Get To Know Them: Ballers Interviews

With basketball season just around the corner, <a href="https://x.com/DaksHoops" data-type="link" data-id="https://x.com/DaksHoops">@DaksHoops</a> is giving you a chance to get to know some of the ballers who make the Dakotas special. In this series, we talk ball with athletes from both North Dakota and South Dakota, giving them a chance to share more about themselves both on and off the court.   These interviews are a fun way to learn about the players, their basketball journeys, what they enjoy about the game, and what makes them tick. It's also a great way to pass the time while we wait for the lights to come on, the gyms to fill up, and another basketball season to tip off.   So sit back, get to know some of the Dakotas best young talent, and enjoy the conversations as we count down to the start of another season.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/NDSD.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/NDSD.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2950876" style="width:141px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/QA.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/QA.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2508303" style="width:330px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Get To Know Them: Ballers Interviews    PHD: Walk me through your off-season. What did you do to improve your basketball game?   "I've been in the weight room getting stronger and getting a lot of shots up and just working on the little things, getting smarter on the court and just looking to improve a lot from last year. Shootout to my trainer, Chris Gilly."   PHD: What's one specific part of your game you focused on improving this offseason, and where do you feel like you've made the most progress?   "I focused a lot on getting stronger and playing bigger and also on my ball handling and still getting my shot right. I made the most progress by getting stronger and shooting."   PHD: What does your fall look like right now? Are you playing another sport, or is it all basketball focused?   "I'm running in XC and focusing a lot on basketball with 3 trainings a week and going to the gym every day after XC practice."   PHD: What are your goals for the coming season, both individually and for your team?   "Individually, I am trying to just improve a lot from last year and have more of an impact and try getting a varsity starting spot. As a team, I want to be back in the State Tournament and do better then last year, and win the Region Championship again."   PHD: Can you give some insight on an influential coach you have had? What made them memorable?   "I would say my parents and my uncles they both tell me what I do right and wrong on the court, give me lots of criticism, but are still always rooting for me and always supporting they've taught me everything I know about the game."   PHD: Time to give a shout to a teammate…Who do we need to know about from your high school team?   "Hayden Davis and Kennley Counts."   PHD: Who is your favorite player to watch in college or the NBA, and why?   "My favorite to watch is Stephen Curry. He's been my favorite since I was a kid, and I just like how he is a good shooter and he's very calm on the court and is a good teammate."   PHD: Where do you feel like your game has grown the most in the past year or two?   "It's grown in getting to the rim more and playing more big and getting rebounds."   PHD: Who pushes you the hardest, whether that's a teammate, a coach, or someone you train with?   "My trainer pushes me hard, Chris Gillis, he trains me 3 times a week and is always saying things to motivate me and keep me on task and just pushing me to where I can be."   PHD: Where is your hot spot on the floor or can you tell us about a "go-to" move you like to use?   "My go-to move is a step back three or an attack and spin move and layup"     PHD: Walk me through your off-season. What did you do to improve your basketball game?   "In my off-season, my coach and I work out 3 times a week. We work on shooting, ball handling, and spacing/ conditioning. We worked on being explosive out of the first step, and I feel like it has improved my game."   PHD: What's one specific part of your game you focused on improving this offseason, and where do you feel like you've made the most progress?   "I feel like this off-season, my finishing has improved a lot. Working on different angles of approaching the hoop as well as layups over taller defenders."   PHD: What does your fall look like right now? Are you playing another sport, or is it all basketball focused?   "I am playing football currently. I am balancing football practice, basketball workouts, and getting lifts in as well."   PHD: What are your goals for the coming season, both individually and for your team?   "My goals this upcoming season are to make the State Tournament and be an All-State Player."   PHD: Can you give some insight on an influential coach you have had? What made them memorable?   "My AAU coach Joesph Habtemariam was influential to me because he always pointed out what I was doing wrong and helped me adjust."   PHD: Time to give a shout to a teammate…Who do we need to know about from your high school team?   "A teammate I would like to shout out is [player_tooltip player_id='2836129' first='Camden' last='Jones']; he's always looking to find me when I'm open and is a great teammate."   PHD: Who is your favorite player to watch in college or the NBA, and why?   "My favorite NBA player to watch is Kyrie Irving because of his handles and shooting."   PHD: Where do you feel like your game has grown the most in the past year or two?   "I feel like my ball handling has changed a lot over the past few years. I can be an on-ball and off-ball guard."   PHD: Who pushes you the hardest, whether that's a teammate, a coach, or someone you train with?   "My parents push me the most to be the hardest worker I can."   PHD: Where is your hot spot on the floor or can you tell us about a "go-to" move you like to use?   "My hot spot on the floor is the right wing. My go-to move is a side jab, one dribble to the left, pull-up."     PHD: Walk me through your off-season. What did you do to improve your basketball game?   "I would say the most I improved on in my offseason is definitely my shooting. I feel like this winter I can be a knockdown shooter and still be able to do what I do best."   PHD: What's one specific part of your game you focused on improving this offseason, and where do you feel like you've made the most progress?   "I also improved a lot on my footwork with a good footwork and my quickness could be a great duo."   PHD: What does your fall look like right now? Are you playing another sport, or is it all basketball focused?   "I don't play any fall sports, so as of right now I just show up to school, get good grades, and still train and lift."   PHD: What are your goals for the coming season, both individually and for your team?   "My team goal is to win the State Championship. I know we didn't make it to State last year, but I think we have a good chance this year. And even win State. Individually, I just want to be the best teammate I can be. If that comes from points, assists, defensive stops, I will do what it takes."   PHD: Can you give some insight on an influential coach you have had? What made them memorable?   "One of my memorable moments with my high school coach is definitely when my team and I got a win for his 500th career win as a coach."   PHD: Time to give a shout to a teammate…Who do we need to know about from your high school team?   "A kid I know that comes up to me asking for advice and always wants to work just as much as me is [player_tooltip player_id='2417852' first='Macklin' last='Bullinger']. He played a little bit of varsity last year, but this year I think he can have a big leap this year."   PHD: Who is your favorite player to watch in college or the NBA, and why?   "As of right now, I like to watch alot of Dylan Harper on the Spurs because he knows how to play with a lot of pace and also has really good footwork."   PHD: Where do you feel like your game has grown the most in the past year or two?   "I feel like my playmaking ability to find people open or knowing when something needs to be slowed down. Just making the right play all the time. My IQ as well just progresses as I get older."   PHD: Who pushes you the hardest, whether that's a teammate, a coach, or someone you train with?   "A teammate that pushes me the hardest would probably be [player_tooltip player_id='2237726' first='Oakley' last='Trueblood']. Me and him push each other I would say we always want to win, which leads to a lot of success on the court. And Oakley and [player_tooltip player_id='2132837' first='Drew' last='Jordan'] are just leaders and help me become one with 2 years left."   PHD: Where is your hot spot on the floor or can you tell us about a "go-to" move you like to use?   "I would say my hot spot on the floor is around the paint. I know I'm not the tallest, but I feel like I can make it tough to stop when I'm going downhill to the paint."     PHD: Walk me through your off-season. What did you do to improve your basketball game?   "I spent lots of time working on my game with my teammates through open gyms and team camps. I also spent a lot of time in the gym by myself working on my shot."   PHD: What's one specific part of your game you focused on improving this offseason, and where do you feel like you've made the most progress?   "I've been focusing on being a lights-out shooter because I know that is what I need to be to play at the next level. I feel like I have been becoming a lot better passer and have way more trust in my teammates to finish plays that I set them up on."   PHD: What does your fall look like right now? Are you playing another sport, or is it all basketball focused?   "This fall I've been in the gym after school every day. This is the time when I get ahead of the competition. So I spend my Friday nights working on my game."   PHD: What are your goals for the coming season, both individually and for your team?   "Individually, I want to be a known face in Class A basketball. I know my potential; I just need to go out and prove it now. As a team, our goal is to make it to the State Tournament and give ourselves a chance at bringing home a Championship to our school."   PHD: Can you give some insight on an influential coach you have had? What made them memorable?   "Coach Card has taught me that things aren't given to you. I came off the bench this year. I also didn't play much at all my freshman year. But as the season goes on, I know if I go to work every practice, I can achieve what I wanted to achieve."   PHD: Time to give a shout to a teammate…Who do we need to know about from your high school team?   "We expect big things from Pierce Thompsen and Gavin Kramer this year. They will be a nightmare for other teams around the rim."   PHD: Who is your favorite player to watch in college or the NBA, and why?   "I love IQ, the way he plays and in my opinion, there is no one better than Chris Paul."   PHD: Where do you feel like your game has grown the most in the past year or two?   "My game has mentally grown the most. I feel like I am a very situational, smart player, which I think has won us quite a few games down the stretch."   PHD: Who pushes you the hardest, whether that's a teammate, a coach, or someone you train with?   "I think I push myself the hardest because I have expectations for myself that no one else has for me."   PHD: Where is your hot spot on the floor or can you tell us about a "go-to" move you like to use?   "My hotspot is probably the right wing three and my go-to move is definitely a drive left spin to the right floater."     PHD: Walk me through your off-season. What did you do to improve your basketball game?   "Even though I'm in football, I still found time to improve my game by going to my trainer to work on ball handling, footwork, and my strength."   PHD: What's one specific part of your game you focused on improving this offseason, and where do you feel like you've made the most progress?   "I'm focusing more on my footwork and handling and trying to be smoother and I think that's my biggest progress change."   PHD: What does your fall look like right now? Are you playing another sport, or is it all basketball focused?   "Right now I'm in football season and right now we aren't in a good spot, but I see us improving pretty soon."   PHD: What are your goals for the coming season, both individually and for your team?   "My goal is always going to be making it to State and I think this year we have a pretty good chance and for myself, I would be one of the main points why we made it."   PHD: Can you give some insight on an influential coach you have had? What made them memorable?   "I'm always going to say my head coach @KirbyKrefting, I knew since I was in 3rd grade and he is a big reason why I got so far. And a coach I got closer with this past summer was Quinn Austin @packbasketball2, him and Andre Austin took me to a lot of new places for bigger opportunities and taught new things I never knew."   PHD: Time to give a shout to a teammate…Who do we need to know about from your high school team?   "I can't pick; they are all amazing."   PHD: Who is your favorite player to watch in college or the NBA, and why?   "My favorite player to watch in college was Aj Dybansta because of how explosive he is."   PHD: Where do you feel like your game has grown the most in the past year or two?   "I would say my explosiveness has grown a lot this past year."   PHD: Who pushes you the hardest, whether that's a teammate, a coach, or someone you train with?   "Everybody I'm surrounded pushes me to be a better player whether it's in football or basketball."   PHD: Where is your hot spot on the floor or can you tell us about a "go-to" move you like to use?   "I would say my go-to move is a spin move."

With basketball season just around the corner, @DaksHoops is giving you a chance to get to know some of the ballers who make the Dakotas special. In this series, we talk ball with athletes from both North Dakota and South Dakota, giving them a chance to share more about themselves both on and off the court.