Mike Wilson has coached at every lower level of the boys and girls basketball programs at Naperville Central over the past 14 years.
He’ll get his first crack at the varsity level.
Wilson has been hired to lead the boys basketball program. He succeeds Pete Kramer, who retired after a 21-year tenure, and becomes only the third person to coach the Redhawks since 1979.
“I played for the previous two,” Wilson said. “So it’s kind of a full-circle moment.”
Indeed, Wilson is a 2001 graduate who was a guard/forward for the Redhawks. He played under Kramer on the sophomore team and then for two years on the varsity team for Bob Sterr, who died in November 2022.
Following those two highly respected predecessors is surreal for Wilson.
“How privileged I feel to go through the process in a building where I really respect the administration and the leadership that we have here,” Wilson said. “It’s been overwhelming, but it’s been fun.
“Obviously learning as both a player and as a coach from coach Sterr and coach Kramer, I just want to do what’s right by them and right by the program.”
Naperville Central senior Mike Wilson is shown during a basketball practice on campus in Naperville on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2001. (Milbert Orlando Brown / Chicago Tribune)
Wilson, who coached the girls basketball program’s freshman team this past season, takes over a boys team that has struggled for two years, posting a 17-44 record. The Redhawks went 10-23 overall and didn’t win a game in the DuPage Valley Conference this past season.
That, Wilson said, must change.
“The work starts now,” he said. “We don’t have Candace Parker or her brother walking into the gym, but that’s not to say we don’t have guys that want to work and put in the time. So I’m always going to be optimistic and embrace expectations. Set them high and make sure you’re doing everything you can to hit those expectations.”
That starts with regaining competitiveness in the DVC. The five other DVC teams were a combined 75-28 against nonconference opponents, and four of them won at least 19 games.
“It was a tough conference, obviously,” Wilson said. “But I keep asking our guys, ‘Why not us?’
“The model is going to be to attack the Naperville schools and DeKalb and really emphasize those conference games and putting ourselves in a position to be ready for the postseason.”
The Redhawks have three starters graduating but will return a pair of sophomores, guards TJ Hillman and Nate Abrahamson, who got significant playing time. Glue guys like junior forward Connor Sands and junior guard Alex Liabo also will be back.
“I’ve had a chance to meet with all of the players in the program, including the ones that are graduating,” Wilson said. “I like the attitude and the mindset. We’ve got a core group now that’s working on a traveling team together.”
Naperville Central’s TJ Hillman (1) shoots over Oswego’s Nolan Petry during a Class 4A Downers Grove North Regional quarterfinal in Naperville on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. (Jon Langham / Naperville Sun)
Wilson is a big proponent of including multisport athletes on his roster. Sands, Liabo, junior guard/forward Daniel Nussbaum and junior guard Preston Kuta all play football.
“At Naperville Central, you want your basketball guys that are hoop heads 365 days a year,” Wilson said. “But you need your football players, you need your baseball players, you need those athletes to round out the roster. Definitely putting in the work to talk to those guys.”
Wilson has also been talking with Kramer, who has offered support.
“It’s funny, I got a text from Pete that said, ‘Can you meet me down in the basketball cage?’ where we keep all the supplies,” Wilson said. “He had basically prepared for me answers to about 15 questions I hadn’t asked yet.
“In a lot of ways, I feel like he’s taken me sort of halfway up the mountain in terms of what we want for the summer and for the following season.”
Kramer won’t be on the staff, but Wilson welcomes his input.
“He said he’s a phone call away, and I certainly want him to continue to be around the program, if nothing else but to help me and what he’s been a part of,” Wilson said.
Kramer understands the opportunity Wilson has.
“Naperville Central is a special place,” Kramer said. “It has to be extra exciting for him as a former player. I wish Mike the best with the program.”
The varsity coach is responsible for all aspects of the program. That will be a significant step up in pressure for Wilson, but he thinks his vast experience at the lower levels gives him a good vision of what he wants at each level.
“I can kind of recognize the work and the labor that goes into the levels that weren’t getting most of the attention and how important those levels are,” he said. “Keeping them confident and feeling a part of a bigger program is so important.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
