University of Minnesota Athletics
Off The Court With Devoe Joseph
1/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Usually the first thing that surprises a Gopher men’s basketball recruit is the elevated floor at Williams Arena. But when you’re like Devoe Joseph, a 19-year-old who was born and raised in Canada, even the smallest of cultural differences are bound to standout when you start living on your own in an unfamiliar country.
For example, the 6-3 combo guard from Pickering, Ontario was surprised to learn that Coffman Memorial Union, the state of Minnesota, and for that matter, all of the United States, offer waffle fries. According to Joseph, the country located geographically north of the U.S. only offers traditional french fries, a la McDonalds form.
It’s not exactly a significant geographical revelation - such as the fact that Canada has 3.5 percent more land but 8.8 percent less of a population than the U.S but it is one of the few cultural changes Joseph has recognized a semester into his U of M career.
Luckily, the game of basketball is played in the U.S. under relatively the same guidelines as it is in Canada. The court is between 84-94 feet long and 50 feet wide. The rim has an 18 inch diameter. And the basketball weighs roughly 1.4 pounds. It’s those reasons, among many others, why college basketball experts expect Joseph to make a huge dent in the Gopher men’s basketball program, beginning with his freshman campaign.
Joseph, a recipient of scholarship offers from Vanderbilt, Texas, Virginia Tech and 2008 National Champion Kansas, is considered one of the best players to come out of Canada in recent memory and is a major reason Tubby Smith’s first recruiting class is ranked by some as one of the Top 25 in the country.
Joseph’s strong prep resume is what grasped the attention of coaches all around the NCAA men’s basketball scene. Playing for Pickering High School and AAU Grassroots Canada, Joseph showed he is a big-time scorer with a solid mid-range game... And a winner.
He was named Canadian High School Player of the Year on three occasions at Pickering and during that time his high school team went a combined 45-4. For his efforts, Joseph was recognized as one of the top high school players in the world when he was asked to compete in the Nike Hoops Summit game last March, an annual event which features top prep players from around the world, ages 19 or younger.
The biggest honor to come Joseph’s way, though, came this summer when he was invited to try out for the Canadian Olympic team. Joseph practiced with the national team for two weeks but was one of the squads’ final cuts.
Joseph originally planned to join his teammates on campus this summer following his stint with the national team but he wasn’t granted clearance to head to campus in time to begin taking summer classes. So, while many of his teammates competed in the Howard Pulley Summer League, Joseph spent the final two months of his summer shooting and lifting near his parents’ house to prepare for this season.
It wasn’t until Aug. 25 until Joseph moved into his apartment at Yudof Hall where he is rooming with fellow freshmen newcomer Colton Iverson. While they didn’t know each other before rooming together, the two have already started off on the right foot.
“We didn’t know each other at all before but he’s a great guy. We get along great. He’s a real nice guy and real big too. He eats a lot. If I eat as much as him, I’ll be (huge),” Joseph joked.
All kidding (and food) aside, Joseph is focused on putting his blueprint on the Minnesota basketball program. He still remembers the “Devoe” chant and warm reception given to him by the Barnyard on his official visit last winter. Now he wants to reward the maroon and gold faithful for making him feel at home at the U -another big reason he chose the Gophers over the other schools.
Joseph was always looked upon to score on his AAU and high school teams, therefore was always known for his offensive skill set. But one of the reasons Joseph elected to become a Gopher is because he wanted to partake in Smith’s intense full court pressure defense. A scorer that prides himself on defense...Excited yet?
“Any good basketball player doesn’t want a player to score on them,” said Joseph. “Defense wins championships and that’s why I came to play for Coach Smith.”
feature by Zach Eisendrath
