Today, we’re chatting with former UMBC Student Body President and Philadelphia 76ers writer for the website “Baller Mind Frame,” Jeffrey Kee!
TR: In all your time at UMBC, what was your favorite on-campus sporting event to attend?
Definitely the men’s and women’s basketball games. I have a lot of great memories watching them ball out at the RAC Arena. In all my years at UMBC, I’ve probably only missed a handful of their games. Sometimes, I would even skip class so I could watch them play. I remember one time, UMBC was playing Binghamton, and my friend was heckling their point guard the entire game. I guess after a while he got fed up, so he turned around, looked at my friend and screamed some obscenities at him that I can’t repeat here.
TR: In retrospect, do you wish you had tried out for UMBC’s men’s basketball team?
Absolutely! That’s one of my biggest regrets. Every ball player at UMBC knows that I get buckets. And I’m clutch too. Give me the ball in the fourth quarter and watch me cook my defender similar to how Reggie Miller cooked John Starks back in ’95. I’m not saying I’m good enough to start for UMBC, but if I played 10 minutes, I could stand at the top of the key and drill a few three-pointers easily. It’s okay though. In 20 years, my son will be the starting point guard for the Retrievers and I’ll be able to live vicariously through him.
TR: In NBA2K16, what is your favorite team to use and why?
I love beating people with bad teams, so I’d say the Philadelphia 76ers are definitely my favorite. Jahlil Okafor is an absolute monster, and so is Nerlens Noel. The biggest problem is that no one on the team can shoot, so it’s hard to score sometimes. I have a “victim’s list” hanging up next to my bed with the names of all of the UMBC students who I’ve beaten with the Sixers. I’ve been tempted to expose these 2k wannabes, but, since I’m a nice guy, I’ll keep their identities a secret.
TR: I understand that Kobe is one of your favorite athletes. How do you feel now that the Black Mamba is retiring?
I still can’t believe it. I’ve been a Lakers fanatic since I was 8 years old, so it’s hard to imagine the NBA without him. He’s had a phenomenal career though. After Kobe announced his retirement, I went on eBay and bought a whole bunch of his memorabilia. I regret it now because I’m broke, but at the time it felt right. Thankfully, I was able to snag a last minute ticket to see him play against the Wizards last month. It was a surreal moment. I haven’t cried since I was a baby, but watching Kobe play live for the final time was truly emotional.
TR: Who is one young NBA player who you believe will rise up to the top as Kobe, LeBron and Kevin Durant grow older?
I think that in five years, every kid in America will have a Kristap Porzingis poster in their bedroom. He has so much raw talent, I don’t see any way this guy doesn’t become a superstar. Everyone compares him to Dirk Nowitzki, but Porzingis is a lot more athletic and is so much better of a defender than Nowitzki ever was. He also has Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony mentoring him, so yeah, in a few years, expect all of the sneakerheads in Brooklyn to be spending their rent money on the Black Cement Air Kristap 3’s. I’m also a huge fan of Julius Randle on the Lakers. He’s a mixture of Lamar Odom and Zach Randolph. I’m not sure if he’ll ever be elite, but he’s definitely going to be a stud for years to come.
