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Up Close With Chris Babb
10.01.2010 | Men's Basketball
AMES, Iowa- Chris Babb was one of Fred Hoiberg's first additions in his young coaching career when the former Penn State star joined the Iowa State men's basketball program in May.
Babb, a native of Arlington, Texas, just finished his second season (2009-10) with the Nittany Lions where he started 23 games and averaged 9.3 ppg. Known for his outstanding shooting ability, the 6-5 off-guard made 69 3-pointers for PSU last year and totaled 91 treys in his two-year career in State College.
Babb will sit out the 2010-11 season under NCAA transfer rules, but his experience and leadership has already benefited the young Cyclone squad. Babb tore a ligament in his small finger on his right hand, an injury which required surgery and kept him out of pre-season workouts. He wore a cast for four weeks and is now in a splint. He recently sat down with cyclones. com to talk about his first four months in Ames.
Tell us about your hand?
"I dislocated it in my sophomore year. I ended up tearing the ligament and it never really healed correctly. I ended up reinjuring it again this summer, so I figured I should get it taken care of now instead of having to tape it up every day for the rest of my career. The doctors said they could fix it with surgery, so I agreed. I just got my cast off this week and I have started therapy."
How did the surgery go?
"It went well. I will be able to start shooting in two weeks. My wrist is still pretty weak, though. I think after the first couple of weeks of official practice I should be able to go at full speed. I will need to get in the gym and start working on my right hand again to get my form and strength back."
You grew up in Kansas. Did you follow much Big 12 basketball?
"I lived in Topeka Kan., until the summer before my eighth grade year. We moved to Arlington, Texas and I finished high school there. I watched a lot of Big 12 basketball. My uncle was a big Kansas fan. My whole family loves sports, so we watched a lot of Big 12 games, but I didn't really follow any particular school."
Prep basketball in the state of Texas has drastically improved in the last 10 years. What was it like to play against so many great players?
"Texas basketball is getting huge. There have been a lot of great players come to out of the state in the last couple of years. I was on the same AAU team with Willie Warren (Oklahoma), and he just got drafted. It's been real cool seeing a lot of the guys I played with growing up make it big at the next level."
What were some of the reasons you chose Iowa State?
"The opportunity to help build this program was really important to me. I think I can bring a lot of experience and leadership to this team. Playing in front of a great home crowd was another reason. There are so many people excited to have The Mayor back and I wanted to be a part of that."
What did you think about Chris Allen becoming your teammate after guarding each other in the Big Ten?
"It's was cool to hear we were recruiting him because we just got done playing against each other in January and February. I was learning scout tape on him and he was learning the scout on me. We were both going over ways how we are going to stop each other. Now we are hanging out all of the time and working out together. That's real cool."
How has the team chemistry been so far?
Everybody is always in the gym. Every time I come into the Sukup Complex, someone is in there shooting. It's great to see the dedication from everybody on the team. Off the court, we are all hanging out all of the time. We are always together."
Tell us something about yourself that Cyclone fans may not know?
"I like to listen to alternative rock. I like to listen to the Fray. I like that kind of music."
Babb, a native of Arlington, Texas, just finished his second season (2009-10) with the Nittany Lions where he started 23 games and averaged 9.3 ppg. Known for his outstanding shooting ability, the 6-5 off-guard made 69 3-pointers for PSU last year and totaled 91 treys in his two-year career in State College.
Babb will sit out the 2010-11 season under NCAA transfer rules, but his experience and leadership has already benefited the young Cyclone squad. Babb tore a ligament in his small finger on his right hand, an injury which required surgery and kept him out of pre-season workouts. He wore a cast for four weeks and is now in a splint. He recently sat down with cyclones. com to talk about his first four months in Ames.
Tell us about your hand?
"I dislocated it in my sophomore year. I ended up tearing the ligament and it never really healed correctly. I ended up reinjuring it again this summer, so I figured I should get it taken care of now instead of having to tape it up every day for the rest of my career. The doctors said they could fix it with surgery, so I agreed. I just got my cast off this week and I have started therapy."
How did the surgery go?
"It went well. I will be able to start shooting in two weeks. My wrist is still pretty weak, though. I think after the first couple of weeks of official practice I should be able to go at full speed. I will need to get in the gym and start working on my right hand again to get my form and strength back."
You grew up in Kansas. Did you follow much Big 12 basketball?
"I lived in Topeka Kan., until the summer before my eighth grade year. We moved to Arlington, Texas and I finished high school there. I watched a lot of Big 12 basketball. My uncle was a big Kansas fan. My whole family loves sports, so we watched a lot of Big 12 games, but I didn't really follow any particular school."
Prep basketball in the state of Texas has drastically improved in the last 10 years. What was it like to play against so many great players?
"Texas basketball is getting huge. There have been a lot of great players come to out of the state in the last couple of years. I was on the same AAU team with Willie Warren (Oklahoma), and he just got drafted. It's been real cool seeing a lot of the guys I played with growing up make it big at the next level."
What were some of the reasons you chose Iowa State?
"The opportunity to help build this program was really important to me. I think I can bring a lot of experience and leadership to this team. Playing in front of a great home crowd was another reason. There are so many people excited to have The Mayor back and I wanted to be a part of that."
What did you think about Chris Allen becoming your teammate after guarding each other in the Big Ten?
"It's was cool to hear we were recruiting him because we just got done playing against each other in January and February. I was learning scout tape on him and he was learning the scout on me. We were both going over ways how we are going to stop each other. Now we are hanging out all of the time and working out together. That's real cool."
How has the team chemistry been so far?
Everybody is always in the gym. Every time I come into the Sukup Complex, someone is in there shooting. It's great to see the dedication from everybody on the team. Off the court, we are all hanging out all of the time. We are always together."
Tell us something about yourself that Cyclone fans may not know?
"I like to listen to alternative rock. I like to listen to the Fray. I like that kind of music."
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