Pat Andree, former basketball star, ready for pro basketball career leap

Sherlon Christie, Asbury Park Press Published 5:00 a.m. ET May 13, 2020
5-6 minutes
Some 40 years after Bob Roma set it, Pat Andree eclipsed his total of 1,671 career points

He’s made an impression everywhere he’s shot a basketball for a team.

From the hardwood floors at his high school alma mater of Christian Brothers Academy in Middletown, to Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, Pat Andree is ready to take the next step in his basketball career.

He’s ready to go pro.

“It is what I have wanted to do. I pictured myself graduating college and going on this route,” said Colts Neck native Andree, a 6-foot-8 forward who’s a skilled catch-and-shoot threat on offense. “My dad Tim played overseas for seven or eight years. So, when I moved from Lehigh University to North Carolina State University and away from my family and friends, it was a trial run of what life would be like living on my own.”

Andree, an All-ACC Academic Team selection at N.C. State, has signed with IPZ, an alliance with Warren-based Zito Partners, as he tests the market.

John Crotty (Class of 1987) is the CBA grad that has made the biggest professional basketball impact thus far. The Colts had an 82-6 record over Crotty’s final three seasons, winning three straight South Jersey Parochial A titles and the state Parochial A crown during his sophomore campaign. As a senior, the point guard averaged 23.1 points-per-game. He went on to score 1,646 points at Virginia, where he still holds the mark for career assists, before playing 11 seasons in the NBA.

Recruiting expert Jay Gomes of njhoops.rivals.com said playing overseas will allow Andree to establish his level going forward.

“I think he has a chance to have a long career in Europe. In a few years, he may have a chance to catch on with an NBA team to get a summer league invite because he has a great skill. He can shoot the ball and shoot it from deep,” Gomes said.

Andree was a four-year player at CBA and graduated in 2016 after leading the team in scoring, rebounding and 3-pointers made during his senior season. He finished his illustrious high school career with 1,984 career points and became the school’s all-time leading scorer by breaking Bob Roma’s mark that stood for 40 years.

From there, he played in 86 games in three seasons at Lehigh, starting in 63 games, shooting 44.3 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from 3-point range and averaging 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

His final collegiate destination was North Carolina State as a graduate transfer, and he played in 27 games, starting five of them, shot 30.2 percent from the field, including 32.6 percent from 3-point range, and averaged 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

“Pat is a terrific young man and he was a great addition to our program,” said North Carolina State head basketball coach Kevin Keatts. “He is an elite-level shooter who has an incredible knowledge of the game. He also has a strong work ethic and is a fantastic teammate. Pat’s presence will make any locker room better and I believe he has a long professional career in front of him.”

Andree said leaving Lehigh for his final year of college eligibility wasn’t easy.

“I loved Lehigh a lot. We lost in the championship game of the Patriot League tournament my freshman year and I was 72 points short of 1,000 for my career. If I had stayed, I’m sure I would have went over 1,000 career points,” Andree said. “But I wanted a different experience (to close out my college career) and playing in the ACC was a great challenge.”

Now, the next obstacle is getting on the radar of some NBA teams or overseas teams this year.

The NBA announced on May 1 that it postponed its 2020 Draft Lottery and Draft Combine, which were both scheduled to take place in May, to an undetermined date later this year. The 2020 NBA Draft was scheduled for an in-person experience for June 25 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. But with the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affecting the world right now, those plans are likely to change. The 2019-2020 NBA season has been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic since mid-March.

However, the professional basketball scene being put on pause hasn’t stopped Andree from his training for his goals. At minimum, he wants to get some pre-draft invites to NBA camps.

“Right now, I’m staying at home and using my backyard for my workouts,” Andree said. “There is a camp in Las Vegas (that I have my eye on). I’m looking to get in front of NBA scouts. I’m trying to get invites for workouts from my local teams, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks. I’m trying to get NBA G-League invites, too.”

Sherlon Christie is a sports reporter at the Asbury Park Press and has covered sports at the Jersey Shore since 2004. Contact him at schristie@gannettnj.com or @sherlonapp on Twitter.