This week, the Clarion sat down with men’s basketball player Thomas Neff.
Q: How did you begin playing basketball?
A: I started when I was really young. My dad played in college and so it has always been a part of my family. I always grew up playing sports and I liked basketball the most. My brother and I always played together and that made me enjoy it even more.
Q: What was your competitive career like before coming to DU?
A: I always played AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), which is competitive in high school basketball. We traveled across the country and played teams from different states. It was great seeing players and teams from different places to get an idea of what the different competition was like.
Q: Have you noticed a difference in your performance or attitude between freshman year and now?
A: Yeah, definitely. This year I feel a lot more confident playing, having gone through last year’s experience. I feel a lot more confident. I have played with a lot of the same guys, so we have good team chemistry, which helps. Our style of play has changed too. It’s more uptempo; it’s a lot faster and we’re not holding the ball as long. This gives me more freedom to play how I usually do.
Q: Your younger brother, Luke, is now a member of the DU team. What is that like?
A: It’s a lot of fun. I’ve always played with him, like I said, and it’s nice having him around. He’s one of my best friends so it’s nice having him on the team. We haven’t played together a whole lot because he was hurt and he hasn’t had a lot of playing time, but it’s nice having him. Not many people get to experience playing a college sport with a sibling.
Q: Is there an upcoming game that you are particularly excited for?
A: I’m always just focused on the next game, so the next game is always the one I’m looking forward to the most.
Q: How do you like to spend your time when you aren’t playing basketball?
A: I usually just hang out with the other guys on the team. We’ll go out to eat or hang out and just mess around. I watch Netflix, too.
