Gophers Richard Pitino welcomes a heralded recruiting class to Minnesota this season. While Minnesota-natives Amir Coffey and Michael Hurt got most of the local attention, the addition of Arkansas’ Eric Curry is a big time addition as well. Curry picked Minnesota over Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Alabama, Iowa State and many others.
GopherHole’s Nadine Babu caught up with Curry at the Gophers’ media day.
Q: I know, physically a lot of people have seen bodies a lot bigger this year than a couple years ago. Do you feel like going into this year your body has become more college ready?
A: Yeah, I feel like I am stronger way stronger than I use to be. I am able to see myself as a power guy.
Q: How much weight have you gained in the last year or so?
Twenty something. I came in at 219 and now, I’m like 235.
You say you feel stronger, did you notice a difference? Did your mom notice a difference?
A: She noticed cause every time I posted a pic or something or send out a picture she goes, “Wow, you’re a big.” When I went back home during the summer all of my friends were like, “Wow, look at your arms dude.” I can feel a difference as well though.
Q; Did you grow as well?
A: Uh, some people think that I did. Some people just think that it’s the hair, but I don’t really feel I grew at all.
Q: We look at the fact that Reggie’s been out, you’re probably given you more chances to play center or down at the post. With your added size do you feel more comfortable with that?
A: Yeah, I was pretty much comfortable with that in high school. Just being physical and just being able to be versatile helps in the game a lot.
Q: Can you talk about your relationship with Amir, and the conversations you’ve had last year about coming her and doing things even when the team was struggling:
A: Yeah, we just always kept a positive mind about everything because we knew coming into this season we were going to have a new focus. We were going to have six new faces this year, so it was going to be a totally different team. I pretty much believed that we were going to do great things this year. I have a pretty good relationship with him. He’s my roommate. We had a relationship before we came here, for two years. So, I believe we’ve had a good relationship going into it for a couple years. So, we are going in strong.
Q: You’re not from Arkansas. Where are you from?
I am originally from Memphis, Tennessee. I lived there for 16 years. I lived in Arkansas for the last two years before I moved up here.
Q: You’re playing Arkansas this year, are you excited about that?
A: Yeah, I’m real excited about it. A lot of the players are talking trash talk, but I’m pretty excited about playing and going back to play a home team. It’s going to be a really good game. I look forward to it.
Q: So helping to fill in when Reggie was gone, would that include your hair too? Did you guys go to the same person?
A: No actually my hair was like this before Reggie’s [hair] got like this, but my hair grew out longer so it wasn’t planned at all. I think he tried to copy me though.
Q: What’s been the best thing about your transition here?
A: I think just being able to get stronger, and being in the weight room and putting in the work in the weight room helped me out a lot. Coming up here playing in this physical league, I knew I had to put on some weight so that helped me out a lot, being able to get stronger.
Q: In regards to your diet and exercise, what have you been doing differently?
A: My diet is way different than doing what I was doing back home. Actually, like I eat tons and tons of food now. Cause I know I had to put on that weight and maintain it. So, I eat a lot now, my diet has changed tremendously
Q: Are there any different kinds of foods that changed?
A: I pretty much can eat anything, as long as I can keep that weight and gain that weight. I eat whatever.
Q; Relating to either basketball or just the shift to college, what’s been the toughest part about your transition?
A: The amount of school work really hit me, but I’m adjusted now. But also, the physicality, high school people weren’t that strong. In high school I could really out muscle anyone. Here you have to be big and strong to be a player down here in this league, and I think my strength coach helped me a lot with that.
Who’s your roommate?
A: Amir Coffey
Q: What is an embarrassing thing about him?
A: He’s terrible at video games.
Q: So you guys both decided to come to a program that was struggling, what did you like about Pitino when he was recruiting you?
A: Just the fact that he made me feel like I was a need for him. I felt like I fit his style of play really well. So, I liked that a lot about him.
Q: Was it ever a deterrent that the team did so poorly last year?
A: No, I always had a positive mind about it. I always kept a positive mind because I knew coming into this season with the transfers, we were going to have a totally new team and basically have a new mind and new focus.
Q: Why don’t you have a twitter?
A: It’s just too much to be honest. There’s really no need for it.
Q: Any other social medias?
A: I have Instagram and Snapchat, but that’s it.
Q: Can you sense a readiness from the team to just move on from what was a difficult year?
A: My sayings has just been, New team New Goal New Focus and just put everything in the past and look forward. Look to the future.
Q: Do you think everyone is completely comfortable on the court with each other?
A: Yeah, we have a pretty good chemistry with everyone. Off the court and on the court. Once we play you can really tell.