said. “A lot of times, we'd go at it. I appreciate having someone to push me. Carl gave me an opportunity to see what I was going to compete against on a regular basis.”
The Panthers, however, were without a true backup point guard last season. Knight averaged 36.7 minutes per game despite being hampered by a right quadriceps injury. How his time on the bench hurt Pitt was never more noticeable than in its last two losses — to Connecticut in the Big East Conference tournament final and to Kent State in the Sweet 16.
“I'm stingy with my minutes, but it's going to be great for our team,” Knight said. “He brings a presence to the floor. It's good to know there's somebody who can spell you. You can be more effective in less minutes.
“He's going to be able to contribute in a big way.”
