The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Q&A with Connor Lammert
11.07.2012 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2012
Freshman forward Connor Lammert caught up with TexasSports.com two days before the start of the 2012-13 season. Texas hosts Fresno State on Friday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. Central on Longhorn Network.
Why did you choose Texas?
Throughout the whole recruiting process, the coaches were great. Texas was one of the most interested schools, that appealed to me. It is only an hour away from San Antonio (home). I never really grew up as a Longhorn fan, but I always saw the Longhorns as one of the top teams in the country. The coaching staff, Coach Barnes in particular, really works on player development. He gets players where they want to be. I saw the young team that we had here, and I felt like I could come in and make an immediate impact. And just help the team in the best way I can. We can grow together we can be pretty dangerous.
What is it like playing for Coach Barnes?
Playing for Coach Barnes is an honor. I knew there is a lot of pressure that comes with it. He expects so much from his players. Just playing for a name like that is a great honor.
What has the preseason been like?
It is a lot different than high school, nothing like high school. You put a lot more time in, a lot more effort, a lot more hustle - it is a whole different game. As far as how physical it is and how fast it is. The preseason has been good, I have learned a lot and we have come together as a team. We have made a lot of progress in the first four weeks of practice.
How have the returning players helped you?
They are just giving little pieces of advice in practice and off the court. They are giving us advice about what to do and what not to do. How to play certain plays, what to look for, how to act. Just being overall mentors to the younger players that don't know what to expect.
What are your goals for the season?
Our goal is to compete for a national championship. I am going to take it one game at a time. That is how every game should be played - just focus on the task at hand, which is our first game on Friday against Fresno State.
What other sports did you play growing up?
I played pretty much everything. My main sports were basketball, baseball and football. I was a pitcher in baseball, a quarterback, defensive end and wide receiver in football. I always knew I would stick with basketball. I had a moment where I thought I was going to go baseball early in high school. It just turned out going straight basketball would be a better option for me down the road.
