麻豆影院

As men鈥檚 basketball鈥檚 longest tenured player this season, L.A. born-and-raised Evan Battey (Jour鈥�21, MSOL鈥�23) is ready to lead the team. The 6鈥�8鈥� senior shares how the support of his teammates fuels his infectious positivity and charismatic personality.听听

Head Coach Tad Boyle has said that you 鈥榗onnect people.鈥� Why do you think your coaches and teammates see you as an 鈥榚motional spark plug鈥�?听

I鈥檓 positive and think team-first. Negativity isn鈥檛 something to celebrate. Off the court, the team 鈥� they are my brothers and friends. I choose to spend time with my teammates. It creates more bonding, more love.

Could you share the challenges you faced after you had a stroke Dec. 26, 2017, during your freshman year?听

It was tough for me. When my team was in L.A. to play USC and UCLA that January, I remember going to the hotel. The guys hadn鈥檛 seen me yet. When I first walked in, all of them came over, and it was so warming. But it was also hard because I had lost the ability to say, 鈥楬ey guys, what鈥檚 up?鈥� I could just smile and wave. I give my teammates a lot of credit for allowing me the time to mess up, make mistakes and be comfortable talking to them.
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Now as a senior, what do you do differently to connect with younger players?听

I haven鈥檛 had to do anything different. This group just came in, spends time with me, comes over to my house, plays video games...all that stuff that my past teammates would do. It鈥檚 the same family atmosphere.
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You were a coach in high school?听

My senior year, I was the associate head coach for JV and assistant coach for varsity. That opened my eyes to a lot of different angles and different perspectives. When I couldn鈥檛 play [academic redshirt] freshman year here, I had to be like a coach again.

Your minutes played and points-per-game were up the last three seasons. And personal fouls have gone down each year. What has led to your improvement?听

The game has been slowing down for me. When you come in as a freshman, you are thinking about so many things. As you start establishing habits, you can build on those. Some things that I did when I was young aren鈥檛 a part of who I am anymore. Now, I鈥檓 just making the simple plays.
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Sometimes in the huddle during a timeout and after Coach Boyle talks or draws up a play, you鈥檒l speak to your teammates. What are you saying?听

Usually, I鈥檓 saying what Coach says. It鈥檚 kind of a lieutenant thing. It鈥檚 positive. Unless things are going really bad, and I have to get into my teammates. I bring that passion. It鈥檚, 鈥榃e gotta rebound鈥� or, 鈥榃e gotta be on the glass.鈥� 鈥榃e gotta make one more pass.鈥� My teammates need to hear it from me because Coach doesn鈥檛 want to always be the one to say it.
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How would you describe your relationship with Coach Boyle?听

I鈥檓 sure gonna miss him when I leave. He鈥檚 on you to be better. It might be tough love, but it鈥檚 love, and all our guys see that. He simplifies everything. He doesn鈥檛 make things too complex. Defend and rebound; offense will come.
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As a broadcast journalism graduate, what type of media are you most interested in?听

I鈥檝e always wanted to be a writer. One thing that helped me when I was recovering from my stroke: I had the power of pen and paper. I can talk sports with the best of them, but that depends on my progress on my speech.
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You鈥檝e been affectionately called the 鈥楳ayor of 麻豆影院.鈥� What has being a student-athlete at CU 麻豆影院 meant to you?听

Well, the true mayor of 麻豆影院 is Spencer Dinwiddie (Comm ex鈥�15), but I鈥檒l be honored to be the second mayor. As soon as I took my visit here, I fell in love. The family atmosphere, the fit, the team and the community. The people here are so nice. The student athletes support each other. I鈥檝e been to a tennis match. I鈥檝e been to track-and-field meets. New things. That鈥檚 what college is about.
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Can you tell us more about your work with the Pac-12鈥檚 Mental Health Task Force?听

It鈥檚 a group of students and mental health professionals. That鈥檚 been eye-opening, seeing how much people care about the mental health of Pac-12 athletes. I know people who were affected by mental health. That鈥檚 why I joined 麻豆影院 Buffs. It鈥檚 a group that works on destigmatizing talking about mental health. We make it okay to not be okay.
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What鈥檚 one thing readers might be surprised to learn about you?听

I play a lot of dominoes. I picked it up over quarantine. I play day and night, even on my phone. It鈥檚 a good way to keep my mind stimulated and have fun.听

Interview condensed and edited.听

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Photo by Matt Tyrie听