Temple University Athletics
Men’s Basketball Alumni Spotlight: Will Cummings
8.4.23 | Men's Basketball
Will Cummings had a tremendous career for Temple, tallying 1,245 points (39th all-time at TU), 357 assists and 159 steals during his four-year career. The 6-2 guard from Jacksonville, Fla. saved his best season for his last.
As a senior, he led Temple to the best turnaround in the NCAA during the 2014-15 season as the Owls posted a 26-11 record, and improvement of 17 wins from the previous campaign, and a trip to the semifinals of the NIT. That season he earned First Team all-American Athletic Conference and Philadelphia Big 5 while leading Temple in scoring (14.8 ppg), assists (4.2 apg) and steals (1.9 spg). He also finished tied second with Hal Lear (1955-56) on Temple's single season list for free throws made with 189, 15 behind former teammate Khalif Wyatt's record 204 set during the 2012-13 season. He was also honored as Temple's co-Male Student-Athlete of the Year and played in the 2015 Reese's Division I College All-Star game.
Set to begin his ninth season of professional basketball, Cummings has traveled the world playing the sport he loves. After one season as an all-Star in the NBA's D-League (now G-League), he has played in the top leagues in Greece, Italy, Turkey, Germany, Russia, France and China, earning MVP league honors twice. His next stop will be the Australian Professional League.
When not playing professionally, Cummings resides with his wife, Anasia, and daughter, Wesli, in Jacksonville.
1) Talk about your decision to attend Temple to play basketball?
"Temple was one of my final three schools. I wanted to get a basketball experience because in Florida baseball and football are like the primary sports, so I wanted a different experience. I looked to go up North (to school) and took my first visit to Murray State. Then I went to Philadelphia, a basketball city. Growing up Allen Iverson was my favorite player, and that was the real thing that connected me to Philly. Having (Temple assistant) Coach (Dave) Duke recruit me was good. Then getting to campus was a joy, it was a pure basketball environment. Everyone in Philly loves basketball which is great. It was such a different environment than growing up in Jacksonville and in the South where basketball is cool, but it is not the primary sport. So that was my deciding factor along with the coaching staff and Coach Dunphy."
2) Talk about your career with the Owls, especially the transition from the Atlantic 10 to the American?
"My first two years we were in the A10 while my last two we were in the American. So, I got to experience both conferences. I enjoyed the American more as we were able to play against UConn, Louisville, those type of schools. My first two years I did not play as much but learned a lot from my teammates. Looking back now, I was just not ready. I was behind the curve talent-wise. I really worked hard between my sophomore to junior years and put myself in a good spot as I was now one of the older guys.
It was my junior year when Coach Dunphy came to me and said it was my team to lead and I had to be able to score and get everyone involved for us to be successful. My junior we were just were not able to be successful. We were able to score with everyone, but we just could not defend. We were in every game and the fans, who want you to win, appreciated that we played hard. So, they were not on us too bad.
Our senior year, we had a successful year, but got snubbed (by the NCAA committee). Overall, it was a great year."
3) Talk more about that senior year. You were an instrumental part in leading Temple to the biggest turnaround at the Division I level that year? And you capped it with a run to the NIT Semifinals?
"I remember that NIT run vividly. I was not ending my career against Bucknell in the Liacouras Center in the opening game, especially as I had already had my Senior Night before that and were supposed to be done playing there.
That game was a struggle as we definitely did not want to be playing in the NIT, but rather in the first round of NCAA Tournament. Somehow, we found a way to win that game. We then were able to defeat George Washington and Louisiana Tech to make it to New York.
The trip to Madison Square Garden was nice as I was able to end my career playing in an historic venue. Even though it was disappointing not to go to the NCAAs, it was a good to cap off my career finishing there."
4) Leaving Temple, you had an amazing season playing in the NBA D-League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. How was that first taste of professional basketball?
"I knew I was going to go undrafted and then I had a choice to go tryout for the (San Antonio) Spurs or the (Houston) Rockets. There was more of an opportunity with the Rockets, so I went with them. I went in as a preferred player and went from the summer league to training camp with them. I played the entire preseason and had a chance to make the roster, but at the end was sent to the D-League. I played really well that season, making the All-Star team and was in the running for Rookie of the Year. I also was named second team all-league. I did not want to go back there after that. I just felt like I did enough that I should have received a (NBA) call up that year, so I decided to go ahead and make a career overseas."
5) Next you traveled the world playing basketball, a journey that is still ongoing. Talk about how that experience has been for you?
"It has been different. I did a two-week stint in Italy after my D-League year and then my first full year was in Greece. I decided to fully immerse myself in it. So, I was now living in another country for an entire year, which was a totally different experience. I stuck with it and people say that if you can survive your first year playing overseas staying with one team, you will survive there.
We ended up making it to the Greek Cup Final which is pretty hard to do as there are two dominant, higher budget teams, but we were still able to qualify for the final. I ended up being the top scorer in the league in my first year. The next year I signed with a team in Istanbul, Turkey where I played for David Black. It was the year after he was coaching LeBron at the Cavaliers. We ended up winning the EuroCup.
After that I traveled to Germany. I was fortunate that all these leagues I was playing in were the top leagues in their countries. Germany was where I made my name (professionally). I led the league in scoring and won MVP of the league. Our team finished second in the league, which was incredible as the program had not finished in the Top 5 in a long time.
Next I went to Russia on a two-year deal. We were in EuroCup there and then Covid hit. I ended up getting stuck in Russia for two weeks during Covid. It was crazy as we were on the road and when we when we got a call that one of the opposing teams coaches tested positive. We then had to go into quarantine. One of my teammates and I were not with the team, as we had headed to Moscow to shop. We were told to quarantine and had to stay in our hotel room. The team did not want to pay for us to stay there so we had a Russian teammate who had a mansion in the woods nearby. So, they sent us there. We lived out of our suitcase for those two weeks. We got the word that the airports were shutting down, but thankfully I was able to get a flight home. It ended up being a five-month off season.
I went back to Russia the following year and played well. Then I went to Paris and played well. I made first team all-EuroCup and led the league in scoring. I won the MVP of the French League and we finished second which is the club's highest finish. Then this past season I moved to China."
6) What is your next stop in your career?
"China, I feel took some years off my career. We would play a game and the next day we would practice no matter what. We never really had off days after games. That drained me. It just took the fun away. I probably have two, maybe three years left of my playing career. It is still kind of year to year. Definitely not much longer as my daughter, Wesli, is two now and I want to be able to take her to school.
During Covid I built a gym out of a warehouse so I could workout. Now I rent it out to fitness trainers who want to train their basketball players. I know I want to train when I am done. I want to do something in basketball, but not as a coach. I would prefer to train players. I do a one-day camp every summer training kids from sixth to 12th grades here in Jacksonville. This is my sixth year doing it. I enjoy doing that and I feel that is my calling. To give back and help kids in Jacksonville.
7) You had a chance to talk to our current team recently. What words of advice did you share?
"The main message I gave them was to have the discipline to do what you need to do now. I know they are busy. They have classes, workouts, weight room, tutoring, etc. You have to be disciplined now. I have teammates who have regrets from college because they did not want to listen to coaches. They did not go to class. They did not do what they needed to do while they were there. My message to them was that you do not want to have any regrets when you leave Temple. You do not want to look back five years from now and say I wish I would have done gone to class, took extra shots, listened to coach more.' You just want to lock in, take care of your business, and give yourself a chance to be successful in what you want to do in life. Whether it is the field that you are studying or if you are trying to play professionally, you have to do everything now to prepare yourself for the grind. You have to get extra shots up after practice instead of leaving to go get food right away.
One of my stories I shared with the guys was that Coach (Shawn) Trice was a guy who would tell me to get my shots up after practice. It does not have to be like 1000 shots. It can be like, five makes, five spots. At the time I did not get it. I was young, but I would be like 'I have to get food, I'm starving.' When I turned pro, however, that was the thing I really remembered. I do not think that I have had a day after practice where I did not get up extra shots. I think that has helped me have the success that I have had. Just to have that routine in place and being able to prepare myself. That was one of my regrets from college, not listening to coach and not getting my skill work in. So that was my message to them."
As a senior, he led Temple to the best turnaround in the NCAA during the 2014-15 season as the Owls posted a 26-11 record, and improvement of 17 wins from the previous campaign, and a trip to the semifinals of the NIT. That season he earned First Team all-American Athletic Conference and Philadelphia Big 5 while leading Temple in scoring (14.8 ppg), assists (4.2 apg) and steals (1.9 spg). He also finished tied second with Hal Lear (1955-56) on Temple's single season list for free throws made with 189, 15 behind former teammate Khalif Wyatt's record 204 set during the 2012-13 season. He was also honored as Temple's co-Male Student-Athlete of the Year and played in the 2015 Reese's Division I College All-Star game.
Set to begin his ninth season of professional basketball, Cummings has traveled the world playing the sport he loves. After one season as an all-Star in the NBA's D-League (now G-League), he has played in the top leagues in Greece, Italy, Turkey, Germany, Russia, France and China, earning MVP league honors twice. His next stop will be the Australian Professional League.
When not playing professionally, Cummings resides with his wife, Anasia, and daughter, Wesli, in Jacksonville.
1) Talk about your decision to attend Temple to play basketball?
"Temple was one of my final three schools. I wanted to get a basketball experience because in Florida baseball and football are like the primary sports, so I wanted a different experience. I looked to go up North (to school) and took my first visit to Murray State. Then I went to Philadelphia, a basketball city. Growing up Allen Iverson was my favorite player, and that was the real thing that connected me to Philly. Having (Temple assistant) Coach (Dave) Duke recruit me was good. Then getting to campus was a joy, it was a pure basketball environment. Everyone in Philly loves basketball which is great. It was such a different environment than growing up in Jacksonville and in the South where basketball is cool, but it is not the primary sport. So that was my deciding factor along with the coaching staff and Coach Dunphy."
2) Talk about your career with the Owls, especially the transition from the Atlantic 10 to the American?
"My first two years we were in the A10 while my last two we were in the American. So, I got to experience both conferences. I enjoyed the American more as we were able to play against UConn, Louisville, those type of schools. My first two years I did not play as much but learned a lot from my teammates. Looking back now, I was just not ready. I was behind the curve talent-wise. I really worked hard between my sophomore to junior years and put myself in a good spot as I was now one of the older guys.
It was my junior year when Coach Dunphy came to me and said it was my team to lead and I had to be able to score and get everyone involved for us to be successful. My junior we were just were not able to be successful. We were able to score with everyone, but we just could not defend. We were in every game and the fans, who want you to win, appreciated that we played hard. So, they were not on us too bad.
Our senior year, we had a successful year, but got snubbed (by the NCAA committee). Overall, it was a great year."
3) Talk more about that senior year. You were an instrumental part in leading Temple to the biggest turnaround at the Division I level that year? And you capped it with a run to the NIT Semifinals?
"I remember that NIT run vividly. I was not ending my career against Bucknell in the Liacouras Center in the opening game, especially as I had already had my Senior Night before that and were supposed to be done playing there.
That game was a struggle as we definitely did not want to be playing in the NIT, but rather in the first round of NCAA Tournament. Somehow, we found a way to win that game. We then were able to defeat George Washington and Louisiana Tech to make it to New York.
The trip to Madison Square Garden was nice as I was able to end my career playing in an historic venue. Even though it was disappointing not to go to the NCAAs, it was a good to cap off my career finishing there."
4) Leaving Temple, you had an amazing season playing in the NBA D-League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. How was that first taste of professional basketball?
"I knew I was going to go undrafted and then I had a choice to go tryout for the (San Antonio) Spurs or the (Houston) Rockets. There was more of an opportunity with the Rockets, so I went with them. I went in as a preferred player and went from the summer league to training camp with them. I played the entire preseason and had a chance to make the roster, but at the end was sent to the D-League. I played really well that season, making the All-Star team and was in the running for Rookie of the Year. I also was named second team all-league. I did not want to go back there after that. I just felt like I did enough that I should have received a (NBA) call up that year, so I decided to go ahead and make a career overseas."
5) Next you traveled the world playing basketball, a journey that is still ongoing. Talk about how that experience has been for you?
"It has been different. I did a two-week stint in Italy after my D-League year and then my first full year was in Greece. I decided to fully immerse myself in it. So, I was now living in another country for an entire year, which was a totally different experience. I stuck with it and people say that if you can survive your first year playing overseas staying with one team, you will survive there.
We ended up making it to the Greek Cup Final which is pretty hard to do as there are two dominant, higher budget teams, but we were still able to qualify for the final. I ended up being the top scorer in the league in my first year. The next year I signed with a team in Istanbul, Turkey where I played for David Black. It was the year after he was coaching LeBron at the Cavaliers. We ended up winning the EuroCup.
After that I traveled to Germany. I was fortunate that all these leagues I was playing in were the top leagues in their countries. Germany was where I made my name (professionally). I led the league in scoring and won MVP of the league. Our team finished second in the league, which was incredible as the program had not finished in the Top 5 in a long time.
Next I went to Russia on a two-year deal. We were in EuroCup there and then Covid hit. I ended up getting stuck in Russia for two weeks during Covid. It was crazy as we were on the road and when we when we got a call that one of the opposing teams coaches tested positive. We then had to go into quarantine. One of my teammates and I were not with the team, as we had headed to Moscow to shop. We were told to quarantine and had to stay in our hotel room. The team did not want to pay for us to stay there so we had a Russian teammate who had a mansion in the woods nearby. So, they sent us there. We lived out of our suitcase for those two weeks. We got the word that the airports were shutting down, but thankfully I was able to get a flight home. It ended up being a five-month off season.
I went back to Russia the following year and played well. Then I went to Paris and played well. I made first team all-EuroCup and led the league in scoring. I won the MVP of the French League and we finished second which is the club's highest finish. Then this past season I moved to China."
6) What is your next stop in your career?
"China, I feel took some years off my career. We would play a game and the next day we would practice no matter what. We never really had off days after games. That drained me. It just took the fun away. I probably have two, maybe three years left of my playing career. It is still kind of year to year. Definitely not much longer as my daughter, Wesli, is two now and I want to be able to take her to school.
During Covid I built a gym out of a warehouse so I could workout. Now I rent it out to fitness trainers who want to train their basketball players. I know I want to train when I am done. I want to do something in basketball, but not as a coach. I would prefer to train players. I do a one-day camp every summer training kids from sixth to 12th grades here in Jacksonville. This is my sixth year doing it. I enjoy doing that and I feel that is my calling. To give back and help kids in Jacksonville.
7) You had a chance to talk to our current team recently. What words of advice did you share?
"The main message I gave them was to have the discipline to do what you need to do now. I know they are busy. They have classes, workouts, weight room, tutoring, etc. You have to be disciplined now. I have teammates who have regrets from college because they did not want to listen to coaches. They did not go to class. They did not do what they needed to do while they were there. My message to them was that you do not want to have any regrets when you leave Temple. You do not want to look back five years from now and say I wish I would have done gone to class, took extra shots, listened to coach more.' You just want to lock in, take care of your business, and give yourself a chance to be successful in what you want to do in life. Whether it is the field that you are studying or if you are trying to play professionally, you have to do everything now to prepare yourself for the grind. You have to get extra shots up after practice instead of leaving to go get food right away.
One of my stories I shared with the guys was that Coach (Shawn) Trice was a guy who would tell me to get my shots up after practice. It does not have to be like 1000 shots. It can be like, five makes, five spots. At the time I did not get it. I was young, but I would be like 'I have to get food, I'm starving.' When I turned pro, however, that was the thing I really remembered. I do not think that I have had a day after practice where I did not get up extra shots. I think that has helped me have the success that I have had. Just to have that routine in place and being able to prepare myself. That was one of my regrets from college, not listening to coach and not getting my skill work in. So that was my message to them."
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