Apparently it takes CJ of all people for the Star Tribune to cover basketball recruiting news, as no one else at the paper seems to be doing it. Per the recruiting guru herself, CJ in an interview with Richard Coffey:
Q: How much input will you have in where Amir attends college?
A: That’s the part everybody wants to know. I have a lot of input. The final decision is Amir’s but being his father, he comes to me for a lot of advice about which program might fit him best academically and basketball wise.
Q: So you’re going to be a little more Archie Manning about it?
A: At the end of the day, it is his decision. What we hope to do is find the top three or four schools that fit him and his personality and his style of play along with academics and then let him choose the school from there.
Q: What changes take place at home while dealing with an athlete with a long-term injury?
A: There [are] a lot of ups and downs, believe me. The first thing he wanted to know was, ‘What does this mean for my basketball career?’ I basically told him, ‘Nothing.’ The next six months of your life will be the toughest, you have to work really hard. Dreams don’t come easy. You have to fight. That’s what he’s been doing for the last two months. I’m really proud of him and the effort he’s putting forth getting better.
Q: What advice would you have for Gophers coach Richard Pitino?
A: Just letting the kids play and I think he’s doing that. They have a lot of freedom there on the court. It’s a fun style to watch. Amir loves playing that style. It’s always fun when you see guys running up and down and not being put in a box and they can use their athletic ability.
Q: If and when the Gophers leave or remodel the Barn, should the raised floor remain?
A: It’s funny you should ask that question. Amir and I just had a conversation about the raised floor. I like the raised floor. It gives the home team an advantage. It’s a part of history at the University of Minnesota so I would love to see the raised floor stay.
Q: Tell me why colleges and universities aren’t embarrassed to turn out athletes who can’t speak standard English?
A: That’s a great question and something that, even when I was back in school, our head Coach Clem Haskins and the assistant coaches did work on with us. I think it’s really important because you are put in a limelight and you have a microphone thrust in your face so many times and if you’re not prepared you can really make a fool of yourself. I think it’s really important that they train the athlete to be on camera and to speak well.
Q: [Now I’m laughing because] Coach Haskins was not speaking very good English a lot of the time.
A: But he made sure we did. [Laughter.]
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Go Gophers!!