Jesse Kendall James Wagstaff (born 30 April 1986) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL). The 203 cm power forward from Canberra played four years of college basketball for the Metropolitan State University of Denver before returning to the Australia and carving out a very successful NBL career with the Perth Wildcats, winning multiple awards along the way, including six NBL championships.
Early life
Born and raised in Canberra, Wagstaff attended Radford College and played in the Waratah League as a youth for the ACT Academy of Sport and the Canberra Nationals.
College career
In 2005, Wagstaff moved to the United States to attend the Metropolitan State University of Denver. In his freshman season, he appeared in 31 games (seven starts) and averaged 5.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
As a sophomore in 2006–07, his role and minutes were both increased, playing 32 games (31 starts) and averaging 27.1 minutes per game. His production subsequently improved as he averaged 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He subsequently earned All-RMAC East Division first team honours, and was named the 2007 RMAC Tournament MVP.
As a junior in 2007–08, Wagstaff continued his strong play and production. In 31 games (all starts), he averaged 14.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
As a senior in 2008–09, Wagstaff earned RMAC East Division Player of the Year honours. In 31 games (30 starts), he averaged 17.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game.