Summer Q&A: Juwan Morgan
6/12/2017 1:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - The Summer Q&A series continues today with rising junior Juwan Morgan. The Waynesville, Missouri, native has battled numerous shoulder injuries through his first two seasons but is healthy entering this summer. Morgan will be looked upon to help provide leadership as a veteran on the team while also improving his own game.
Below is the Q&A with Morgan:
On being healthy during the offseason for the first time in his career at IU:
"It is a big confidence booster for me. I'm just ready to get in the gym as much as I can and knowing that I'm healthy gives me all new confidence."
On starting the season as one of the most experienced players and how you can lead the others:
"First of all, I have to verbally tell the others how to do things and make things clear. And then second, I have to set an example from the start and not let anyone slack off. And then I have to help bring the freshmen along because all of the returning guys already know what the goal is. So I think the freshmen will understand how serious it is and what we are trying to do as a team."
On when he appeared to have possibly re-injured his shoulder against Nebraska this past season and what was going through his mind:
"I knew it wasn't that serious and I was confident in the surgery along with doctors and training staff and the rehab they had put me through. So I wasn't worried about it, but it was very painful and it probably looked worse than what it was."
You had success as a 3-point shooter as a freshman and then last year didn't have as much success. Is 3-point shooting something that you are working on this summer to get back to that freshman year success?
"Definitely. It was something that I know I can improve upon. I felt like I just lost a little bit of the touch on my shot that I had as a freshman. But that's not something I'm too worried about this year because I like to start on the inside and work my way out. I know I'm not going to just be shooting 3-pointers."
Have you always had the ability to block shots like you did last year or is that something you added to your game since getting to IU:
"It was something that I was able to do in high school, but with the injuries hindering me here, I haven't always been able to display it. But as I started to get healthier, it started to come back."
What was it like to come in as a freshman and help IU win a Big Ten title and advance to the Sweet 16?
"It was nice. I felt like all the guys before me really helped me along – like Max, Nick, Yogi, Troy. They took the newcomers under their wing and really helped us."
Will you try to play a big role in helping the incoming freshmen this year get acclimated and up to speed?
"For sure. We have to build that comradery because closer teams always win the tougher games. And that is going to be key to our success this upcoming year."
Who has been the most impressive in offseason workouts so far?
"Everybody has really been putting in the work and getting after it. But specifically, De'Ron has really put the most work into changing how he is and what he can do on the court. I think people are going to be really surprised at what he brings."
If you remember back to your freshman year at home against Maryland, Nick Zeisloft saved a ball that was going out of bounds and just threw it towards the IU basket and you ran under it and made the layup. Was that something that you guys had talked about or worked on before that?
"I remember in the game before Maryland that I tried to save a ball and it went to the other team and they got a layup. And I remember Nick told me to just throw it towards our basket as hard as you can if that happens again. So once he did that against Maryland, I was thinking of that while the ball was in the air and I was running after it."
What are some of your personal goals for this season?
"Stay healthy is really my only goal. If I can stay healthy, then I will be able to help this team win."
Below is the Q&A with Morgan:
On being healthy during the offseason for the first time in his career at IU:
"It is a big confidence booster for me. I'm just ready to get in the gym as much as I can and knowing that I'm healthy gives me all new confidence."
On starting the season as one of the most experienced players and how you can lead the others:
"First of all, I have to verbally tell the others how to do things and make things clear. And then second, I have to set an example from the start and not let anyone slack off. And then I have to help bring the freshmen along because all of the returning guys already know what the goal is. So I think the freshmen will understand how serious it is and what we are trying to do as a team."
On when he appeared to have possibly re-injured his shoulder against Nebraska this past season and what was going through his mind:
"I knew it wasn't that serious and I was confident in the surgery along with doctors and training staff and the rehab they had put me through. So I wasn't worried about it, but it was very painful and it probably looked worse than what it was."
You had success as a 3-point shooter as a freshman and then last year didn't have as much success. Is 3-point shooting something that you are working on this summer to get back to that freshman year success?
"Definitely. It was something that I know I can improve upon. I felt like I just lost a little bit of the touch on my shot that I had as a freshman. But that's not something I'm too worried about this year because I like to start on the inside and work my way out. I know I'm not going to just be shooting 3-pointers."
Have you always had the ability to block shots like you did last year or is that something you added to your game since getting to IU:
"It was something that I was able to do in high school, but with the injuries hindering me here, I haven't always been able to display it. But as I started to get healthier, it started to come back."
What was it like to come in as a freshman and help IU win a Big Ten title and advance to the Sweet 16?
"It was nice. I felt like all the guys before me really helped me along – like Max, Nick, Yogi, Troy. They took the newcomers under their wing and really helped us."
Will you try to play a big role in helping the incoming freshmen this year get acclimated and up to speed?
"For sure. We have to build that comradery because closer teams always win the tougher games. And that is going to be key to our success this upcoming year."
Who has been the most impressive in offseason workouts so far?
"Everybody has really been putting in the work and getting after it. But specifically, De'Ron has really put the most work into changing how he is and what he can do on the court. I think people are going to be really surprised at what he brings."
If you remember back to your freshman year at home against Maryland, Nick Zeisloft saved a ball that was going out of bounds and just threw it towards the IU basket and you ran under it and made the layup. Was that something that you guys had talked about or worked on before that?
"I remember in the game before Maryland that I tried to save a ball and it went to the other team and they got a layup. And I remember Nick told me to just throw it towards our basket as hard as you can if that happens again. So once he did that against Maryland, I was thinking of that while the ball was in the air and I was running after it."
What are some of your personal goals for this season?
"Stay healthy is really my only goal. If I can stay healthy, then I will be able to help this team win."
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