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October 13, 2004
Keith McLeod Interview
Keith McLeod is the consummate Falcon! He has worked hard to get everything he's got! He was never the tallest guy, never the fastest guy, but he still managed to average 23PPG his senior year at BG, leading the Falcons to a 24-9 record (including 13-1 in the friendly confines of Anderson Arena that year) and winning MAC Player of the Year honors!mid guano apes
Keith has continued that hard-work ethic since leaving BG. He's fought for
spots on NBA teams, European league teams, has played in summer leagues and
basically anywhere he could, giving himself the chance to get better and the
chance to prove himself all over again.mid guano apes
Last year, Keith played 30+ games with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he played with seasoned veterans such as Kevin Garnett and Sam Cassell, he caught the eye of several NBA talent watchers and, while he couldn't land a permanent spot on that roster because of the way the NBA does business, he's ready to start this season with a partially guaranteed contract with the Utah Jazz!mid guano apes
Keith was gracious enough to grant Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba.com's Andrew Hemminger an exclusive phone interview!! We hope to be able to follow Keith's season this year and as he works his way up the NBA ladder and hopefully provide a few more interviews and other surprises as the season progresses!mid guano apes
Thanks go
to Keith, to his agent, Mark Termini, and Keith's long-time friend and coach, Brian Worstell for their help in setting this interview up.
Special thanks go to Andrew
who did a fantastic job!! He told me, "me interviewing Keith McLeod is like
most people interviewing MJ, or Magic, or Bird..."
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Here's the conversation...Keith's last comment really sums up what he's all about, and what being a Falcon is all about!!mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - DESCRIBE YOUR TIME AT BOWLING GREEN.
KM - It was great
to me...I came in, it started out rough, stuck it out...I butted heads with
Coach Dak (Dakich) a little bit, but as I got older and understood what he was
trying to tell me and teach me, it went a lot better.mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - YOU'RE CURRENTLY
18 HOURS SHORT OF EARNING YOUR DEGREE, DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS OF RETURNING?
KM
- I want to! That is something I've been wanting to do, but far as playing
now, I'm playing a lot in the summer, I think once I get settled in on a team,
it will be a lot easier, I'll have more time.mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - YOURSELF AND ANTONIO
DANIELS ARE PROBABLY THE TWO BEST GUARDS IN BG HISTORY, IF NOT THE BEST OVERALL,
1 on 1 WHO WINS THAT MATCH-UP?
KM - (laughter) I don't know. I can't really
say, Antonio has a lot of experience, I don't know...mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - YOU WORE
NUMBER "4" WITH MINNESOTA, YOU HAVE "25" NOW, ANY MEANING
BEHIND THAT?
KM - No reason, that is just the number that I was given ...If
no one on the team has 4, hopefully I can get that one back.mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - AT
BOWLING GREEN YOU WORE 20, ANY MEANING THERE?
KM - That is what I wore in
HS. (Canton-McKinley)mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - WHAT PLAYERS AND COACHES DO YOU KEEP IN
CONTACT WITH FROM BOWLING GREEN?
KM - I talked to Brandon Pardon a week ago.
Cowboy,(Brent Klassen) I talk to Cowboy on a regular basis, he leaves me crazy
voice mails. I talk to Coach Dak (Dakich), talk to Cory Ryan a lot...mid guano apes
AZZ.COM
- WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN BOWLING GREEN?
KM - You know what,
since I've left and been back, I ate a Jed's...(chicken wings)mid guano apes
AZZ.COM -
I READ AN ARTICLE THAT WHILE YOU WERE WITH GARY YOU WERE TRYING TO HIT 100 THREES
AND FINALLY MISSED AT 97, IS THAT TRUE BECAUSE THAT IS A CRAZY NUMBER?
KM -
Not 100, not all back-to-back...mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - LAST YEAR YOU SPENT 33 GAMES
WITH MINNESOTA, THEN PLAYED IN THE CBA (Continental Basketball Association)
WITH THE GARY STEELHEADS AND THEN FINALLY IN ROME. HOW TOUGH WAS IT NOT KNOWING
WHERE YOU WERE GOING TO BE FROM ONE MONTH TO THE NEXT, AND DO YOU THINK IT AFFECTED
YOUR PERFORMANCE AT ALL?
KM - Last year I think I played under pressure a
little bit, kind of like I had something to prove, and then going to Gary and
Rome. This year I'm a little more at ease. (Keith has a partially guaranteed
contract this season for 250,000 dollars and 750,000 dollars should he remain
throughout the season)mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - YOU HAVE SPENT PARTS OF TWO SEASONS OVERSEAS,
HOW IS THE GAME DIFFERENT OVER THERE?
KM - The (international) rules.mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - YOU NEEDED TO MAKE THE SWITCH FROM THE 2-GUARD TO THE POINT, HOW HARD
HAS THAT BEEN FOR YOU?
KM - It hasn't really been that hard for me...Just
refining some of the things I already knew and trying to get better at knowing
the game more than just playing it now.mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - YOU GOT AN OPPORTUNITY
TO PLAY WITH SAM (CASSELL) AND KG (KEVIN GARNETT), WHAT DID THE LEARN FROM YOUR
TIME WITH THEM?
KM - Talking to Kevin, You just always listen. Even though
I felt under pressure sometimes, they always kept me feeling comfortable.mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - PEOPLE RESPECT YOUR TALENT, BUT I THINK EVEN MORE SO HOW HARD YOU
WORK. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS ON A DAILY BASIS TO TRY TO IMPROVE?
KM - I need
to get my shots ...I don't like settling for anything, I always feel like I
can get better. So, I guess that is my motivation right there.mid guano apes
AZZ.COM -
DURING THE SUMMER, YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHERE FOR SURE YOU WOULD BE TO START THE
YEAR, HAS IT BEEN TOUGH FINDING A PLACE TO LIVE AND HAVE YOU EVEN HAD TIME TO
UNPACK?
KM - I've been living out of my bags for awhile now. There are places
around here, it you need some help they can, but it isn't a problem at all.mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - HAVE YOU MADE ANY PURCHASE WORTH NOTING?
KM - No, no, no, I'm not
real flashy....mid guano apes
AZZ.COM - WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DAY-TO-DAY PERKS THAT COME
ALONG WITH BEING IN THE LEAGUE AND IS IT EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EVER DREAMED OF?
KM - It is just a blessing to be in the league because not everybody gets
to do what they want to do. I'm just thankful for and appreciate everything
that I get!
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Posted by Ziggyzoomba at October 13, 2004 05:44 PMmid guano apes