Catching Up With Marcus Denmon
8/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 28, 2009
Columbia, Mo. -
Individual workouts are underway at Mizzou and one Tiger anxious to get back on the court is sophomore guard Marcus Denmon. Denmon spent most of his summer rehabbing from off-season knee surgery, but it back working with teammates during the club's 6 a.m. workouts.
Denmon was a key figure as a rookie for Mizzou last year, averaging 6.0 points in all-38 games. Like most freshman, Denmon saw his play improve inside Mizzou Arena, as he averaged nearly nine points a game.
We hope you enjoy today's Q&A with Kansas City native, Marcus Denmon.
First of all, how is your rehab going?
MD: It's going pretty well. I am just doing everything the doctors want and I'm doing a lot of work with Pat Beckman (trainer). It's great being back out there with my teammates and I'm really excited about the year.
You never really had the same explosion later in the year. Can you already feel a difference in the strength of that knee?
MD: Yeah, it really hurt my explosion last year. Hopefully instead of lay-ups I'll be able to be more aggressive attacking the rim. I just have to stay patient and keep getting my knee stronger.
You were active in individual camps this summer. Would you ever want to coach someday after your playing career?
MD: It's been a lot of fun. It's something I really enjoy. I'm not sure I could be a coach though. I get headaches. It's a tough job, you know, and that's working with younger kids. I know a few of the kids on my team, so that made it a lot of fun, but I don't think I could coach older kids. They argue too much.
How much fun was it working the camps and working with the young basketball players?
MD: Even when I am done playing, I know I want to be involved in the game of basketball. It's such a great sport and it means a lot to these kids. We can all learn a lot from this game, so from that standpoint it's been great being a part of these camps.
You are about ready to start your sophomore season. What was one of the biggest things you learned about basketball last year and how will that help you this season?
MD: I would say the level of intensity needed everyday. No matter who you play or how you played the game before, you have to raise that level of intensity and meet the challenge. The other thing is patience. Sometimes you want something so bad. It's hard to wait for it. That was a growing experience.
You had a teammate, DeMarre Carroll, taken in the first round of the NBA Draft this year. How inspiring was that to see that if you put in enough work, you'll have a chance to play at the next level?
MD: Playing with DeMarre gave all of us first-hand knowledge of what it takes. What it takes to keep getting better and pushing yourself to be your best. It was a lot of fun watching the NBA Draft this year because we all saw players we had played against. It really let us know of the opportunity out there… if we work for it.
You hit one of the most memorable shots in school history during the win against Memphis. At what point did you think that shot had a chance to go in?
MD: When I first let it go, I really had no idea. But as the ball kept going I saw it was on line. Then I heard Mike Jr. yell 'it's good' from the sideline and all of a sudden it went in. It was pretty crazy. It's just one of those lucky things. It's something I'll never forget, that's for sure.
Did you have a chance to call your grandmother after that game and how excited was she?
MD: When we got back to the locker room and got done talking as a team, I had more than 100 text-messages and a bunch of missed calls. I was able to talk to my Grandma, but it was a lot later back home because of the time difference. She was very excited. She just talked about how excited everyone back home was and how proud they were. It was just a great call to make.
Talk about your grandma for a second. What has she meant to you?
MD: She's everything to me. She has taken care of me since I was little. She played such a big role in my life. She's the one I credit for getting me to this point. She kept me on a straight path. She kept me out of trouble, taught me right from wrong and if I did mess up, she got me refocused and acting right. I feel blessed to have her there for me.
You come from a big basketball family, with your brother Martane Freeman playing at Colorado and your uncle Martinez Denmon playing at Iowa State. What common piece of advice have they given you?
MD: They have both given me great advice. My uncle is another key part of my life. He's been there for me too. I guess the main advice I got from them was to stay humble and work hard. To appreciate the opportunities I have and to make the most of them.
College basketball can be a wild ride for a rookie. What was the biggest eye-opening experience for you this season?
MD: Everything you do is watched at this level. People seem to know who you are. Either they are fans or have seen you on TV. Mainly people just enjoy talking to you about the year. But it's not just in Columbia. I could go to St. Louis or somewhere else in the state and people will recognize you.
You had a chance to travel to Canada, Puerto Rico and Boise, Idaho. Of those three places, which was your favorite and I include Boise because most of the guys said it was a cool place because of the mountains.
MD: Puerto Rico was a lot of fun. When we go on the road for a game we usually just fly in the night before, stay the night, play the game and then leave. We were in Puerto Rico for almost a week, so that was fun. Being right there on the beach and checking out their strip was fun. It was just great to see a new environment and hang out with your teammates.
Talk about your life off the court. How do you enjoy spending your free time?
MD: I really just enjoy hanging out with friends and spending time with my family. I'm not much of a video game player. The only game I really play is Call of Duty, but if I have free time, it's usually just hanging out or going back home to Kansas City.
You came to Mizzou with a former AAU teammate, Steve Moore. In your estimation, how has the “Big Fella” progressed this off season?
MD: Steve has gotten a lot better. He's had a year playing at this level and he played with some great players, an NBA player, so that helped him. Steve's in better shape. He's been running the floor and blocking shots. He's getting better offensively and he's more aggressive with the ball.
Of course Mizzou has quite a few Kansas City guys on the roster. Is there a little bit of pride amongst you KC guys?
MD: I can't speak for everyone else, but I know I do. I have a lot of pride in my city. All of the guys have pride in their homes. Kimmie has a lot of pride in Baltimore. Laurence and Tyler have pride in Memphis. We all joke around a lot and talk about who has the best basketball city. It's a fun thing to argue about… but I know who has the best basketball.
The Big 12 Championship will be back at the Sprint Center this year. Are you excited about playing in front of the home fans once again?
MD: I can't wait. It'll be like a home game. It'll obviously be easier for Mizzou fans to come watch us in Kansas City compared to Oklahoma City. I know I'll have a lot of family and friends there. I'm really looking forward to that.
You have a chance to play alongside two of the best defensive guards in America. What are the strengths of Zaire Taylor and J.T. Tiller as defenders?
MD: Zaire just plays so hard. He's tricky with the basketball. He's got that New York point guard style to his game. He's long, athletic and he really pushes us in practice, on both ends of the floor. He's such a good defender, he makes us work and if you slip up with the basketball, he'll take it from you.
J.T. is just hardnosed. He plays as hard as he possibly can on every play. He's an attacking guard and very physical. He can wear you down. Just like Zaire, he helps make everyone around him better. If he needs to score, he'll attack the rim, but he's also great at setting up his teammates. Both are just great guards to learn from.
Speaking of being physical, it's almost football season and as Tiger fans know, you were a pretty good defensive back and wideout in high school. Do you miss playing football?
MD: I don't know if I miss all the aspects of playing football, but I miss the competition. I think the best part of playing any sport is competing and working with your teammates to win. Obviously we get that with basketball and we have been here working all summer, so that's pretty much where my focus is.
What aspect of football do you bring with you onto the basketball court?
MD: I actually take a lot of what I learned in football and use it in basketball. Angles are a big thing for Coach Anderson. Knowing the shortest route to stop the basketball and trap. Anticipating passes. We play a physical style, so football has helped. On offense, its' attacking the gaps. I was a wide receiver, so seeing a hole, taking that contact and getting through it.
