Athlete Interview: Avery Smith, Former University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Guard

on 08 25, 2010

I wanted to do something a little different for this post. It’s always been interesting to me how an athlete thinks, responds, acts, etc. What kind of mind-set gives them the edge, besides their obvious athletic and physical gifts, that allows them to excel as much as they do.

During my sophomore year of college, I had classes with some of the athletes that had scholarships to UW-Milwaukee. Now my perception of athletes was that they would be stuck up because of who they were, how good they were, and that they would just have an ego that would overshadow themselves as a person. However, that is not necessarily true. I was fortunate to meet one of the more down to earth athletes, someone I call my friend to this day, Avery Smith.

Avery played basketball for the UW-Milwaukee panthers from 2005 – 2009. During the early years of his college career, he enjoyed much success. In 2006, his Panthers eliminated highly touted Oklahoma in the first round of the NCAA tournament, and later giving Florida, the eventual champion, a run for their money early on. This expose for a young athlete is crucial in their progress as a player. When you can actually play at that high of a level, you are able to see that your talents are right on par with your peers and that gives you so much confidence moving forward.

So now that you have a little info about some of what Avery is about, I asked him a few questions to really get to know what an athlete goes through from the time they first pick up a ball, to their ultimate goal of going pro.

To begin, I asked him where he first got interested in basketball. “Man, I was around basketball all my life. My sisters were really good when I was younger, so I just used to watch them play at the park. I think being around the game so much; I just grew to love it.” I think that is key to an athlete being successful. I think that loving the game from an early age allows them to appreciate the game when they get older, and they take it more seriously, which in Avery’s case, allowed him to play ball for UW-Milwaukee.

Next, I asked him what he took from high school that allowed him to be as successful as he was during his college career. One of the biggest things he stressed was that he was always told to just be confident in his abilities. Another thing, and I found this the most compelling was  “I also learned that learning is good, always try to learn the game, never thing you know enough, keep learning”. That is probably the best attitude you can have. Be a student of the game, appreciate the game for what it is, and always try to learn new ways to improve your game, as even the greatest athletes do today.

Transitioning into the college game is a big step. As Avery said “College basketball is a commitment, you eat, sleep, drink basketball. You are committed to yourself, your school, and your teammates.” I think that is a big deal for him to say that. Some athletes come into a new environment, especially out of high school, with a big head because they got a scholarship; they think they’re the hottest thing to hit the court since Jordan. But as you see in his response, you are committed to basketball as a whole. Your team depends on you just as much as you depend on them. You’re in it together, and together you will achieve success.

Moving forward, I asked him what his early success meant to him during his college career. I would think that having so much success would get an athlete all hyped up, big headed, over confident. But as you may have learned by now, Avery is more humble than cocky in those regards. “The NCAA tournament was a great experience. I was fortunate to go my first year at UWM. It showed me that hard work pays off. It helped me stay confident on and off the court. Experiencing a moment like that makes you appreciate how blessed you are and to take nothing for granted.” That is what an athlete should take from success in my opinion. I believe it should give them the confidence moving forward that hey, I’ve done it before and I know what it took to get there, why can’t I do it again.

Next, I asked him what he took from the college game that has helped him transition to the pro game today. “I just took my competitive edge into the pro game. I think the edge I gained at the division 1 level has helped my game a great deal.” Since his college career ended in 09’, Avery has played for Alwathba, a team from Syria (Middle-east) and in the IBL for the BC Titans, that of which is located in Vancouver. Now that isn’t the NBA, however, not every player takes the same route. Playing professionally anywhere is a huge accomplishment, one that not many people say they can do. To get paid to play the game you love, what could be better? And again it shows that the hard work he put in during his high school days and his time at UW-Milwaukee, if you’re dedicated, you can accomplish anything.

Finally, I asked him the big question, what is the main thing that keeps you motivated. I feel like that is the biggest difference in athletes. Some stay motivated by winning, some stay motivated to feed their families, others for other reasons. In Avery’s case, he is motivated by God.  “He knows that I love the game, and he is blessing my with opportunities. I play for the love of the game, and I thank God everyday for the chance to play the game.” I think that is fantastic, someone believing in their faith to keep them going. I feel like now days with some athletes, other objectives interfere with the good in people. A lot of people are motivated by money and other outside distractions.

In closing, this is another example of what happens when you put in the time and effort to accomplish your goals. Avery started ballin’ young, and continued to learn and evolve his game which has led him to playing professionally overseas and in Canada. Its great seeing athletes, especially ones that you know personally, having so much success and being a good person at the same time. So I wish continued success and hope this overseas basketball leads to bigger and better things in the future.

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