PC’s Weyinmi Efejuku, center, scrambling for a loose ball during a game against Harvard in November, will man the point tonight.

AP / Stew Milne

MILWAUKEE — If anyone knows what the curse of lofty expectations can bring, it’s Providence College guard Weyinmi Efejuku.

After only a handful of games as a Friar, Efejuku was blessed by none other than Hall of Fame coach Dave Gavitt. After watching Tim Welsh’s new recruits play a bit, Gavitt compared the freshman’s style to the newest NBA star at the time, Dwyane Wade.

“Dave thought he had the body and explosiveness like (Wade),” said Welsh. “He said he could be a top-notch guard in our league. I didn’t disagree.”

When the bar is set at Wade, a player has a long way to climb. Now a junior at PC, Efejuku has enjoyed a nice career in the Big East. As a sophomore last season, he averaged 14 points a game and carried the Friars several times to big wins. In PC’s NIT loss at Bradley, Efejuku poured in 28 points, his career-high. This season, he’s Providence’s leading scorer heading into tonight’s Big East Conference opener at Marquette, and will be a major focus for Tom Crean’s defense.

Yet everyone wants more from the 6-foot-5 native of the Fresh Meadows section of Queens, N.Y. Welsh wants better defense and decision-making. Fans want a consistent star, not a tease who is capable of scoring 24 points in one game and none the next.

Most of all, Efejuku expects more from himself, and with point guard Sharaud Curry out (perhaps for the season) with a broken foot, more weight than ever lies on his shoulders.

Efejuku basically has the green light on offense. He’ll start at point guard tonight and be asked to run the offense, take his man off the dribble, shoot 3-pointers, whatever is necessary.

“I’m in a better situation now,” Efejuku said. “I understand more what coach wants out of me. Guys have been playing together for a while now and they know where I like to score from.”

Welsh’s directions are fairly simple. They’re also music to any player’s ears.

“We just want him to attack,” said Welsh. “If he plays with energy and confidence and keeps attacking, he can be a special player.”

What does attack mean to Efejuku? “It means be aggressive,” he said. “A lot of times when coach is being hard on me or takes me out, it’s because I’m taking it easy on my defender. He wants me to always be aggressive.”

This is a different role for Efejuku. With Curry on the floor, he was asked to score, defend a top wing player and rebound, too. But he could take plays off. Tonight he’ll be staring down the pressure applied by Marquette’s Dominic James and Jerel McNeal, among others. He says he’s eager for the challenge.

“What else could you ask for?” Efejuku said. “It’s bittersweet because you want to play as much as you can play, but one of our lead guards — two, really, with Dwain (Williams) sidelined — are out. But I know Sharaud’s trying to come back and he’s rehabbing, but we don’t know if his foot is going to be ready. I’m not going to ask him to go out there and play with a hurt foot. He could break it again and do long-term damage. I want him to be healthy when he comes back.”

Getting Efejuku to elevate his play on a consistent basis is a never-ending job for PC’s coaching staff, but then again, it is for all college coaches. Basketball is an instant-gratification world today where the elite players start grabbing headlines in high school, make a pit stop in college and cash in with the pros before they turn 20. Those left behind in college are somehow deemed not worthy. That leaves little room for players to mature and elevate their games to the NBA level, like former PC All-American Ryan Gomes.

Efejuku owns NBA dreams and is the player scouts watch most when they come to watch the Friars. Welsh says the skinny on Efejuku is mixed. “I tell him that the pro scouts watch him and see him as a night and day guy. That’s what they tell me,” said Welsh.

Welsh spent time in Las Vegas last summer watching the U.S. Olympic team train. After seeing Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd and LeBron James passionately try to rip each other’s throats out in practice, Welsh phoned Efejuku.

“I called Weyinmi when I was in the gym and told him I just finished watching Kobe practice,” said Welsh. “Kobe is Weyinmi’s favorite player. Well, I told him how hard Kobe was competing. That’s what great players do. It’s the old ‘you play the way you practice.’ It’s true. I’ve told Weyinmi to go out and dominate our practices and he’s started to do that.”

He’s also more coachable than ever. While watching loads of defensive breakdowns in a tape session following Monday’s Saint Peter’s win, Welsh singled out Efejuku for not sliding to open shooters. “We were watching tape and Weyinmi just said, ‘Coach, you’re right. I have to get that out of my game,’ ” Welsh said.

A year ago, Efejuku earned PC’s Most Improved Player distinction. This season, especially if Curry is sidelined, he and Geoff McDermott need to share team MVP honors. It all starts tonight at the Bradley Center, and even without Curry, Efejuku says he’s confident that his team has enough firepower to win plenty of games in the Big East. He also knows that a strong effort every night is mandatory.

“Now the proof is in the pudding. It’s game time,” said Welsh. “If you don’t show up against Marquette, you’ll get exposed. Totally. And we’ll lose.”

kmcnamar@projo.com