The Basketball Interview with Anthony Davis
Hopkins guard Anthony Davis runs Minnesota through who and what has helped him have such a deep love for the game of basketball.
At your school, what is your favorite part or parts about game days in terms of the routine leading up to the game?
AD: Getting them grades right first and then every game days I always go for a run in the morning and then after that I get some shots up in the morning at my high school
What makes your crowd unique? What is a memorable thing that they’ve done that you will always remember?
AD: How they always support and come to every game and how loud they cheer to pump the team up
Who is the toughest player you can recall playing against in Minnesota basketball and why?
AD: I would say Tre Jones because he is gonna be the toughest PG that I would have to guard this year and because his IQ is really good for a player.
Who is your biggest rival and what about them makes the rivalry both heated and memorable?
AD: I’ll have to say Gabe Kalscheur because we play the same position and we are always competitive and always going at each other back and forth on the court cause like on how athletic we both are.
Who is your favorite basketball player in the world and why?
AD: I’ll have to say Kobe Bryant because how good of a leader he is and his work ethic was through the roof and he is a player I look up to on and off the court.
All basketball players love gear. What brand of gear or type of gear are you partial to?
AD: Nike gear is the best.
What is your favorite venue to play basketball in that you’ve played in?
AD: I’ll have to say the Target Center because playing in front of thousands and people is a good experience on how like the next level will turn out to be which is fun.
What court that you haven’t played on would you dream of playing on?
AD: Well I played on this court and it is my dream school to play for so I’ll have to say the I want to play on the Gophers court again cause it was great playing in front of the coaching staff which was a great day to show coach Richard Pitino so I hope that he liked what he saw on the court.
Explain the relationship varsity players have at your school with youth players?
AD: I would say Hopkins basketball program does a great job of allowing us to build relationships with youth players. During the summer, varsity players help run camps and different activities. It’s really rewarding to see how much fun these kids have during camp and to see how it affects their future as a ball player. I love hanging out with them and I can see how much of an influence we are on them as they get older.
Best coaching advice you’ve received is what and who was it from?
AD: The best coaching advice I have ever received was that A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work and to be successful you have to do the work. My head AAU coaches, coach Jonathan Williams and coach Brett Carmichael told me this during a practice when I was a 7th grader playing for MN Lockdown. They been watching me since 4th and 5th and they were impressed with what they saw in me and they wanted to make me the player I am. It made me prove a lot of people wrong on that I can shoot better than I was shooting before and now until this day I workout with them a lot since the AAU season and trying to get Division 1 offers and to get ready for my last year of high school basketball.
Who is your basketball influence?
AD: I would honestly have to say the movie Space Jam. It may sound cliché, but growing up these were my favorite movies and still are. In terms of a person being my basketball influence, MJ is my favorite player of all time. I’ve watched You Tube videos, documentaries, and movies on him and his career. Growing up I thought Calvin Cambridge was the coldest player ever especially since he seemed like he was my age. Seeing a 4 and a half-foot tall NBA player made anything seem possible. These movies showed me how fun basketball can be, and ever since I’ve just had a deep love for the game