By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Brian Webster, a 6’4”, junior, shooting guard from O’Dea High School, has quickly become one of Washington’s most promising basketball players. Already considered a Division 1 prospect, Webster has embraced his role on the Fighting Irish basketball team and is arguably one of the best shooting guards in Washington.
From averaging 4.2 points per game as a freshman for the Fighting Irish to recently scoring 22 points against Garfield on January 13, Webster’s growth, especially as a shooter, has been undeniable. While his offensive skills have significantly developed, Webster credits his growth as a leader for helping to elevate both himself and his team this season.
“This year, we are kind of a young team,” says Webster. “We don’t have many upperclassmen; we have a majority of freshmen and sophomores on our team. So, I would say I have grown as a leader, and [learned] how to lead by example because of that. Most of these young guys coming in don’t really have expectations for the coaches and are not really sure what is coming toward them as easily as others, so me leading by example and helping them out grows them and us as a team.”
Webster admits that his leadership skills weren’t always as strong as they are now, but this season, he has focused on improving his communication and presence on the court.
“My freshman year, I was very quiet, didn’t talk much to anybody on the team or the coaches on and off the court,” he said. “But I would say that this year I have improved on that a lot. I am very talkative on offense, defense—just pretty much everywhere—and that is something I am proud of myself for as a player.”
Despite O’Dea’s season starting later than most, with their first game taking place in December, Webster appreciated the extra time to prepare for the rigors of the Metro League season. The Fighting Irish used that period to sharpen their skills, including participating in a preseason trip to San Diego. Unfortunately, Webster faced a setback during the trip when he rolled his ankle, forcing him to sit out the entire tournament.
“Our first game was late, but we had a lot of time to practice with the team and get better overall by going to San Diego,” Webster said. “But in San Diego, for our first game, I had rolled my ankle and was sitting out the whole trip, the whole tournament, and was just there to support my team—coaching them, cheering them on, and being a vocal leader.”
Fortunately for the Fighting Irish, Webster was back in action for their first official game against Seattle Prep and has been a key contributor ever since. His resilience and ability to support his teammates, even from the sidelines, reflect the qualities that have made him a vital part of the team.
One of the reasons for Webster’s success is the strong relationship he shares with Head Coach Jason Kerr. He appreciates Kerr’s emphasis on defense and strategic shot selection, which align with Webster’s own approach to the game.
“I like the way he [Kerr] coaches,” Webster said. “I like Coach Kerr because he takes part in defense first. He thinks defense wins games, and I also think that is true. He is a coach who loves taking good shots, which ultimately helps win basketball games. So, I have liked the way he coaches us and everybody else on the coaching staff.”
Webster’s father, Brian Webster Sr., also has high praise for Coach Kerr and the impact he has had on his son’s development.
“Coach Kerr has been great since the beginning, and I couldn’t ask for a better coach. He is getting them ready for the next level, and we were pretty excited about this year and the years to come,” says Webster Sr.
“He coaches well, he coaches them hard, and is coaching to win,” he added. “Like Brian said, at first defense is the main goal, stop the opponent from scoring, put up a lot of shots, and most likely come out with the win.
As the season progresses, Webster has set his sights on earning individual accolades, as well as helping his team achieve their ultimate goals.
“My goal for myself is to get first-team selection on Metro, but the ultimate goal as a team is to stay in and win it all,” Webster said. “The goal is to win the Metro League championship, but the main goal is for us to win state.”
Webster Sr. believes his son is capable of achieving these goals and more, as he notes that his work ethic and determination is what sets him apart from other players.
“Brian is a hard-working player,” says Webster Sr. “He plays hard all the time—I mean, he plays to win. He is a big shot maker, and I think the ceiling is really high for him as long as he keeps working.”
Balancing basketball and academics is no small task, but Webster is thankful for the support he receives at O’Dea, including the dedicated study time they provide before practices.
“After school, the coaches give us a study period before our practice, Monday through Friday, so we can get our work done,” Webster said. “We get to use that time to get our work figured out and completed throughout the days so we do have the ability and a lot of time to either get extra work done, get caught up, or just complete assignments overall.”
Webster’s father is very proud of the fact that O’Dea has allowed his son to grow and challenge himself both on and off the court.
“Academically, he does really well,” Webster Sr. said. “O’Dea can be pretty challenging sometimes with the schoolwork and all the stuff they put on him, but I think he has shown so far that he can handle it. He gets the job done and brings in fairly decent grades for that.”
Webster’s mother, Chula, is optimistic about her son’s last two years at O’Dea and believes the best is yet to come.
“We hope that he can learn from his coach how to just make better moves and be a better player overall on the court and for his teammates,” said Chula. “We are also hoping that Brian can be a stronger leader, and that can come through within this year or next year to help them win.”
Source: Seattle Medium
