The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Longhorns spotlight: Daniel Gibson
02.05.2005 | Men's Basketball
Daniel Gibson grew up the youngest of four children in Houston. That allowed him to get away with some things he wouldn't have otherwise been able to get away with. He learned quickly as the starting point guard at The University of Texas that being under the microscope doesn't allow you to get away with much. But, how could a kid who grew up with youngest child syndrome be able to adjust so smoothly to the pressures of being a freshman point guard in the Big 12? Maybe, his parents had more influence on Daniel more than he ever realized.
"We didn't ask as much out of Daniel as we did our elder children," said Gibson's father, Byron. "He would help me out around the house a little bit, but mostly, we wanted to make sure he did well in school."
"My parents were pretty strict, but mostly about my grades," said Gibson, who finished sixth out of 212 in his high school class. "If you got a bad grade in our house, you did not want to show it to my mom."
It was never just about basketball in the Gibson household, even though Byron Gibson played for the University of Houston in the late '70s. Daniel Gibson was taught to always have something to fall back on and that is why he has paid particular attention to his schoolwork.
"My parents always said it was important for us to focus on different things," added Gibson. "They didn't want us to be one-dimensional."
Gibson learned at a young age that in order to continue to grow, he would need to find ways to motivate himself. He did just that when he decided that he wanted to attend Jones High School, where his father went to school, even though it was a long way from his house and the basketball program was less than stellar. Most of the time, excellent basketball players decide to go to schools where the programs are established and have proud traditions, but Gibson wanted to take on the challenge of building a winner at Jones High.
"People were wondering why I decided to go to Jones, but I just wanted to be different," explained Gibson. "A lot of people told me that I was making the wrong decision, which made me work even harder because I wanted to prove those people wrong."
Gibson ended up getting the last laugh in that instance after leading Jones to the state title as a senior while finishing his career as the leading scorer in Houston ISD history with 3,102 points.
But, it would take more than just a jump shot to succeed at The University of Texas. Gibson knew he would have to follow some of the lessons that his parents had taught him if he wanted to continue to grow not only as a person, but as a point guard.
"We just wanted to raise a good person, and we did that with all of our children," said Mr. Gibson. "Daniel has a big heart and it is amazing to me what he will do for people. I think he has taken the lessons we tried to teach him and really applied them in his own life."
"My family is my backbone," said Gibson. "They've taught me a lot of great things like keeping an open mind, seeking knowledge from my elders and treating people right."
It seems as though the lessons his parents taught him are paying off, as he gets accustomed to life in a college setting. According to assistant coach Rodney Terry, Gibson definitely has an open mind when it comes to being coached.
"Daniel is learning how to be a leader for this team," explained Terry. "He's been a winner throughout his career, but he needs to continue to grow as a point guard because his role is so important for this team. But, he has already come a long way."
Gibson shared an interesting story that reinforces how he is taking the lessons his parents taught him and applying them to the basketball court.
"I learned from playing against Aaron Miles up at Kansas," said Gibson. "When we started to get back into the game, he slowed the tempo down and made sure Wayne Simien was able to get a shot. It allowed them to score and it got the crowd back into the game. I think those are the types of things I need to do for this team."
As for not being one-dimensional, Gibson currently leads the Longhorns in scoring, assists and steals all while playing a team-high 30.2 minutes per game.
"At first it was tough for Daniel. Coach Barnes was really hard on him," explained Mr. Gibson. "But, I told him to just use what he had learned and everything would work out fine."
Gibson may think he was getting away with things when he was growing up in Houston. But judging by his attitude and development as a freshman, Mr. and Mrs. Gibson just let him think he was, all the while instilling the values that they feel are going to make him successful in life, not just in basketball.
