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Interview with Greg Plummer

June 30, 2007 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Strong Island Sound News Release


Greg Plummer plays for the Brooklyn Kings of the USBL. As I write this piece he is at the airport with teammates waiting for a plane to take them to Oklahoma for the 2007 USBL Post Season Championship series which begins on Thursday. This Thursday the NBA will be having their annual Draft in New York City. No correlation, right? Wrong, because for Greg Plummer he won't be viewing the NBA Draft as the end-all-be-all for reaching the NBA. Instead he looks for inspiration from one time "Nobody's" like Raja Bell, Mikki Moore and Bruce Bowen. Players who did not hear their names called by David Stern on draft night, but instead took a route of hard work and extra hard perseverance before reaching and establishing themselves in the NBA. Plummer, an ABA All-Star last season, his first pro experience in the United States took some time to discuss life in the pros and what he hopes to accomplish in the future.

Surujh Roopnarine: Firstly, you recently came back to play after a long lay-off from a hip-pointer, how are you feeling now?

Greg Plummer: My hip is fine. Sitting out a month and not being able to work out is the hardest thing to get over but I'm now on my second week playing and I guess u can say I'm working all the kinks out to get back to where I was before the one month layoff.

Surujh Roopnarine: Because of the injury you've only been able to play in about half of your teams games this season. Do you think there will be any problem establishing a flow once you get back on the court?

Greg Plummer: Yeah the hardest thing is to get back the stamina that I lost from being out. But I'll be just fine for the playoffs.

Surujh Roopnarine: Going back to your collegiate days, after JUCO (Sage JC of Albany), you ended up playing down at Eckerd College in Florida (DII). What made you decide to head down south and how would you describe your time there?

Greg Plummer: It's Florida, the weather of course! And it didn't hurt that I was going to a competitive conference like the Sunshine State Conference and to play for a team like Eckerd that had just came off of a season where they were in the Elite 8.

Surujh Roopnarine: After finishing college you actually had an opportunity to head oversees to play in Luxembourg. How did that come to be and how would you compare that to the type of play you find in the USBL?

Greg Plummer: The call to play in Luxembourg was random. They had just lost their American to injury and needed a player. The agent I was working with at the time received the call on a Wednesday and I was in Luxembourg practicing on Thursday and playing my first game on Saturday. The competition in Luxembourg although fun and competitive, really doesn't

compare to that of the USBL. For me I enjoy playing in the USBL because of the fact that they use the U.S. Professional rules. The style of play changes when you add the longer 3point lines and the defensive 3 second rule.

Surujh Roopnarine: Last year you played for the Strong Island Sound in the ABA and by all accounts had a terrific season, being named to the ABA All-Star team and leading the team in scoring at 20.5ppg. What did you take away from that season?

Greg Plummer: Well playing in the ABA taught me a lot about myself. I learned to enjoy the season game by game instead of putting pressure on myself to have a perfect season. Playing in leagues like the ABA and the USBL has reassured me that I have the talent and the potential to play on higher levels and believe me I'm eagerly anticipating the day when my opportunity to do some comes.

Surujh Roopnarine: What aspects of your game do you feel are your strongest? What do you need to improve?

Greg Plummer: I believe a strong part of my game is my ability to move without the ball. I get a lot of open jump shots because I've learned how to get open. Moving without the ball also comes in handy when guys don't box out because I'll always be ready to chase down an offensive rebound. I have a pretty

consistent jump shot which is also a strong part of my game which helps me to keep the defensive guessing. When I hit two in a row I'm going to the basket because I know the defense is over playing me. If you ask me, everything needs work; No part of my game is where I want to be. No matter how many people tell me I'm good or compliment me on my game I'm not even close to my peak (That's a little pressure I put on myself to keep working).

Surujh Roopnarine: As you said, you have a very impressive jump shot, one which makes the game that much easier for you offensively. Is it difficult to avoid ignoring other aspects of your game, like driving the ball and creating off the dribble, in favor of settling for the jump shot?

Greg Plummer: At times it is hard to remember to do other things when I get into a groove. Because when I make three in a row it's going to be hard not to pull up for another jump shot. But my coaches over the years always told me to keep the defense guessing and mix it up...never settle. I'm trying to get it down to the point where mixing it up is second nature.

Surujh Roopnarine: You have also been taking part in a lot of the New York City summer leagues, like Hoops in the Sun and EBC. Do you approach these tournaments any differently than you would a USBL or ABA game?

Greg Plummer: Summer ball is definitely something I live for. I take these games as seriously as any other. I hate to lose at anything (That's my sickness) and summer ball is where you gain your respect in NYC. If you are a ball player in NYC you have to pay your dues. If I didn't have summer ball getting back in shape after this injury would have been boring. The games serve a purpose. I stay in shape. I have fun. Plus I get to work on my game and work out on people who haven't been working on theirs.

Surujh Roopnarine: What are your plans for the fall? Do you expect to be back with the Sound if you don't get an overseas opportunity? That is your goal at this point; to get back overseas, correct?

Greg Plummer: Well hopefully continue with my plan every year. I want to take a step closer to having my shot at the NBA. So this year after playing in the ABA I would like to hopefully find myself in a more competitive league. That league may be over- seas or here in the USA, but wherever it is I hope that I following my plan and continue to take steps forward. If I don't go overseas I know I always got a home with the Strong IslandSound.

Surujh Roopnarine: Finally, what is one thing the world should know about Greg Plummer?

Greg Plummer: The one thing that people should know about me.....Got a tougher question? No, but seriously, I don't play ball for fame or for money. I play ball because it is part of who I am. That means I will always be dedicated to making all aspects ofmy life and my game better every day.

For more information, please visit www.strongislandsound.com .

Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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