Days ahead of his 21st birthday, Connor Platz received the surprise of a lifetime.
He was signed to play professional basketball, and to do so with a team in his own backyard of Langley.
The 6-foot-11 towering centre was one of three homegrown players – all hailing from the Lower Mainland – to recently be drafted to the Vancouver Bandits.
“Being drafted by my hometown team is a special moment in my career. I am looking forward to working as hard as possible this summer to elevate my game and to learn from my teammates as well as the Bandits’ coaching staff,” said Platz, who has emerged as one of the elite shot blockers in all of Canada, leading not only Canada West in blocked shots last season, but all of U SPORTS.
Born and raised in Walnut Grove, Platz begrudgingly took up basketball in Grade 6, at Alex Hope Elementary. Always being tall – in fact coming in six inches taller than anyone else in his family, including Dad, who stands at 6 ft. 4 in. – basketball seemed a natural.
“I always played centre, I was always the biggest,” he shared with a chuckle.
“They only really wanted me because I was big. And I thought, okay, I’ll play, right,” Platz said, noting he was never really drawn to the sport but felt pressured into it.
“Then, I fell in love with playing basketball,” he recounted. “I always had a basketball hoop in my driveway, and I was always out there shooting, rain or shine.”
He threw himself into the sport after that, and by Grade 10 his coach at Walnut Grove Secondary was suggesting he was a strong enough player to earn himself a scholarship to university.
“So then, I just started working hard. Then, after my Grade 11 year, it was COVID and I didn’t have a Grade 12 season. So it was kind of harder for coaches to see me and stuff, because we weren’t really playing.”
Platz took it upon himself to reach out through an acquaintance to the head coach at TWU, and he received an invite to their camp.
“The coaches like me there, and they offered me a position on the team… I think he was impressed I was so tall and that I could shoot. That’s so rare.”
Year one, he played backup centre behind fellow WGSS alum Andrew Goertzen – describing him as a mentor who really helped him improve on the court – then in his second year he moved up to the starting spot and has been breaking records ever since.
Platz nearly averaged a double-double in 2023-24, posting imposing averages of 34.4 minutes, 12.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 2.9 assists per game. The skilled big man also hit 24 three-pointers in his third year with the Spartans, demonstrating an added dimension to his game by being able to stretch the floor with his long-range shooting.
No stranger to writing his name in the history books, Platz nearly recorded the first-ever quadruple-double in Canada West history on Feb. 7, when he racked up 13 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and seven blocks. A month prior, Platz scored a career-high 26 points against the eventual Canada West champions, Victoria Vikes.
He’s currently in his third year of studies for a five-year human kinetics program at Trinity Western University and continues playing for the Spartans during the school season, but with the recent signing he will be spending his summers playing with the Bandits.
“I’m very fortunate,” he said, describing it as the best of both worlds.
The Bandit signing came out of left field, Platz shared, recalling how he unexpectedly received a message a few weeks ago from his TWU assistant coach.
“He just texted, pretty much randomly one day. I was having lunch. And he just said ‘The Bandits want to draft you.’ Like, I was just surprised. And I was like okay. And then about five minutes or so later, the head coach called me and started talking about the Bandits and that they’re like interested. And I obviously accepted.”
He described the signing as “surreal,” and having already started training with the team he sees the experience as an incredible learning opportunity and a chance to grow as a player.
“It’s an opportunity I can’t pass up because I get to play against these high-level players, these professionals.”
It’s a great “stepping stone” to his ultimate goal, which is to play professional ball in Europe one day or maybe even with the NBA.
He wasn’t the only one over the moon with the news of signing to the Bandits. His entire family is elated and plan to be in the seats watching all his home games at Langley Events Centre starting later this month.
His biggest cheerleader is his youngest brother, Ty. Following in his older brother’s footsteps, Ty is now in Grade 6 and attending Alex Hope, and lives and breathes basketball, like Platz.
They spend a lot of time playing together, be it the mini-hoop set up inside the family’s Walnut Grove home, or the one erected in the driveway. Ty is even the waterboy for Platz’s TWU team.
“He spends a lot of time watching me, too,” Platz said, “he’s always at the games and loves it.”
Similarly, TWU head coach Trevor Pridie, shared his pride for Platz being selected in the third and final round, 24th overall.
“We are thrilled for Connor to be drafted into the CEBL and to be part of a first-class organization and coaching staff in the Bandits,” Pridie said.
”We have seen firsthand with Mason Bourcier the impact it can have on a player’s game coming back in the fall for the U SPORTS season after a summer in the CEBL. I am very proud of Connor to achieve this honour to play in the CEBL and I know he will do great and make us proud.”
Platz was one of three Lower Mainland players signed recently in the draft. He’s joined by Surrey’s Adam Olsen, a guard/forward for the UBC Thunderbirds and Richmond’s Jerric Palma, a guard for the Western Mustangs.
“I am really excited about the opportunity to work with all three of our draft picks this summer,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius.
”The goal for our organization is to grow the game from the grassroots level and up. We want to help produce more professional players from B.C. and drafting talented local players is fundamental in the process,” Julius added.
The Bandits open the club’s sixth season Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m., with a home opener against the Montreal Alliance. Vancouver will play a total of 10 regular season home games in 2024, between May 23 and July 18. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against Montreal on July 28.
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