I'll have a story posted in a bit from Chris Kramer's basketball camp, which I attended Thursday in Huntington. Sounds like I just missed Rapheal Davis, who Kramer had come speak to the 30-or-so fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders.
Davis stressed academics and "listening to your parents," Kramer said. But perhaps the more interesting exchange was what Kramer said about Davis afterward.
"I kind of challenged him in a subtle way about this coming season," Kramer said. "Challenged him as a leader and as a player. I told the kids, ‘He’s like the head of the snake. As he goes, Purdue goes. If he locks down people defensively and plays well offensively, Purdue is going to win a lot of games. If he doesn’t, Purdue is going to lose games.’
"He doesn’t have to be great, but he has to be good. There’s obviously pieces that can help him when he doesn’t play well, but if he doesn’t play defense, Purdue is going to lose games."
Kramer said he knows Davis embraces that kind of responsibility. He's enjoyed watching Davis mature and grow from a guy who admittedly didn't play any defense while as a high schooler in Fort Wayne into the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year.
"He just really cherishes those moments to go out there and lay it all out there and show what he can do," Kramer said. "That’s obviously a big attribute that’s going to help him and really take him far."
Afterward Davis tweeted ...
Davis stressed academics and "listening to your parents," Kramer said. But perhaps the more interesting exchange was what Kramer said about Davis afterward.
"I kind of challenged him in a subtle way about this coming season," Kramer said. "Challenged him as a leader and as a player. I told the kids, ‘He’s like the head of the snake. As he goes, Purdue goes. If he locks down people defensively and plays well offensively, Purdue is going to win a lot of games. If he doesn’t, Purdue is going to lose games.’
"He doesn’t have to be great, but he has to be good. There’s obviously pieces that can help him when he doesn’t play well, but if he doesn’t play defense, Purdue is going to lose games."
Kramer said he knows Davis embraces that kind of responsibility. He's enjoyed watching Davis mature and grow from a guy who admittedly didn't play any defense while as a high schooler in Fort Wayne into the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year.
"He just really cherishes those moments to go out there and lay it all out there and show what he can do," Kramer said. "That’s obviously a big attribute that’s going to help him and really take him far."
Afterward Davis tweeted ...
