Summer Break with Keith Clark

Aug. 23, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. - The summer has officially ended for University of Oklahoma students, but not for SoonerSports.com's "Summer Break" series with men's basketball players. Keith Clark is this week's subject.

Clark, who goes by the nickname "Moose," saw his freshman season come to an abrupt end last year on Dec. 28 during a game against SMU. Dribbling in transition with nobody close to him, Clark's right knee buckled and caused him to fall to the floor. The diagnosis was torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in the knee.

The injury was a blow to the Sooners' talent level and depth -- head coach Jeff Capel acknowledged that Clark was really beginning to play well. It was also a mental blow to Clark.

To his credit, Clark maintained a great attitude during his rehabilitation and was finally cleared for full activity in early July. The 6-8 forward, who was The Oklahoman's state player of the year his senior season at Putnam City High School, visited with SoonerSports.com this week to converse about topics such as his summer, coming back from injury, the 2007-08 season and OU's Labor Day weekend exhibition trip to Canada.

What have you been working on this off-season to make you better for your second year at OU?
"In the summer I mainly worked on my ball-handling skills. I have also tried to get into shape because we have to run the floor. I have to get used to the game that Coach Capel wants us to play. He wants us to get out and run the floor and transition. He also told me I needed to work on my foot work and my pull-up shot."

How did you spend your time this summer outside of basketball?
"I have been trying to get on my grades, trying to improve them a lot. I do that so when the season starts I don't have to stress out about it as much. Getting better on my school was the main thing."

In your opinion, what is the best aspect of your game?
"I would have to say passing the ball. Scoring doesn't really matter to me much. I don't care if I have two points as long as we win. I feel a lot better with myself if I have a lot more passes and assists. That is the thing people tell me I do the best. I like to be an unselfish player."

What were your feelings last year when you went down with your knee injury against SMU?
"I was just laying there not knowing what was wrong. I have never felt pain like that before. It wasn't a crying pain, but a pain where you want to know what happened. I didn't know if I twisted my ankle, or if something happened to my back. The pain went all over my back, and came to the spot where it was hurt. I thought my whole knee was twisted around. Our trainer came and told me that I was all right. I didn't look at it until they came over to me when I was on the floor. I kept thinking I was fine until I came to the training room and it swelled up. Then I knew it was something bad."

Previous Summer Break Q&A's
David Goldbold (6/21) | Longar Longar (6/29) | Taylor Griffin (7/11)
Austin Johnson (7/19) | Tony Crocker (8/9)

What type of role did you play while sitting on the bench for the remainder of the season?
"I was still part of the team. But instead of me being out there playing, I could tell them from the bench what they were doing wrong and I could see things better than they could. I was something like a coach, but I was a player so I felt they might listen to me as a teammate."

What was your most difficult part of rehab?
"I would have to say the first couple of weeks after the injury happened. Everybody thinks you might not walk again or might never be the same. As you start doing the rehab and you listen to the doctors, then you get better. They told me about three months after the injury I would feel good and want to go out and play, but that was when my knee would be the weakest. They had to keep tabs on me a lot."

How motivated are you after having to sit out last season?
"This is probably the most motivated I have ever been in my entire life. Playing here is something I have wanted to do for the longest time. I finally got here and I didn't even make it past the first half of the season. Now, I want to finish out an entire year."

Are you 100 percent healthy right now?
"I would say I am about 90%. I feel like I have a lot more to work on. I still need to get my foot speed back, but that will come with practicing."

How is it playing for Coach Capel?
"It is totally different. Even if you did come from high school ball where your team ran a lot, college is so different and the speed is so much different. Coach is trying to tell us how the game is played. He came from Duke, so of course he knows how the game is played. We have to be where he wants us to be. We have no choice but to get on his page."

Would you rather have a dunk to win the game or hit a 3 to win it?
"A win is a win. But I would feel more confident with a dunk because I know it would go in."

How good can this year's team be?
"The sky is the limit with our team because we have so many good players. We have a whole lot of different approaches to the game. We can go big, small or fast. There is so much we can do because we have a full team this year. I feel like the sky is the limit for us."

What are your post-basketball plans as of right now?
"I feel like I am just a big kid. I have thought about teaching and being a coach. I want to do something where I can interact with people rather than being a doctor or something like that. I am more of a people person."

What's your favorite meal?
"I would say Mexican food. Anything from El Chico to homemade, it's good."

What is your most memorable experience as a basketball player?
"Just playing ball, period. Every time I get on the court it's a new day for me. Every time I get on the court I try to go like it is my last time because you never know."

What made you stick with your commitment to OU after Coach Capel was hired?
"My whole thing was, I didn't come here for the ball or Coach Sampson. I came here for the school. I would not feel good as a man if I turned my back on OU. When Coach Capel first called me I told him I was going to ride with him. He is the first coach to just call me out of the blue. I didn't even know the man, and he called me as soon as he got here. I was surprised he wanted me to still come. This was definitely the right decision to come here and be around these coaches. I always wanted a young coach like Coach Capel to get out there and show us things rather than just telling us."

What's your favorite pro team and who's your favorite pro player?
"I would have to say my favorite team is the Lakers because they have a lot of background. They have always been a good team. My favorite player is anyone who plays the game hard -- any player that goes hard and doesn't do it for the money or the fame, he just does it for the love of the game. I like someone who wants to win and doesn't like losing."

What are your thoughts on the exhibition trip to Canada and the extra practice time the team is getting?
"This is going to be good for us as a team because Coach can see where we are and how we are doing as a team rather than waiting two or three more months. We can get out here early and see what we need to work on with our weaknesses, but also see our strengths. This will be a good time for the freshmen to get in and see how the game is played rather than waiting. This is one of the best years for it."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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