When people remember Nick Novak’s days at Franklin Regional, the first thing that probably comes to mind is scoring.
And for good reason.
As a senior in 2008-09, Novak led the WPIAL in scoring, averaging nearly 29 points per game. He was named WPIAL Player of the Year, earned second-team Class AAAA All-State honors and was selected to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fab 5.
That Fab 5 included T.J. McConnell, Tom Droney, Chris Klimchock and Jeff Yunetz — a pretty good indication of the level of basketball being played around Western Pennsylvania at the time.
Novak also left his mark on Franklin Regional’s record book. He scored a school-record 45 points against Woodland Hills and scored 618 points during his senior season, another school record at the time.
But his high school career was only the beginning.
Novak took his game to Division II Pitt-Johnstown, and what followed was one of the most productive college careers by a Western Pennsylvania guard from his era. He didn’t spend four years sitting around waiting for his opportunity, either. Novak became Pitt-Johnstown’s starting point guard as a true freshman and averaged 12.8 points while handing out 115 assists. By his sophomore year, he was averaging 18 points per game and had established himself as one of the better guards in the WVIAC.
His numbers continued climbing.
As a junior, Novak averaged 19.5 points and 4.1 assists and earned First-Team All-WVIAC honors. Going into his senior season, Basketball Times named him a preseason Division II All-American.
Then he finished the job. Novak ended his Pitt-Johnstown career with 2,023 points and 545 assists.
Think about what those two numbers say about a point guard.
Two thousand points means you could go get a bucket. Five hundred assists means you weren’t just hunting your own shot.
Novak finished second on Pitt-Johnstown’s all-time scoring list while setting the program’s career assists record. He also left UPJ holding records for career field goals made and free-throw percentage.
And basketball still wasn’t finished taking him places.
After college, Novak turned professional and played overseas, beginning in Germany before playing multiple seasons in Portugal and also spending time in Spain. During the 2016-17 season with Ovarense in Portugal, he averaged 20.4 points and a league-leading 5.8 assists per game while earning an All-Star selection. For a 6-foot guard from Murrysville who went the Division II route, that’s a basketball journey worth talking about.
That’s also why Novak’s story fits what I’ve been trying to do with these Q&As.
Everybody remembers the biggest Division I recruits and the guys who made the NBA. But Western Pennsylvania has produced plenty of players who took different roads and still put together tremendous basketball careers.
Nick Novak is one of them.
From Franklin Regional Fab 5 guard, to more than 2,000 college points, to becoming Pitt-Johnstown’s all-time assists leader, to making a living playing basketball overseas, Novak squeezed a lot out of the game.
Now I wanted to go back through that journey with him — from the player he was at Franklin Regional to the places basketball eventually took him.
Q: When people around Western Pennsylvania hear Nick Novak, a lot of them probably remember the scoring first. How would you describe your game at Franklin Regional to somebody who never got to see you play?
Nick Novak: I was certainly a scoring point guard. I had the ball in my hands a lot to make plays for myself and others. I was pretty athletic. I wanted to get to the basket or get to my mid-range pull-up. I had a pretty good feel for all aspects of the game, but I wanted to prove you couldn’t stop me. So I don’t mind people thinking scoring.
Q: Your senior year was crazy — you led the WPIAL in scoring, were WPIAL Player of the Year, made the Post-Gazette Fab 5 and earned all-state honors. Did you feel like you were the best player in the WPIAL that year?
Nick Novak: I think I had that mindset for sure. At least I wanted to prove I was. I think a large part of any level I played at was, “I want to be the best player on the floor and prove to people I’m the best.” I think I had that chip on my shoulder for a long time — AAU, high school, college, even early in my pro career. I did have a great season that senior year of high school. Short answer: At 18 years old, I definitely thought I was the best. Lol. But you mention the Fab 5 — it definitely proves you were right there.
Q: You dropped a Franklin Regional-record 45 points against Woodland Hills. When you’re having a game like that, do you know during the game that you’re on your way to 40-plus, or are you completely unaware of the numbers?
Nick Novak: I don’t remember thinking about it or being worried about where it was going to end up. I just remember always trying to get in that zone and keep going. I do remember feeling great that night. I was everywhere, confident and scoring easily early on. Funny story, though — I struggled at the end. We were up like 15 and I had 41. At that point, I knew. Everyone knew. Steve Scorpion — a great friend of mine and yours, I believe — had the record, and I definitely wanted it. I missed like two or three free throws when I had 41, but I got a couple more to fall, got to 45 and came out. Shoutout to Coach Kelly for giving me an extra minute or two. I had a game earlier that year against Norwin that was a lot tighter. I had 40 points on 18-of-20 shooting. I wish that had gotten more coverage because that’s pretty crazy. You don’t really see that. I actually had a game my freshman year of college where I scored 29 points on 13-of-13 shooting from the field against Shepherd.
Q: The 2009 Post-Gazette Fab 5 was you, T.J. McConnell, Chris Klimchock, Jeff Yunetz and Tom Droney. Looking back now, what did making that team mean to you?
Nick Novak: That meant a ton. It was a goal of mine all through high school. For Pittsburgh, that’s the list you want to make. I was around T.J. a lot for recruiting stuff and liked competing with him. I didn’t know Droney well because we were from different areas and classes, but I see him almost every day now. We’re tight and talk a ton of hoops. I grew up playing against Klim and Yunetz since third grade. Side note: Our picture is so weak! Maybe the worst in Fab 5 history. We just stood there. No background, nothing.
Q: You were putting up almost 29 points a game and had a huge senior year. What did your recruitment look like? Did you feel like Division I schools overlooked you?
Nick Novak: For sure. I had that chip on my shoulder for a long time. I felt like I could have done it there. I know I could score there, but size and defense play a role, too. Looking back, I understand it better. It all works out how it’s supposed to, though. I think I was more prepared to play right away in Division II. I had some local interest from Robert Morris and Duquesne. I had a lot of Ivy League and Patriot League interest from Bucknell, Lehigh, Lafayette, Yale and Columbia. I also had some preferred walk-on spots at bigger schools. And I had a boatload of Division II offers.
Q: Why Pitt-Johnstown? What did they see in you that made you believe it was the right place?
Nick Novak: Definitely Coach Bob Rukavina. Ruk always approached me with, “I think you’re a Division I talent, but if you end up in Division II, come here and I’ll give you the ball Day 1.” He knew I could score anywhere, but he saw how I could pass, too, and had faith in me to run the show right away. He was one of the first people to offer me. UPJ and West Liberty were my first official offers. I liked the confidence he had in me, and it made it really comfortable to want to go there and just be myself. I knew Pat Grubbs, too, and was comfortable with him. That helped me understand UPJ and made me want to be there.
Q: You started at point guard as a true freshman. How big was the adjustment going from being one of the best high school players in Western Pennsylvania to immediately having responsibility for running a college team?
Nick Novak: There’s a lot more responsibility. You have to balance what you do well coming to the table with the fact that there are already guys who have been at that level doing things well for a few years. I just remember being excited to compete at that level and being really fortunate to have Ruk believe in me and believe that I was ready.
Q: You finished college with 2,023 points and 545 assists. For a point guard, which number means more to you — the 2,000 points or the 500-plus assists?
Nick Novak: That’s something that’s really cool to look back on. Those are big milestones and a testament to my game and being able to do both at a high level. I was the only player in WVIAC history to reach both of those marks, and I recently learned there have only been four players in Division II history to reach them. So that’s pretty cool to have on the résumé.
Q: You became Pitt-Johnstown’s all-time assists leader while also finishing second in career scoring. Were you naturally a pass-first point guard who could score, or a scorer who learned how to become a point guard?
Nick Novak: I think I always had both, even from a young age. I just played a lot of basketball and had good instincts. I was always a really efficient scorer, but I also had a great feel and ability to react to the defense and get assists.
Q: You shot an extremely high percentage for a 6-foot guard throughout your career. What allowed you to be so efficient when so much of your game involved creating with the ball in your hands?
Nick Novak: Favorite question so far! I took pride in those field-goal percentages! I think it was a mix of good instincts, sticking to what I was good at, getting what I wanted and putting in a ton of work in an empty gym by myself over the years. I wanted to get to the basket, and I wanted to get my guy off balance and elevate for my pull-up. A lot of work went into both of those things, and I took pride in doing what I did efficiently. “Put the ball in the basket.” I can still hear my dad saying it. He didn’t enjoy misses.
Q: You were a preseason Division II All-American going into your senior year. At that point, did you believe you had a legitimate chance to play professionally?
Nick Novak: I believe so. Going into my senior year, I just wanted to prove I was one of the best guys in the country and, from there, let the chips fall where they may. I ended up being the only player that year who was Top 10 in the country in both scoring and assists. Before that year, I played on a showcase team that took us to Europe for a couple of weeks to play and get some exposure. You also start following some guys from the conference who went that route and seeing what’s possible.
Q: What do people misunderstand about Division II basketball? Because there are a lot of people who automatically hear “D-II” and assume the basketball isn’t high level.
Nick Novak: Division II basketball is the real deal. There’s some crossover, but I think there’s a good percentage of Division II guys who are more “basketball-skilled” than Division I guys. A lot of Division II guys are just missing some sort of tool or physical attribute that makes you a Division I guy. I definitely had a little stigma or chip on my shoulder going into it, but you wake up quickly. There are a lot of guys who could easily be at either level.
Q: Your first professional stop was Germany. What do you remember about getting off that plane and realizing, “I’m really in another country getting paid to play basketball”?
Nick Novak: I remember getting off the plane and being like, “Damn, I’m on my own.” Lol. I felt like I was on an island. But when the team picks you up and takes you to the apartment, gym, restaurants and sponsors — all of that — it kicks in. Like, okay, this is the real deal. They’re paying me to be the guy. Showtime!
Q: You eventually played in Germany, Portugal and Spain. Which country had the best basketball, and which country did you enjoy living in the most?
Nick Novak: I was in Romania, too. I’d say Romania was the highest level I played at. Spain was the BEST basketball IQ and style, though, if that makes sense. Romania had five imports and then all Balkan guys. Everybody was a problem. In Spain, they just play incredible basketball, and they think about it at such a high level tactically. It was new to me, but once I was there, I was addicted. Portugal was great for me and just a great fit for the level and my talents. Spain was cool and kind of my favorite, but Portugal turned into a second home for me and my wife. We loved it there. She’d move there tomorrow.
Q: You had a season in Portugal where you averaged over 20 points and led the league in assists. Do you think that was the best basketball you ever played?
Nick Novak: Possibly. It was a great situation for me. They wanted me to be the main show that year. It was almost like College 2.0. I had a great club and a great coach. It was my second year in a row there, so I had a ton of confidence and was comfortable playing well at that level. I think I actually improved a ton over the next two years in other countries and became a better basketball player, but that year, I just got to it. Couldn’t tell me nothin’!
Q: What’s harder about playing professionally overseas that fans back home don’t understand?
Nick Novak: This one could be endless. I think the biggest thing to know is that there’s just a lot that goes into it. You’re getting paid, and there are big expectations that come with that. They take a lot of pride in representing their club and winning, whereas here it’s closer to entertainment sometimes. You’re in a different country, eating different foods, learning in a different language and playing a different style. Nobody really feels bad for you, though. You’re expected to acclimate, and you’re expected to perform well. You have to be mentally tough and able to adjust to a lot of things.
Q: Who was the toughest player you ever had to guard — high school, college or professionally?
Nick Novak: High school: T.J. McConnell. He was just everywhere. A couple of guys I played more closely — Andre Anthony, Penn Hills alum! Andre was a ballplayer. Drew Cressler, too. You know what Drew is going to do, but he’s so damn athletic. College: Cookie Miller from West Virginia State. Dude was 5-foot-6 with shoes on and lightning quick. He started at Nebraska for two years. Levance Fields in the Pro-Am. Lance Jeter in the Pro-Am, too. Shoutout to Lance! Pro — European: Goran Martinic. He was Montenegrin and was my teammate in Romania. He was a wizard. He looked and was built like he should play the trombone. You couldn’t stop him. Imagine Jokić, but as a 5-foot-10 guard. He did anything he wanted. He used to bust my ass, but I got him good at practice one time before I left for Spain. Made him go sit out. Lol. Pro — American: Kendrick Perry from Youngstown State. I played him in the Pro-Am and ran into him again at a tournament in Hungary. He had a year and some experience on me. Freak athlete. Like 6 feet but can touch the top of the backboard. He’s had a hell of an overseas career.
Q: Give me the five best Western Pennsylvania high school players you personally saw or played against from your era.
Nick Novak: Excluding me and trying to keep it in my era:
- Terrelle Pryor — Jeannette
- DeJuan Blair — Schenley
- Mike Shanahan — Norwin
- Quentin Harding — McKeesport
- T.J. McConnell — Chartiers Valley
Q: If the high school version of Nick Novak played today with social media, mixtapes, AAU exposure and the way recruiting works now, do you think your recruitment would have been different?
Nick Novak: Maybe. I think my stats and production outweighed how I looked. But I did have a big dunk at a camp at Robert Morris going into my senior year. Like a full-body dunk — the whole place went nuts. I think if that would’ve hit social media, it would’ve skyrocketed me. Lol.
Q: When you look back at the kid from Franklin Regional who just wanted to hoop, did basketball take you farther than you ever imagined it would?
Nick Novak: Absolutely. I mean, I always dreamed of making it professionally, but in reality, to make it where I did was big time. I got to live in different parts of the world and play against top American guys and guys from everywhere else. It makes me think of two cool stories. Tony Morocco told me one time that I “did more with what I had than anyone he’s ever seen.” I was almost offended at first, but if you break it down, it’s a huge compliment. The second one is about my dad. My dad came over on his own once when I was in Germany early in my career. My dad made me what I was — coaching, rebounding, just giving me everything he had to push me. I tell people he makes LaVar Ball look like a Girl Scout. He was tough on me. Anyway, we were out eating in Berlin and walking back when he just said, “All that work, all that shooting in the driveway, all those AAU tournaments, college trips, everything we did — I never would have thought we’d make it here.” That’s one of the best memories I’ll ever have. It was also a great thing to put everything into perspective.
Q: Twenty years from now, when people talk about Nick Novak and basketball in Western Pennsylvania, what do you want them to remember about you?
Nick Novak: Man, I hope people are talking about Nick Novak being good at basketball 20 years from now — or remember me. I guess I hope what they’d remember is that I could score it and do it efficiently. That I wasn’t just firing — it was going in more than it wasn’t. Mostly, remember that mid-range pull-up. That was about a 75% clip!