University of Minnesota Athletics
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/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Q&A with Daniel Oturu
1/25/2019 9:01:00 AM | Men's Basketball
This Q&A originally appeared in the Minnesota basketball game day program on Dec. 30, 2018. Interview by Tommy Sletten, Athletic Communications Student Assistant.
Q: What has it been like following the journey with your two hometown teammates to Minnesota, Jarvis Omersa and Gabe Kalscheur?
A: It's been good, especially playing with two guys I'm familiar with. It's awesome to have two of my good friends here to play ball with. Gabe and I played on the same AAU team for two years, then Jarv came to our team the summer before our senior year, so we've had lots of experience playing together.
Q: Did that help your decision knowing that there would be so much homegrown talent with an opportunity to play here?
A: That was the goal coming here, to get one or both of them to come here, so that we could do something special here.
Q: Through two games in Big Ten play so far, there have been vastly different outcomes (loss at OSU, win at home against Nebraska), what has been the Big Ten experience so far as a freshman for you?
A: I think it's been good for my short-term memory. It's not good to dwell on a bad game, and better to focus on the next one and get a good win
Q: What's been the biggest difference between high school and AAU ball to what you're experiencing now at the college level?
A: The biggest difference between high school and the EYBL and now was the physicality. Each level continues to get more and more physical. So I feel like I'm starting to get used to it more now. I feel like it's a big mental difference too. You have to be mentally ready to play every day. If you go in a game I might be playing against a junior or a senior in the paint, and if I have the confidence and know that I can play against him, or I think I can play even better than him, it helps a lot. Then the confidence in other parts of the game starts to build up and it helps you and your team.
Q: What is it like to have your family come watch you play?
A: One of the biggest reasons I wanted to come here was because my family could come see me play every game.
Q: What are you like off the court?
A: I'm very reserved, honestly. I'm kinda quiet and like to stick to myself. When I'm by myself I like to play video games: Madden, 2K, Assassins Creed. If I'm doing something, I'm usually hanging out with my teammates, I'm just kind of a quiet guy.
Q: In your time at Minnesota, what do you want to accomplish?
A: In my time here, I want to get this city living and dying with Gopher basketball again. Where fans don't have any doubts about us being good or not. As long as I'm here, I want our teams to be good. But not just good, competitors and contenders. Not bubble teams, just strictly trying to win a Big Ten Championship, rather than just trying to make the NCAA Tournament. I want Gopher Basketball to have that buzz again. Growing up, I always wanted to play here, it was always a dream to play for the University of Minnesota. I want the games to be lively, I want to earn every seat back in the Barn. We want every game to be packed and sold out, and that takes a lot of work. But I feel like if we can build off our success this year and into next year, we can earn more seats back and earn more respect from our fans, and that's the ultimate goal, turn up the city and earn our fans back.
Q: What has it been like following the journey with your two hometown teammates to Minnesota, Jarvis Omersa and Gabe Kalscheur?
A: It's been good, especially playing with two guys I'm familiar with. It's awesome to have two of my good friends here to play ball with. Gabe and I played on the same AAU team for two years, then Jarv came to our team the summer before our senior year, so we've had lots of experience playing together.
Q: Did that help your decision knowing that there would be so much homegrown talent with an opportunity to play here?
A: That was the goal coming here, to get one or both of them to come here, so that we could do something special here.
Q: Through two games in Big Ten play so far, there have been vastly different outcomes (loss at OSU, win at home against Nebraska), what has been the Big Ten experience so far as a freshman for you?
A: I think it's been good for my short-term memory. It's not good to dwell on a bad game, and better to focus on the next one and get a good win
Q: What's been the biggest difference between high school and AAU ball to what you're experiencing now at the college level?
A: The biggest difference between high school and the EYBL and now was the physicality. Each level continues to get more and more physical. So I feel like I'm starting to get used to it more now. I feel like it's a big mental difference too. You have to be mentally ready to play every day. If you go in a game I might be playing against a junior or a senior in the paint, and if I have the confidence and know that I can play against him, or I think I can play even better than him, it helps a lot. Then the confidence in other parts of the game starts to build up and it helps you and your team.
Q: What is it like to have your family come watch you play?
A: One of the biggest reasons I wanted to come here was because my family could come see me play every game.
Q: What are you like off the court?
A: I'm very reserved, honestly. I'm kinda quiet and like to stick to myself. When I'm by myself I like to play video games: Madden, 2K, Assassins Creed. If I'm doing something, I'm usually hanging out with my teammates, I'm just kind of a quiet guy.
Q: In your time at Minnesota, what do you want to accomplish?
A: In my time here, I want to get this city living and dying with Gopher basketball again. Where fans don't have any doubts about us being good or not. As long as I'm here, I want our teams to be good. But not just good, competitors and contenders. Not bubble teams, just strictly trying to win a Big Ten Championship, rather than just trying to make the NCAA Tournament. I want Gopher Basketball to have that buzz again. Growing up, I always wanted to play here, it was always a dream to play for the University of Minnesota. I want the games to be lively, I want to earn every seat back in the Barn. We want every game to be packed and sold out, and that takes a lot of work. But I feel like if we can build off our success this year and into next year, we can earn more seats back and earn more respect from our fans, and that's the ultimate goal, turn up the city and earn our fans back.
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