Summer Break with Taylor Griffin

July 11, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. - Taylor Griffin is anticipating Oklahoma's 2007-08 men's basketball season a little more than most of his teammates might be.

One reason is because the junior forward from Oklahoma City claims he didn't play up to his expectations last year. He says he is dedicating himself this summer to preparing for the physical rigors of a lengthy college basketball campaign. A second reason is the addition of a really good friend to the team -- his brother, Blake.

Griffin, who averaged 6.3 points a game last year and ranked second on the Sooners with his 5.2 rebounding and 0.9 blocked shots averages, visited with SoonerSports.com on various subjects following a demanding weightlifting session this week. Among the many topics discussed were the upcoming season, OU's freshmen, his brother's decision to attend OU and the things he does to take care of his body.

How are you occupying your time this summer away from basketball?
"There is not a lot of extra time. In June we have a lot of camps so those take up the entire month almost. I am taking summer classes, and we also had 5:30 a.m. workouts in June. Most of the time when I do have free time I just want to rest."

What part of your game are you trying to improve this summer?
"I have been trying to rehab my shoulder ever since I messed it up so I have been focusing on that mainly the past few weeks. Now that it is getting better I am working more on my perimeter game and getting to the basket, as well as my pull-up shot."

How did you hurt your shoulder?
"I injured it about three weeks ago playing pick-up. Tony Crocker drove the lane trying to dunk it and I stepped over to block it. I got it, but at the same time all his momentum kind of ripped my arm back. The doctor said I had a little tear in my deltoid. I just started back playing this week and it feels pretty good."

What is it like having your brother (freshman Blake Griffin) out there battling with you?
"It is really cool. We had a lot of fun playing in high school together. Hopefully it is going to be the same kind of deal. It's going to be on a lot bigger stage and he has become a pretty well-known player. It should be fun playing together again."

What part did you play, if any, in getting Blake to sign with OU?
"For the most part, I just let him take it all in. But when it came down to it, I think my whole family was sitting at dinner one night and we started talking about it. I told him I would really like to play with him again. He already liked Coach Capel a lot and knew that this was a great program. I told him I would like to have the opportunity to play with him again. I guess he felt the same way so it worked out."

Talk about the freshmen and their chances of contributing next season.
"Blake and Cade Davis have come onto the scene and impressed the team the most. Blake is a great athlete and highly touted and has been working really hard. Cade has also been working really hard. I think he is going to surprise a lot of people once he gets used to the speed of the game. He is really athletic and a great shooter. He is just an all-around good athlete because he is quick, can jump and is fast. Tony Neysmith is another freshman and is deceptively quick. I think once he gets his shot to come around and gets relaxed to the speed of the game he will help us a lot. Maybe not immediately, but in the long run."

If you could play a sport at OU other than basketball, what would it be?
"Football. I would like to play tight end and see how I would do."

Summer Break with David Godbold | Longar Longar

What are your expectations for yourself and for your team next year?
"I felt that I didn't play up to my expectations last season, or other people's expectations for me. I kind of have a chip on my shoulder to make up for last season. Personally, I would like to become a more well-rounded player and help us more on the inside. I would like to bring leadership to the young team that we have.

"As a team, I think we showed a lot of signs of being good last year, but we also showed a lot of signs that we had a new system with a new coach. We had a lot of young guys. This year I think we have a chance, with the way the Big 12 is set up, to finish in the top three of four if everyone continues to work and go out and be consistent."

If you could have any job when you are finished with basketball, what would it be?
"I would like to be a doctor. I would really like to be an orthopedic surgeon. We will see how well that turns out."

What's your favorite movie?
"I am a big fan the Oceans (11, 12 and 13) and Pirates of the Caribbean movies."

What's your favorite restaurant and what do you order?
"Chili's, and I will order almost everything on the menu. It just depends on my mood. I would have to say my favorite is chicken crispers."

What are your thoughts on Head Coach Jeff Capel and what it is like to play for him?
"He is just a really cool guy. He is a great coach, and obviously he is really young right now. But I believe he is going to be one of the really good ones after it's all over. He is the type of coach you can relate to and just talk to like a friend. But it's not like you get too buddy-buddy with him where you don't respect him as a coach. He keeps that boundary pretty clear. I am excited to play for him for two more years. Despite how last season went, I had a blast."

How does Coach Mark Cline aid you in becoming a better big man?
"Coach Cline, he is just a no-nonsense, down-to-the-nitty-gritty type coach. But he is also a coach you can just talk to. All the players love him. He shows you what you need to know and nothing outside of that. He shows Longar (Longar) what he needs to know and shows me what I need to know. Everything else doesn't really matter."

What is the hardest part about being both a student and an athlete in college?
"The fatigue. During the season you finish practice and you come home and you have to study for a chemistry or physics test. You just want to go home and get something to eat and go to bed, but you know there are too many things to do."

Who is your favorite NBA team?
"The Phoenix Suns. I really started to like them when they got my favorite player, Amare Stoudemire. I like Steve Nash a lot, too. I love the way the team plays and how they move and pass the ball and how they run and gun. It's really fun to watch."

What's your favorite memory as a Sooner so far?
"I would have to say the three Bedlam games we won. My freshman year, the Bedlam game at Stillwater was kind of my best game up to that point. Those games really stand out a lot."

You're a physically well-defined guy. What types of things do you do to take care of your body?
"One of my goals this off-season is to get in really, really good shape. I think that is one of the most important things a college basketball player can do. Being in great shape will help you offensively, defensively and everywere in between. Everything we do is based on speed and quickness training and conditioning. We play pick-up four times a week. I like to get on the bike or the elliptical and go for 30 minutes just to try to keep my endurance level up. That is one thing I have been focusing on."

How closely do you watch what you eat and drink?
"I try to do a good job of eating pretty healthy, even though sometimes it's hard with our schedule. I try to eat a lot of chicken, fruits and vegetables. I also like protein shakes and smoothies a lot, whether it's making them myself or grabbing some from the gym. My biggest weaknesses are ice cream, cake and cookies. I try to stay away from them as much as possible -- as well as anything carbonated."

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