James Bishop talks about his commitment to LSU and expectations for this season
Mt. St. Joseph has had one of the most consistent basketball programs since head coach Pat
Clatchey took over. He has a long list of championships and players who have had successful
careers at high major Division I programs, and even some who’ve had lengthy NBA careers.
Next on that list is senior guard and LSU commit, James Bishop. Bishop is one of the most
gifted scorers in the country at 6-foot-2.The lefty can break anyone down off the dribble and with
a lethal three-point shot, his defender must account for him at all times.
We caught up with Bishop after a workout this weekend to discuss a few topics.
PH: How did you come to the decision that LSU was the right place for you?
JB: It was the environment. I felt like it was the best for me. All the guys work extremely hard
and have the same goal and I just felt like I would fit right in.
PH: How’s your relationship with Coach Wade and how was he throughout your recruiting
process?
JB: He’s great. He was always very active with me and stayed in touch with me a lot. We talked
almost every day. I could tell he was really into the recruitment and it just made me feel at ease
when I made the decision.
PH: What did Coach Wade say about your game during the process and did he ever tell you
what your role would be at LSU?
JB: He just said I could come in right away and have a big role if I do what I’m supposed to do.
He sees me being a mix, like a combo guard. Being on the ball sometimes or coming off of
screens off the ball.
PH: Transition a little bit to this upcoming season. Many people don’t know the talent you guys
have since losing Jalen Smith. What are your expectations?
JB: Oh, we should win a championship. Our guys are young, but we have a lot returning from
last year and we aded a big that’s really good. I think we’ll be really good this year.
PH: Last year, you had Jalen, so that was a huge safety net for everyone. People around here
know you’re a pure scorer, but in terms of making players around you better, I feel like this is a
huge opportunity for you considering you’ll have the ball in your hands for the majority of the
game. Is that something you’ve thought about?
JB: I think is a year where I can take big strides in my game. I’m really looking forward to taking
on more of a leadership role and be able to score like I do, but also get my teammates involved
and make sure everything on the floor is the way it should be. I think this will be a big year for
me and my overall skill set.
https://twitter.com/SLAM_HS/status/990320317452177409