Up Close With Tyrus McGee

AMES, Iowa - Junior Tyrus McGee has been on campus for just a short period of time, but he has already started to sense the enthusiasm and excitement of Cyclone Nation.

A native of Stringtown, Okla., McGee's shooting ability will benefit the Iowa State attack in 2011-12. McGee was named first-team JUCO All-America in 2011 while averaging 20.1 points and hitting 115 treys for Cowley County C.C.

He's already got a taste of on-court action for the Cyclones. McGee averaged 10.0 points in Iowa State's four-game Italian tour, including leading the team in scoring vs. North Roma with 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting from downtown.

McGee sat down with cyclones.com to talk about the Cyclones' upcoming season and his career path to Ames.

cyclones.com: How satisfying was it for you to earn First-Team Junior College All-American?

TM: It meant a lot. We worked hard every day and did a ton of conditioning. Our coach (Tommy DeSalme) put us through a lot of stuff during the preseason to get us ready. I never expected to be an All-American. I expected to make all-conference, or something like that, but I never dreamed I'd be an All-American. I was in the gym all day. It's like a dream come true.

cyclones.com: What was it like growing up in a small town (Stringtown, Okla.) with a graduating class of 20?

TM: It was like family, really. Everyone in our class got along and we were always together for lunch and during class. It's like a community. Everybody knew everybody and was really supportive, especially when basketball season came. Everyone supported each other in the only two sports we offered (basketball and baseball). Our basketball team was called the "Dream Team" because everyone was big on our team except for me. I was the smallest guy out there. Other than that, it was a really good community coming from a small town. Our population was probably around 450.

cyclones.com: Is there a restaurant in Stringtown?

TM: We have one restaurant called the Choo-Choo Café right by the railroad tracks. The closest grocery store is about seven miles away in a town called Atoka. Its population is about 4,000.

cyclones.com: What's the biggest difference between junior college and Division I basketball?

TM: Junior College is more like a high school setting. The basketball is fast-paced. People just get the ball and go. You have to slow things in Division I down a little because everyone is so much better. That was one of the main things I had to focus on when I first got here and I'm getting used to it now. When I first came here, I would always want to speed it up and now I've finally calmed down like Coach Hoiberg wants me to. I've still got a lot to learn.

cyclones.com: How did you develop your jumpshot?

TM: When I was younger I never really worked on my shot. I always would play against older people when I was younger, so I had to learn how to get the ball above everyone else and still get it to go in. As I got older, I got into the gym and kept shooting. I would work on my form and I kept getting better and better during high school.

cyclones.com: You won't be the only good shooter on the Cyclone roster in 2011-12. What will it be like to have other good shooters around you?

TM: It feels good to have a bunch of people around you who can shoot it. Somebody is going to be on each night. If one of the four of us can't hit our shots, then there's something wrong. We have a lot of good shooters, and that's a good thing, because we will likely have a number of options in the closing moments of a game.

cyclones.com: What is it like to play for Coach Hoiberg?

TM: He has been great. He's a shooter himself and he knows how the system works because he played in the NBA and was an All-American in college. He knows how shooters are and that's what he expects us to do, because that's what he did when he was in college. He wants us to improve.

cyclones.com: Growing up in Oklahoma, did you follow Big 12 Basketball much?

TM: No, I really didn't. I was outside playing basketball instead.

cyclones.com: How do you like Iowa State and Ames so far?

TM: I like it. We've got a lot of fans and good support. You see a lot of people at every sporting event. You get random people just coming up to you saying your name and you've never met them before. Everyone knows you and knows your background. Ames is great.

cyclones.com: Tell us something unique about yourself?

TM: I can shoot left-handed. Maybe not as good as my right hand, but I can shoot pretty well left-handed. And I can also do a back flip.

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Tyrus McGee

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