This has been a watershed season for Wauconda freshman Austin Carlsen.
It’s a testament to the shooting guard’s skill and hard work that he is receiving minutes off the bench on a talented, experienced team that enters February in the driver’s seat to win the Northern Lake County Conference title.
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But this season will always hold a special place in Carlsen’s memory for more personal reasons.
“I just really wanted to play with my brother,” Carlsen said, referring to his older brother Braeden. “Always seeing him play, I wanted to be like him, and the last couple of years, one of my goals was to get to this point.”
Most freshmen don’t have a varsity roster spot in their line of thinking, but Austin Carlsen isn’t like most freshmen. His family includes not only Mercer recruit Braeden Carlsen, a four-year starter averaging 23.2 points, but also their oldest brother Chris, a 2019 Wauconda graduate who played football at Northwest Missouri.
“I’ve seen how hard both of my brothers have worked, and that’s helped me push myself to try to get to their level,” Austin Carlsen said. “But I’ve got my own goals. Everyone wants to be better than their siblings.”
That might seem like a tall order for a 14-year-old. But Austin Carlsen has already reached the 6-foot-4 Braeden’s height — depending on which brother you ask — and his shooting and athleticism suggest there’s a lot more in his game to unlock.
Wauconda coach Ty Weidner has known Austin Carlsen for years. Weidner actually coached all three Carlsen brothers in the Bulldogs’ feeder program. So Austin Carlsen’s early emergence doesn’t surprise Weidner.
“The quickness and physicality part of it is tough to transition to at that age,” Weidner said. “But you just look at him, and you can tell he’s a player and that he’s going to get taller. As the year has gone on, he’s definitely gotten more comfortable, and his future is definitely bright.”
Austin Carlsen likely would have had a starring role on Wauconda’s junior varsity team this season. Instead, he gets to practice and play against a higher level of competition and observe from the bench when he’s not on the court.
Casting a close eye on Braeden Carlsen is a good place for Austin to start.
“He always has a purpose with the ball, and when he’s off the ball, he never stops moving,” Austin Carlsen said. “And (there are) the different ways to come off a screen, depending on how the defense is playing you. I study as much as I can to improve my basketball IQ.”
Austin Carlsen is averaging less than one point, one rebound and one assist. But his season-best outing — 10 points with two 3-pointers, two rebounds, two assists and three steals in the Bulldogs’ NLCC win against Round Lake on Jan. 23 — showed he’s learning.
Mostly, though, Austin Carlsen takes pride in consistently making the right plays.
“I know what my role is, and that’s to rebound and do little things on defense,” he said. “I try to make the most of my minutes and appreciate the time that I get.”
Of course, that’s not always possible, which is another reason Austin Carlsen is glad to be on a team with a big brother. He points to Wauconda’s win against Buffalo Grove on Dec. 29.
“I didn’t play my best, and I was off on my own in the locker room,” Austin Carlsen said. “(Braeden) came over and gave me words of encouragement. He told me how he remembers feeling when he was a freshman. Having him there was really helpful, and it boosted my morale.”
Exchanges like that aren’t unusual for a senior leader like Braeden Carlsen, but there’s extra meaning for him in his interactions with Austin. This is the first time they’ve been on the same team, and the Carlsen family relishes the opportunity.
“The support he gives me is different because he’s my brother,” Braeden Carlsen said. “He hypes me up, and I hype him up. My parents had been striving for this for a couple of years, so to have it become reality is really cool for my family.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.