As we were interviewing Bill Evans on the post game show last night, ET stopped by, reached out his hand to Bill and said, "Thanks for the opportunity." Bill playfully kissed his hand and admonished him to stay out of trouble while he celebrated Saturday night.
ET is a transformative talent: not just because of his killer crossover or his lightening quickness. You don't have to be around him very long to see the competitiveness that burns inside him. Sometimes that fire causes him to try to do too much, or to play out of control. But last night, when everybody in the gym knew he was going to take the last shot, there was no doubt in his or Bill's mind that he was the man for the job.
I have to admit, when I first heard ET was coming to Idaho State, I was concerned after I googled him. There is a history of school hopping, and a run in with the cops that you can all find through the same process I used. Now that the video of ET breaking Joel Bolomboy's ankles has gone viral, I suspect we'll start to learn a lot more about this young man's background -- his NBA brother, his roaming, how he wound up in Pocatello, Idaho, all the way from Coney Island, NY. It will be interesting to hear what stokes that fire in ET, and what it took Bill Evans to give him that "opportunity."
I must say, in my 22 years of broadcasting ISU basketball, rarely have I seen such a display of individual will by a Bengal. It was awesome to watch and I look forward to enjoying another year and a half of ET. My only regret from last night? I didn't think to invite ET on to the post game show. (Duh -- forehead slap!)
ET is a transformative talent: not just because of his killer crossover or his lightening quickness. You don't have to be around him very long to see the competitiveness that burns inside him. Sometimes that fire causes him to try to do too much, or to play out of control. But last night, when everybody in the gym knew he was going to take the last shot, there was no doubt in his or Bill's mind that he was the man for the job.
I have to admit, when I first heard ET was coming to Idaho State, I was concerned after I googled him. There is a history of school hopping, and a run in with the cops that you can all find through the same process I used. Now that the video of ET breaking Joel Bolomboy's ankles has gone viral, I suspect we'll start to learn a lot more about this young man's background -- his NBA brother, his roaming, how he wound up in Pocatello, Idaho, all the way from Coney Island, NY. It will be interesting to hear what stokes that fire in ET, and what it took Bill Evans to give him that "opportunity."
I must say, in my 22 years of broadcasting ISU basketball, rarely have I seen such a display of individual will by a Bengal. It was awesome to watch and I look forward to enjoying another year and a half of ET. My only regret from last night? I didn't think to invite ET on to the post game show. (Duh -- forehead slap!)