June 21, 2007
GoRedbirds.com: You've been on campus for about a month now. What are your early impressions of ISU and Bloomington-Normal?
Emmanuel Holloway: It's a quiet town with good people from what I can tell so far. I really love the weather, because it's not as hot as it is in Georgia.
GR: Are you living with some of the players or other student-athletes? Who?
EH: Yeah, I'm staying with a bunch of the guys for the summer. I'm over at the Oaks living with Brandon Holtz, Jube (Julius Moor) and Levi (Dyer); and we've got Boo (Richardson) and [Anthony] Slack right next door. There are a lot of student athletes that are living over there this summer.
GR: You were also recruited by Houston, Arkansas, Colorado State and Miami (Fla.) before committing here. What set ISU apart from those schools, some of which are in some pretty solid basketball conferences?
EH: The biggest thing was their new style of play and the coaching staff. Also, it's a big school with big aspirations, and I wanted to be a part of that.
GR: It seems that you've always had a knack for scoring, averaging 20 points per game in high school and over 15 points per game at Iowa Western. What exactly gives you the mentality to be an aggressive scorer?
EH: I like to be aggressive on the offensive end, although sometimes I'm not aggressive enough. I just love to win, and I'll do whatever it takes to get that done, whether it's scoring or playing defense.
GR: Besides scoring, what do you believe is the biggest strength of your game? The biggest weakness?
EH: My biggest strength would be my heart; it's always been a strong part of my ability. I would say my biggest weakness would be my left hand, but I'm in the process of making that my strong hand. Hopefully the next time you interview me, I'll be saying my right hand is my biggest weakness!
GR: What do you believe will be the biggest adjustment between JUCO and Division I?
EH: I can already tell that at this level, if you don't play hard, the game will just pass you by. You've got to treat every possession like it's your last.
GR: You also led IWC with 75 steals last season. How would you describe the mentality of a solid defender? Is it mostly effort?
EH: Defense comes down to effort, positioning and anticipation. It's really a combination of the three.
GR: Coach Jankovich likes to have guards on his team that are interchangeable, in that they can score, bring the ball up the floor, and obviously defend. In your mind, what is the description of a solid combo guard?
EH: A combo guard is somebody that can bring the ball up the floor, pass well, score, play defense and be able to do all of those things without hesitation.
GR: Cartersville is only about 45 minutes outside of Atlanta. Growing up, how much time did you spend in the city?
EH: I spent a good amount of time in the city. My church was in Atlanta, and I had a lot of friends and family that lived there. Cartersville is about 45 minutes away from the city, but it's an easy trip, so I was in the city quite a bit.
GR: Michael Vick or Matt Schaub?
EH: (Laughs) Man, that's a tough one, especially with what's been going on with Mike Vick lately. I'm gonna go ahead and not answer that one, because some folks at home might be mad at me depending on the answer!
GR: Fair enough ... Big Boi or Andre 3000?
EH: I'm gonna say Big Boi.
GR: What's the biggest thing you miss about home?
EH: That's an easy one; somebody who can cook every day!
GR: Is there a player in the NBA that you would say your game is similar to? If so, who?
EH: I'm not as athletic as he is, but I would say Dwayne Wade. I try to compare my game to his.
GR: That leads me to my next question. D-Wade or Lebron?
EH: I'm gonna go with D-Wade, because he's got a ring.
GR: What's the most played song in your iPOD or CD player right now?
EH: This song called "A Bay Bay" by Hurricane Chris. He's from Down South.
GR: Now that the Spurs have won four championships, do you think that puts them ahead of Kobe and Shaq's Lakers, who won three? Why do you think the Spurs are so good every year?
EH: I wouldn't say it puts them ahead of those great Shaq and Kobe Laker teams, because it's hard to win three titles in a row, which the Lakers did. But the Spurs are so good every year because they play defense, and they play as a team. Fundamentals are key for them; they may be boring to watch, but they win!
GR: Who has had the most influence on your life personally?
EH: Definitely my parents.
GR: What gets you more pumped up, dishing off an assists that leads to a big score for one of your teammates, or hitting a big shot at the end of the game?
EH: I would probably go with hitting a big shot at the end of a game, because most of the time, that leads to a win. Assists are great, but anytime you can hit a big shot at the end of a game and pick up a win, I'll go with that every day.
GR: What are your early predictions about the 2007-08 Redbird basketball season?
EH: I expect nothing but the best, and that's always been my mentality. I really think this team can win a conference championship.
GR: Tell us something Redbird fans don't know about you ...
EH: I love being the center of attention. I kind of thrive off that!
