Getting To Know Drew Neitzel
11/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 8, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Part three of a four-part series getting to know the scholarship freshmen on the men's basketball team.
A 6-foot, 170 pound point guard, Drew Neitzel is one of four freshmen joining the Spartans for the 2004-05 season. Neitzel is the fifth Mr. Basketball from the state of Michigan to come to MSU in the past six years. Averaging 33 points and 9.2 assists his senior year at Wyoming Park, Neitzel helped lead his team to the Class B state semifinals.
As the first true point guard to be recruited to Michigan State in a few years, you've had quite a bit of publicity already. What are your expectations for yourself this season?
"A lot of people are putting high expectations on me, but I'm just trying to come in and help the team out. I'm not trying to average 20 points or start every game of my freshman year or something like that. I'm just trying to play to my potential every game and lead my team to victories.
Although you are just a freshman, as a point guard you will be called upon to be a leader on this team. Have any of the older guys tried to help you adjust to that role?
"A lot of guys have stepped up and helped me so much. I can't really single out one guy. Tim's helped me out a lot along with Chris and Alan. Basically a lot of the older guys have. The veterans are really hungry for a Big Ten championship and a run to the Final Four this year so they're trying to help everybody out."
Although some MSU fans were able to watch you play in the semifinals of the MHSAA tournament at the Breslin Center last March, there are many fans that have yet to see you play. If you could compare your style of play to any player, who would it be?
"People have compared me to a lot of different players. Gerry McNamara from Syracuse is one. Really I'm a mix of different compositions of players. When I watch basketball, I try to pick up little things that might help me out, but I don't really pattern myself after anyone."
You've been on campus since the middle of the summer. What has been your favorite thing about MSU so far?
"Probably the freedom of being on my own, I like that a lot. Being able to make my own decisions and stuff like that has been great. Basketball has also been a lot of fun already and the season hasn't even started. So I just can't wait until we really get going."
If you had to pick the one person in your life you most admire, who would that person be?
"My dad. His work ethic and the way he's worked with me. All the time and sacrifice he's put in to make me successful. He's sacrificed so much in his life to make me a successful person. So I give a lot of credit to him for where I'm at today. What he believes, his spiritual beliefs and everything along with that have had a big impact on me. He's my role model; I try to be like him."
Speaking of your dad and the big impact he has had on your basketball career, it has been said that he was readying you to be a basketball player since you were in the crib.
"When I was born, he put a little basketball hoop in my crib. My mom got kind of upset about that one. (laughs) Oh well, I guess it didn't turn out so bad."
 Drew Neitzel is eager to play in his first game as a Spartan.  | |
You've played in front of some pretty big crowds in your career but probably none as big as when you competed in a two-ball competition that traveled to NBA venues. What was that like?
"It was a great experience for me. I was a fifth-grader at the time and to travel around to those big arenas was amazing. I got to go to Charlotte, Houston and one at the Palace. It was just a great time and that was one of the first times I got to travel the country playing basketball in front of huge crowds because we got to shoot at halftime of those games. So it was a lot of fun and they treated us really well. I was glad to be a part of that."
One of the unique things about you as a basketball player is your ability to shoot with both hands. How do you feel about all the attention you get for that?
"I think it's overrated. Everybody makes a big deal out of it. I just play and don't put too much emphasis on that. I work on both hands a lot because my dad's always preached that. You have to have both hands to be successful."
If a professional career in basketball weren't possible, what other job would you love to have?
"I'd love to be a basketball coach. I don't know my major yet but I might go into business or maybe a degree in communications. I would like to be a broadcaster or an announcer. A career as a TV commentator would be a lot of fun."
There are a lot of new things to come in your first season of Big Ten basketball. What are you looking forward to the most?
"Getting a couple of championship rings and winning a Big Ten championship. I just want to be able to hold the trophy up with all of my teammates. I love these guys already and I've only been here a few months. I'm so excited for what's to come. It's going to be a lot of fun."
Written by Kelly Thesier, MSU Sports Information
