It’s a story right out of Hollywood – a young man’s journey from a prison cell to wowing basketball fans all over the country.
But that’s the way the “Greg Wells Story” became reality. Wells never played in an organized basketball game until he arrived at KCKCC at age 26 in 2002. Incarcerated on the first day of basketball tryouts his junior year at Washington High School, his considerable basketball skills were honed during nearly eight years in Kansas
state correctional facilities in Norton, Hutchinson and Lansing.
Just 16, Wells was with three other men (ages 24, 22 and 18) when two of them got out of a car at the Best Western Inn on Southwest Boulevard and robbed people of nearly $500 and stole two automobiles. While he never left the car, he was arrested three days later, admitted his presence at the robbery and was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison.
“I knew what was going on, so I was just as guilty,” Wells admitted.
One of the three men turned state’s evidence and got three years, and the second 45 years to life. Wells could have implicated the third man but did not, and the man drew no sentence.
The last 27 months of Wells’ 10-year sentence for aggravated robbery were spent in a maximum-security facility in El Dorado where he was confined to his cell 24 hours a day because of repeated fights in other correctional facilities.
“Honestly, the best thing that happened to me was being put in the El Dorado super max,” he said. “That’s when I changed within myself. I knew that I was ready to focus on life outside other peoples’ opinions and get rid of the tough guy image. I knew I had to get an education and loving the game of basketball the way I did, basketball and education were my direction.”
Earning a GED, Wells was referred to the KCKCC coaching staff by a former Blue Devil player.
“He saw him in Lansing and was really turning things,” former KCKCC assistant coach Bill Sloan said. “It took a while for him to get acclimated but by the end of the first season, he was really something. He was so athletic and strong and jumped so well he could score from the power forward position at just 6-foot-2.”
Although never playing in an organized game, Wells was in the starting lineup by mid-season of his freshman year, scoring in double figures in eight of his last 10 games and averaging 12 points.
As a sophomore, he dominated the Jayhawk Conference. Playing power forward, Wells used his athleticism and quickness against much bigger rivals and double and triple-teaming defenses to run away with the Jayhawk scoring championship. Averaging 22.2 points and shooting 57.1 percent, he also handed out 98 assists and led the Blue Devils in rebounding (8.1) and steals (59) to earn first team All-Region VI and All-Jayhawk honors.
“Even though his situation was way different than the players we were getting out of high school, he brought great enthusiasm and leadership to the program,” said former KCKCC Head Coach Jon Oler. “His sophomore year was great capped by two great plays that gave me my first win over Johnson County.”
Not only did Wells excel on the basketball court but also in the classroom. By his sophomore year, he had four As and one B for the fall semester and carried 21 hours the final semester while maintaining a 3.4 grade point average.
“Coming from where he did, he could not have represented the college better than he did,” Sloan said.
Wells’ play earned a scholarship to Rockhurst University but halfway through his first season, financial problems collided with opportunity.
For the next seven years, he toured with the Harlem Rockets, attaining popularity and stardom as “The Finisher” because of his ability to extend high above the rim for spectacular dunks. For a short time, he even owned his own time, the New York SSS All-Stars, before retiring in 2012. Upon retirement, Wells developed promising basketball players (ages 14-24) to play in college.
“I have great memories (of KCKCC),” he said. “I have great memories of the coaches who helped me to develop into a player and how much growing up I did at KCKCC, which helped me to become a better father.”
Wells, who has three sons and two daughters of his own, is now the CEO of his own company, 50-20 Productions, is a published author (“Why Men Cheat”) and is the producer and director of a stage play, “No Doubt.” Residing in Richmond, Va., he’s also a philanthropist and motivational speaker dedicated to mentoring at-risk youth.
