Category: Player Interviews

BG – Welcome to By George’s second live Twitter interview. Tonight features GMU starting forward DeAndre Abram – follow him @young_abram1.

DA – A honor to be interviewed! I’m excited

BG – First of all, how was your first semester away from home? How were your grades?

DA – My first semester here was definitely a great learning experience! It for sure prepared me for my future years in school. my grades were good but I can improve with when to start working on assignments so things can be easier for me. The biggest struggle with the first semester was definitely being away from family. Not being able to see my mom and sister was really hard to get through sometimes.

BG – Has your family gotten a chance to watch you play live this season yet?

DA – Yes my mom, sister, and uncle from Florida all came to the Penn game.

BG – Where does the team hang on campus in your off time? is there a such thing as off time being a college athlete?

DA – Usually we mostly hang out at Ike’s or the Johnson’s Center. Honestly no, If I’m not playing on the court, I’m usually at class, study hall, or other events that we have to attend. the only time we really have off time is during the summer and during the winter break.

BG – What won you over here at Mason when you were deciding on schools and have you enjoyed campus and Fairfax so far?
DA – The coaching staff and the opportunity to play early at the D1 level. The campus also caught my eye! Fairfax is nice.

BG – Got it, glad you chose GMU. What do you bring to this team? Also what did you get from the a10 for winning rookie of the week?

DA – What I bring to this team is my length, offensive gift, someone to rebound, being able to guard any position and energy. I will get a certificate but it’s just a honor to be recognized twice in this very competitive league.

BG – What are you bumping to get cised pregame.

DA – Usually any rap. But I’m big fans of Lil Wayne, Future, Fetty Wap, Shy Glizzy but those are just a few!

BL – 50 or Meek?

DA – I gotta say 50!

BL – What jerseys are the most fresh – white, grey or green?

DA – Definitely the greys!!

BG – One game you wish you could take back from this season?

DA – Virginia. We really wanted to win that game. But every one of my good and bad games are great learning experiences.

BG – Prefer playing the 3 or the 4?

DA – Whatever the team needs honestly! Coach P is doing a great job with playing me at the 4 but offensively like a guard.

BG – Have you watched ‘Making a Murderer’ on Netflix yet and if not what are you watching?

DA – No I haven’t! But I usually watch Hardball, The boondocks, Katt Williams comedy, or anything else someone suggest.

BG – Recently you toured the monuments. What was your favorite one?

DA – I loved all of them but definitely the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

BG – Do you have a favorite MLK quote?

DA – “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” My high school coach said that quote before our rival game.

BG – Thanks so much for joining me for our 2nd ever live Twitter interview. Continue to grind and keep filling the stat sheet!

DA – Yes sir I will! Thank you for having me!

BG – Hey [Slim], what’s up man? Welcome to the first ever By George live twitter interview! Follow him @Slimm_4

OL – Thanks man, I’m excited!

BG – First off, how are finals? Are you all finished?

OL – Finals went well! I had my last final which was Communications which I think I did pretty good on.

BL – After your first semester in college, would you say that high school or college is harder?

OL – College is harder, in high school everything was structured and I had Mom and Dad at home staying on top of me. It’s just me in college making sure I take care of business.

BL – Give us a glimpse of your day during finals. Are you practicing as well? Does the program supply tutors or set up study groups?

OL – Yes, we have practice and weights and there is mandatory study hall and tutors set up to give us the best chance to succeed.

BL – Awesome, as a former teacher, I applaud coaches stance on academics. What helps you study? Music, study groups, rewriting, sleep?

OL – Just rereading, I have a pretty good memory so once I read something about 5 times it’s stuck. I like listening to Mozart too.

BL – I wish I could say the same! You bumping Mozart before a game too? If not, what’s hot right now?

OL – Mozart mostly for studying but I like to listen some other times too. Right now I’m liking J Cole, Drake, and lil Wayne.

BL – By George is rockin’ G.O.M.D & No Role Models still. Do you guys listen to music during practice? That’s a trend as of late.

OL –  That’s all good! And no we don’t. Everything is about focus in practice. When coach talks, everything is silent so no music. LOL

BL – Good to hear! What brought you to Fairfax? Did you enjoy your first semester away from home and living on campus?

OL – Great opportunity to play basketball for a great school. I love campus and Fairfax, it’s really chill which is how I am.

BL – Tight, I’ve lived here since birth. Did you think you would have an opportunity to start right away? If not, when did you find out?

OL – An opportunity but coach didn’t promise anything and he made me work for it extremely hard. I found out about two or three weeks before the first game

BL – Congrats, we all can tell you earned it. I’m speaking for a lot Mason fans, it’s fun to watch you play. What are your strengths?

OL – Thanks man, and I feel my ball handling, passing/court vision and my feel for the game are my strengths. I’m working on my shot to get it more consistent. I feel like my love for the game is my biggest strength though. I use that love to work in off season and preseason to set me up for success in the game.

BL – You’ve shot pretty well to start the season from 3. Do you monitor your own stats throughout the season?

OL – I don’t like to pay attention to stats. The only time I would pay attention is if it’s turnovers. I hate turnovers so I want that number as low as possible, zero would be great! Lol I play to win the game. So as long as we win I’m happy.

BL – Love it, I also see your shot fake baseline drive and pull up. What shooting drills do you do?

OL – We do a lot of shooting drills in practice for pull-ups, spot up 3’s and shooting threes on the move.

BL – I saw at the open practice, high tempo shooting drills. Do you have your own routine after practice? Make 200 FTs etc?

OL – Yes, at the end of practice we shoot free throws against a teammate and then I’ll continue when that is over. I do those same shooting drills we did in practice

BL – Keep it up Slim! When you’re not studying or practicing, are you watching other sports? What do you do with free time?

OL – I like watching other college teams play to see what other teams are doing, and I like watching movies. My favorite is V for Vendetta, followed by the Planet Of The Apes movies and Lion King.

BL – Remember remember the 5th of November. That’s a great poem. Have you met a lot of alumni yet? If so who have you talked to the most?

OL – Yes it is, and I met some when we handed out season tickets but I haven’t talked to any since then. I want to start having a relationship with the alumni. I’ve started a relationship with Lamar Butler and I know Paris Bennett who is from my hometown of Linden, New Jersey.

BL – Thank you for being apart of By George’s first ever twitter interview. Let’s do it again soon. Help us do the same with DeAndre Abram.

OL – pleasure is all mine and okay I will, thanks!!