by Chris Sama ’27 on January 22, 2026
Sports - Men's Basketball
The athlete of the week is Stefan Vaaks ’29, the 6’7” freshman guard from Tabasalu, Estonia. Vaaks was named Big East Freshman of the Week on Monday, Jan. 19 for his excellent performances against Creighton University on Friday, Jan. 16, and Villanova University on Tuesday, Jan. 13. Over the two games, Vaaks averaged 22.5 points and four assists on 50.75 field goal percent and 100 free throw percent.
On Friday, Vaaks had a career-high 24 points as well as seven assists, which were crucial in the Friars’ win against Creighton. He played extremely well by creating shots for himself off the dribble and drawing contact under the basket. Vaaks is a great playmaker who is able to draw defenders toward himself and create opportunities for his teammates. He has the most made three-point shots on the team. He has great chemistry with Oswin Erhunmwunse ’28 on pick and rolls where Vaaks is able to draw both defenders to him and lob it up to Erhunmwunse. He is a versatile defender, playing well off switches with his height and quickness.
This past week, Vaaks became the first freshman in the Big East to have three consecutive 20-point games in conference matchups since St. John’s University’s Marcus Lovett in 2017. While averaging four assists in these two games, he only had one turnover; he has a tight handle and makes smart passes, rarely giving up the ball. While he isn’t a flashy player, Vaaks is able to play calm and make smart decisions, relying on crafty footwork to create a perimeter shot or an open look while driving to the basket. He plays similar to Luka Doncic, who is known not for his speed but his strength and acceleration to blow by defenders. Vaaks shoots especially well on the right side of the court, especially in the corner. He usually is well positioned on the right wing in transition to get a catch and shoot three off before the opposing team can set on defense.
Vaaks shoots extremely well off the dribble, or catching his defender off balance and driving to the basket. He has been one of the most reliable scorers for Providence and has contributed immensely to the Friars’ two wins in conference play. Vaaks shot 66.7 percent from the three-point line against St. John’s at Madison Square Garden (MSG), scoring 16 points and six rebounds. Vaaks was assisted greatly by Erhunmwunse under the boards against Zuby Ejiofor, who had a career-high 33 points and 15 rebounds, showing Vaaks’ versatility in his role. He made a clutch 25-foot three-point shot off an assist from Jamier Jones ’29 to put the Friars up 72–70 against St. John’s. With 32 seconds left in the game, Vaaks scored a drive to the basket off an assist from Ryan Mela ’28 to put the Friars up by six, guaranteeing the Friars’ win at MSG, which is arguably the most notable win this season for the Friars so far.