GREEN BAY, Wis. (NBC 26) — It's not often a walk-on freshman averaging four points per game commands so much attention.
But when you're related to arguably the two most important people in Phoenix basketball history, that attention is natural.
Lucas Stieber - the grandson of former Phoenix coach, Dick Bennett, and nephew of Green Bay's all-time leading scorer, Tony Bennett - is finding his own way as a Phoenix.
"Personally I've never really felt that pressure," Stieber said of following in his family's footsteps. "I've always looked at my grandpa and my uncle as just that. There's never really been that added pressure. That added like 'oh, that's who they are.'"
After starring at Green Bay Southwest, Stieber chose to walk on at Green Bay. Little did he know, the son of another Wisconsin hoops legend would soon be joining him.
When Will Ryan, the son of former Badgers coach Bo Ryan, took over as Green Bay's head coach last summer, the two hit it off right away.
"Coach Ryan and I have talked before the Wisconsin game and other games about what what it means for our family, like coming from the same lines," Stieber said.
Ryan saw almost immediately what kind of impact Stieber, an unheralded freshman, could make for his team.
"He's like Tom Brady out there," Ryan said of his point guard's ability to command the offense.
"He's just a calming influence on everyone," Ryan said. "But what really stands out to you is just his passing ability and his unselfishness. That right away jumped out to us. We had a sense that 'Yeah - he can really help us.'"
Stieber is leading the Phoenix in assists, averaging around four per game. After coming off the bench for the first six games, he's settled into a starting role.
"I've had a lot of coaches trust me. He's probably the one that's trusted me the most," Stieber said of Ryan.
"It's been really nice for me as a point guard - and as a guy that wants to get other guys the ball - to get that trust from the (coaching) staff and the other guys on the team."
"He's embraced his role," Ryan said. "He thrives in that. He enjoys making his teammates better and guys love playing with him."
The Phoenix current sit as the No. 7 seed in the Horizon League. They have four regular season games remaining before the conference tournament begins on February 25.
