The Basketball Interview with Anders Nelson
Edina guard Anders Nelson enters his senior year now as the main playmaking option/weapon. Anders talked to Prep Hoops about his loves when it come to basketball.
At your school, what is your favorite part or parts about game days in terms of the routine leading up to the game?
AN: At Edina, we all wear our jumpsuits on game days so everyone knows we have a game that night. As soon as that jumpsuit comes out, people will wish you good luck for the game that night.
What makes your crowd unique? What is a memorable thing that they’ve done that you will always remember?
AN: Our crowd is unique because we have a group of senior super fans that are dedicated to being at games who are always loud and obnoxious. Also, many fans like to stick around after the game and talk with players and parents which is pretty cool.
Who is the toughest player you can recall playing against in Minnesota basketball and why?
AN: The toughest player I can recall playing against in Minnesota would probably be Amir Coffey or Vinnie Shahid. Amir put up a quick 30 on us in the first half one time which was pretty unfair, but Vinnie was definitely the most fierce competitor I ever had to play/guard so far. Luckily we still workout together, so I still get the chance to give him some buckets here and there.
Who is your biggest rival and what about them makes the rivalry both heated and memorable?
AN: Our biggest rival at Edina has got to be Eden Prairie. We have a history of playing them in sections and we all kind of know each other so we know what to expect when were playing each other. They beat us in the section final a few years back so we still got some payback for them.
Who is your favorite basketball player in the world and why?
AN: My favorite player in the world is probably Steve Nash. He’s just a dude that knows how to get the job done and put up huge numbers in a way that nobody else could. Hit his open jumpers, made big shots at the end of games, as well as dropped the best dimes the league has ever seen.
All basketball players love gear. What brand of gear or type of gear are you partial to?
AN: Since D1 Minnesota was always sponsored by Adidas I have quite a bit of gear from them, but I rock with Nike too.
What is your favorite venue to play basketball in that you’ve played in?
AN: I always love to play at Hopkins just because it’s so big and it almost always fills up. But, we did just build a brand new gym at Edina High School this year so I’m pretty sure that will become my favorite pretty quickly.
What court that you haven’t played on would you dream of playing on?
AN: I’ve been lucky enough to play on some pretty sweet courts, so I can’t say I dream of playing on any. The game of basketball is the same on any court, so it doesn’t really matter to me.
Explain the relationship varsity players have at your school with youth players?
AN: All the varsity players work a camp for a few weeks in the summer, so we get the opportunity to hang out with the youth for a good amount of time. Over that period of time we get to know the kids pretty well so they come to varsity games and cheer us on.
Best coaching advice you’ve received is what and who was it from?
AN: Some of the best coaching advice I’ve gotten is from my varsity coach, Joe Burger. He’s the type of guy that doesn’t float around a topic, he just gets right to the point, which is something we have in common. He’s good at staying in my ear and telling me to just be who I am on the court.
Who is your basketball influence?
AN: My basketball influence is probably just my family in general, but going up against my older brother was a big part of it as well. He’s much older than I am so it was always a challenge going up against him back in the day.