Jan. 15, 2002
Q: When did you start playing basketball? NE: I started playing when I was in the fourth grade. I wasn't very good at all until maybe sixth or seventh grade. That's just all we did back then, you were either in the streets, or you played ball. It's something that helped keep me away from the streets.
Q: Did you have a lot of friends that got into the street life? NE: Yes, you would see a lot of guys playing at the park that used to play ball, but they took the other road. You would look at them as an example and say, 'well, that's not the way I want to go. I want to go the other way and keep going on the positive road.'
Q: What's in your CD player right now? NE: I listen to a lot of Jaheim, he's an R&B artist. In my CD player, there's not much rap, you'll find a lot of R&B, a lot of blues and jazz, more mellow stuff.
Q: What other schools did you seriously consider other than Missouri? NE: At the end, it was Missouri, Houston and Illinois.
Q: What separated Mizzou from the other schools? NE: I think I just got along best with the coaching staff here, and I clicked with the players, too. I like the campus, as well, and it just seemed like a real good situation for me.
Q: Has it been a big adjustment coming to a smaller town like Columbia? NE: I think because I have a focus, I know what I need to do, that it's a better situation to be in a small town than a big city, where you have so many distractions.
Q: Do you have a favorite class right now? NE: I think sports psychology really interests me, and that's kind of the way I want to go. I took Dr. McGuire's class, and I liked class a lot, because it dealt with goal setting, and dealing with different situations on and off the court. It helped me out a lot this year, as far as learning to be mentally tough.
Q: What's the hardest thing about being a student-athlete? NE: Managing your time. Being able to balance basketball and studying for classes and then having some downtime for yourself, I think that's just as important.
Q: What question do you get asked the most? NE: Usually how do I feel about my role on the team, or where do you think you are as far as your knee goes, are you 100%?
Q: How do you answer those? NE: I tell them, as far as my knee goes, right now it's not consistent all the way 100%, sometimes it's 100%, sometimes it's 95%. I just continue to rehab it and get it stronger. As far as my role on the team, I think it's just doing whatever it takes to keep me out on the floor, and to do whatever my team needs from me, sacrificing anything I want to do individually for the team.
Q: You had a big play in practice a few weeks ago where you went baseline and threw one down. Was that a significant play to you on any level, or just another play? NE: It kind of brought back what I can do, and what I'm capable of doing. I think I've shown some flashes this year what I'm capable of doing individually, but I'm playing the power forward position, and it's kind of hard for me to do what I can do offensively. I'm just trying to take it day by day, and take whatever the defense gives me and just play off our offense as much as I can.
Q: What do you like to do in your downtime? NE: Write music, sing and play my keyboard.
Q: Speaking of that, your family is really talented musically. Talk about growing up in that environment. NE: My mother (Sherry Scott) used to sing with Earth, Wind & Fire. That was way before I was born, but when I came along, she had her own band and was traveling and doing her music thing, and we were always around that environment, whether we were at a rehearsal or she was making us get up in front of people and sing. I didn't really get into singing when I was younger, I was a percussionist for the most part. Later on, I started to pick up singing, it was something that just happened. It was usually my sisters and my older brother that could sing. Sooner or later, it was meant to happen because that's all we did was sing and perform, so it's really in my blood. I think I have a real passion for that. I'm looking to start to record some of my songs and get into the studio because I feel I have a future in that. Q: How would you describe the music you write? NE: My music is mainly R&B. Some is a little jazz and blues. It's mostly about life situations - relationships and life on the streets, things like that.
Q: Does your Mom still perform? NE: Yes, she lives in New York now, and she's really expanded her business. She sells her CDs on the Internet and is starting to do more producing now and trying to build her business for when my sister and I get into the business.
Q: Give us a scouting report on yourself. What do you think other teams talk about when they're scouting you? NE: They probably say that I provide energy and intensity if you let me get around the basket. I get a lot of the garbage points that can give the team energy.
Q: What's your favorite play? NE: I like to get And-1's, getting an offensive rebound and put it back real strong and get an And-1. I just like getting a big rebound or getting Kareem an open shot through the offense, that makes me feel good, too. I just think whatever makes us win, that's a big play to me.
Q: Do you have a favorite historical figure? NE: Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, because of what they stood for. I believe in everything they stood for. They stood for peace in two different ways that were very moving.
Q: What basketball player do you most admire? NE: I'd say Michael Jordan, but not really for his game as much as what he represents off the court. He's a great role model. The things he does off the court, he's just amazing. You just know that if he didn't play basketball, he'd be successful one way or the other, and that's the type of person I want to be.
Q: What's one thing you haven't done yet that you'd like to accomplish? NE: One day, I want to record my own album, that's big to me. I've been in the studio before and sang backup for my sister, but I've never recorded my own songs. That's what I want to do, I want to record my own songs and make my own album.
Q: Do you have any moments that stand out at Mizzou? NE: I think winning the Guardians Classic was big because that was a great tournament, and I played well. I think we showed the type of team we can be.
Q: Is there any real difference between starting and coming off the bench? NE: If you start, you can get into the flow real early. When you come off the bench, you have to watch the game, but you can see where you can make an impact when you get in there. Either way is good if you take advantage of the opportunities.