July 27, 2009
Columbia, Mo. -
The 2009-10 school year is quickly approaching and MUTigers.com is continuing its summer Q&A tour of the Mizzou Basketball program by catching up with senior guard Zaire Taylor. Taylor made 37 starts for the Tigers a season ago and was one of the league's most valuable newcomers as he ranked among league leaders in assists and assist/turnover ratio.
Q: First of all, have you been able to reflect on this past year and what it sets up for your senior season?
ZT: “I have. It was tough to step away and see how far we had come as a team and to know it was over. It was a special season, no doubt about it. I tried to step back and look at it from a senior's perspective. To see how DeMarre, Matt, Leo and Mike viewed the year. Try to reflect back on the things they did and said to help this team grow. Once I did that, I think I had a whole new appreciation for those guys.”
Q: Once the team got back from Glendale, did you watch any of the Final Four?
ZT: “To be honest, I had a math class from 7-10 p.m. the night of the National Championship Game and I'm glad I did. I watched a little bit of the Villanova-North Carolina game, but that was it. It was still too soon to the end of our year to get into those games.”
Q: As you began preparing for your senior year, what areas of your game are you currently focusing on?
ZT: “Defense. You can't go through the summer playing for Coach Anderson and not focus on defense. I am working on my confidence too. Making the right decisions on the basketball court will allow me to be more successful and that of course leads to greater confidence. Finally, and Coach Anderson talked to me about this, is just simplifying the game. I feel like I am capable of doing so much to help our team that at times, I don't get any of it done. I make the game too hard at times, so I guess just simplifying.”
Q: You had some big games away from home last year, like games at Georgia, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M. Are you more comfortable on the road or did the games just play out in your favor?
ZT: “I noticed that too. Not to say high school environments are tough or anything like that, but I played in some tough places in my day. Sometimes you had no idea what was happening in the stands behind you, so I guess I don't get as many jitters on the road. I know some players get more nervous away from home, so that gave me a quiet confidence. At home, we were 18-0. Leo was doing his thing, so was DeMarre, Kimmie, Matt and Marcus, so guys were playing even better at home, so that made me feel like I could step up and help when we got on the road.”
Q: I want to ask you about recruiting. When you came to Mizzou, you weren't the most heralded guy coming out of Delaware, but you had a huge impact, Coach Anderson said you had a “five star” impact. Is the world of recruiting over-hyped in your estimation?
ZT: “It's important, but to be honest, I don't know how those guys do it. It's impossible to evaluate that many kids. In New York, there has to be 10,000 kids playing high school basketball. How can you accurately evaluate that many kids? I mean honestly? Kids are going to slip through. Guys who may not play on the big AAU teams or kids who may not go to the fancy camps, how can you see them all and give an honest assessment of their game? The 5-Star kids out there, they are mostly legit. I'm sure 90 percent of them become stars, but that's just a small portion of the kids fighting for a Division I scholarship, so it's easy to sleep on a good player.”
Q: You have two newcomers already on campus. What are you seeing from Mike Dixon and Tyler Stone so far?
ZT: “Those guys have come in and fit in great. Heck, I think Mike Dixon was running around this place before I even got here, so of course he's going to fit in. Tyler is a quiet guy, but he's fit in well too. Those two guys are like my little brothers. We'll show 'em the way… The Missouri way. We'll get them comfortable, in class and working hard.”
Q: Summers at Mizzou have to be some of the most intense in America. Talk about your summer workouts and how do you think they are going so far?
ZT: “Intense is the right word. We work hard, but it's how we do it. Let me tell you this. It was 11 months since I had been home and I went home for about three weeks after school. I love spending time with my family and seeing friends, but after a couple of weeks, I couldn't wait to be back here with my Mizzou Family. I love being here. I love the people, I love my teammates, the coaches, it's just a great place to be. So while it's intense and we work hard, there's no other place I'd rather be.”
Q: Let's step away from the court. You have a passion in music and poetry. How is your poetry book coming along and where do you get most of your inspiration for writing?
ZT: My book isn't coming along like I would have hoped because I had my book bag stolen. I lost some money, a camera that I hadn't even opened yet, my poetry book and a lot of other things. I don't care as much about the money as I do about the book and other personal items in there. I tend to memorize most of my poetry, so I am starting over.
Q: You have passed your love for writing down to Kimmie English, how is his writing development coming along?
ZT: He's doing great. He's so talented. Kimmie is a talented writer. Even his papers for school… I have read some of his school work and it's very good. His words are just real natural and he has a great vocabulary, but he works at it too. I'm actually kind of embarrassed. I have worked hard at poetry, but to see how natural it is for him makes me question how good I am. Heck, maybe I need to be trying something different.
Q: You guys often go over to Memorial Union to perform. What's more nerve-racking, performing a new poem in front of complete strangers or taking a game-winner against Kansas?
ZT: Believe it or not, the hardest part is walking up there. Once you get on stage and start, it's not that big of a deal, but I guess I get the most nervous when I am just walking to the stage and everyone is looking at you for the first time.
Q: The summer is a great time for movies. Have you seen any movies yet since you have been back in town?
ZT: I love movies, but I haven't been to the theater yet. I'm not sure why, I just haven't made the time. I have watched a bunch of movies on DVD. I watched a Mike Tyson documentary. That was interesting. I have also started watching Smallville. I can honestly say I never thought I would start watching the show Smallville, but it's pretty good. I was watching one episode with my roommate and I got hooked. I was just curious what was going to happen next. That was back on Season 3. I'm on Season 7.
Q: You traveled a little bit over the summer, taking a couple long drives. What was your snack of choice while on the road?
ZT: Orange soda for sure and to snack on … I'd say Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Q: Now that you are back in town, who will you be rooming with this year and what's your biggest strength and weakness as a roommate?
ZT: I'm living with J.T., Justin and Keith Ramsey. As for strengths and weaknesses … man, that's tough. I'd say my biggest strength would be that I'm pretty easy going. I don't get too excited and don't let things bother me too much, so that probably makes it fairly easy to live with me. My biggest weakness, well, I'd say I get bored pretty easily. If I'm home and bored, I tend to go wake my roommates up just to talk with them and hangout. That would probably get pretty annoying if someone keeps waking you up, but I do. I hate being bored.
Q: You are just about to graduate. What will your college diploma mean to you and your family?
ZT: I'm going to be the first one in my family to graduate college and it makes my family so proud. It means a lot of me, but it's not something I can really appreciate yet. They are a little removed from it and can see how important it is and that's why they are so excited. I've got tons of family wanting to come down for graduation. I don't think walking across the stage is that big of a deal, but for them, man, it's a huge deal. They are so proud of me. Heck, even my brother and his wife are wanting to come down. I'd rather they come to a game and see me play, but that right there shows me how special it is for everyone.
You are taking up golf this summer. What prompted you to give it a try?
It's a business sport. I have some relatives who play golf and one of the main reasons I am learning the sport is because Coach Anderson plays it. I look up to Coach Anderson more than just as a coach, he's a role model and I want to emulate him. I'm still learning and to be honest, I'm not as good as I thought I'd be. It's a difficult sport.
Who is the best golfer on the team?
On the team now? That's tough. If it was last year's team it would have been Matt Lawrence, but now I'd say Kimmie. I haven't seen Justin Safford play and I know he has his own set of clubs, so he's probably pretty good, but again, I haven't seen him play yet.
Looking back on this past season, what was your favorite trip of the year?
Oklahoma City. I mean, we won a championship and that was the highlight, but there were so many great things about the trip. A few of us guys walked down the street and ate a great burger. My father and uncle came to the games and saw me play. Just everything about it made it a great trip and the Big 12 Championship was the perfect end to it.
You have a running series of 1-on-1 going with Kimmie English. How did that get started?
Well we had so many injuries this off-season. J.T. was rehabbing. Marcus was rehabbing. We just didn't have many guys. Kimmie and I started playing after practice as a way to push each other. I used to beat Kimmie pretty easily. I had way more moves, but Kimmie has really improved. Our series is neck-and-neck. I don't know what the series score is, but it's close. I could guess, but I don't want to be wrong. It's just a great way to keep getting better.
Early on in the season you called the Orlando Magic winning the NBA title. You were nearly right. What impressed you about Orlando?
I remember talking about that right before we played Illinois in December. I just liked the way they played as a team. I know he got hurt, but I liked how Jameer Nelson ran that team. He was a great leader. Hedo Turkoglu is an underrated player and a great shooter. Of course Dwight Howard is a beast. He's an athletic, dominating center. He's a great shot-blocker and is getting better all the time of offense. They just looked like a great all-around team.
There have been some great NYC point guards over the years. What New York City point guard would you most like to play in a game of one-on-one?
I'd say Rafer Alston. He's my favorite player and the reason why I wear #11. That was his number back in the day and he wore it most of his career although Courtney Lee wore it for Orlando last year. I just like his game. He's got a little bit of street in his game and he plays hard, so that's who I'd like to play.
Zaire Taylor vs. Mike Anderson circa 1980. Who wins and why?
“Coach Anderson would have the advantage, because he knows my game, but honestly, he wouldn't know what to do with me. I have so many tricks on the basketball court and I don't think he can guard me. One thing about Coach A, he's a gamer. I just wish he was 20 years younger and then we'd find out.”