Speaker 1 00:00:12 Hello, this is Paul Soro of Wichita state university's strategic communications. Thanks for listening to the roundhouse podcast. We encourage you to rate and review wherever you get your podcast. This is a start of a summer series. Introducing fans to men's basketball newcomers. We have Melian Flanigan, Jerron, Pierre, and Xavier bell to get things rolling. So let's hear from Melian Flanigan on the roundhouse podcast. Thanks again for listening. We have milion Flanigan with us today. He is a five foot 10 sophomore guard. He is from Alexandria, Louisiana. Melian you've played some pickup games. You've been here a while. You've worked out with your new teammates. Give us a name that shocker fans should maybe pay attention to. Who's maybe popped in your mind a little bit in this short time that you've been here.
Speaker 2 00:01:14 Uh, I mean, Craig Porter, that's one of my favorite players. I look up to him like he, a big brother. And right now I'm just trying to, I'm just trying to learn I'm in the learning process right now.
Speaker 1 00:01:26 So Craig's point guard, returner experience been through it. How's he helping you? What, what kind of things is he telling you to help get you through this?
Speaker 2 00:01:33 Uh, he getting me through everything really as a point guard. Um, you know, you have to, you have to look at the floor. You gotta make plays with and without the ball defense as well. And he just been a real good teacher to me for as the summer
Speaker 1 00:01:48 Point, guards have such a special job. Uh, they have to be an extension of the coach. They have to lead. They have to be selfless, have to direct their teammates. Have you always been that kind of a basketball player?
Speaker 2 00:01:59 Yes, sir. I have.
Speaker 1 00:02:01 If you weren't playing basketball, what sport would you play?
Speaker 2 00:02:05 Mm, I mean, probably football.
Speaker 1 00:02:08 Did you play football junior high, high school?
Speaker 2 00:02:10 Anything? Yes. I played football in the junior high.
Speaker 1 00:02:12 Let me guess. Were you a tailback defensive back, maybe
Speaker 2 00:02:16 Wide receiver and cornerback
Speaker 1 00:02:19 Wide receiver and a cornerback. So you've got good hands, right? Uh, we have a new strength and conditioning coach here, Ryan Horn, who you've been working with for, uh, what have you been here? Maybe three weeks now, something like that. Give us some impressions of Ryan and how things are going in the weight room.
Speaker 2 00:02:33 Um, coach Ryan, uh, great strength and conditioning coach getting bigger. Uh, I see the progress already. Um, everything's working. He's the best.
Speaker 1 00:02:43 Okay. I'm gonna make you an NBA coach, which NBA player do you draft to start your NBA team?
Speaker 2 00:02:52 I gotta go with Steph Curry. I have to.
Speaker 1 00:02:55 What about Steph makes him your first choice?
Speaker 2 00:02:57 Uh, he's just smart. I mean, he can shoot dribble pass. He can do it all and he win games. He's he? He's a great, he's a great player that can lead my team to wins. That's why I say
Speaker 1 00:03:12 No doubt about that in the past. I've asked people to choose Kobe or LeBron what's the current. Is that still a good question to ask this current generation of basketball players? Is there another NBA debate that I should be asking people about?
Speaker 2 00:03:26 Um, I, with the Kobe and LeBron, uh, I'm gonna have to go with with Kobe just cause he was my favorite player. I grew up on him. I mean, shooting, shooting paper balls in a trash can saying Kobe, all that type of stuff. So I'm gonna have to go with Kobe.
Speaker 1 00:03:46 Did you always make him when you shot the paper balls in the trash can
Speaker 2 00:03:49 And go Kobe? <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:03:51 Excellent. Uh, what advice would you give a incoming freshman about college athletics? What's the best advice you'd give them to get, get started on a successful path?
Speaker 2 00:04:01 Um, the advice I'd give a freshman is come in, work hard, do everything. You can do everything. You can just the better yourself and learn. Cuz at the same time, you're still young and you got ways to progress, but learn, but don't don't fall off too far to where you can't learn anything at all.
Speaker 1 00:04:22 So keeping an open mind, listening to coaches, listening to teammates, right? That seems to be what you're saying, right? Who is the best player? And this could be summer, could be high school, teammate, other other team. Who's the best basketball player you've been on the same court with.
Speaker 2 00:04:38 Uh, I'm gonna have to go with, for as skill wise. I like Jerron, Pierre Jerron, Pierre. He, he he's a tough dude, man. I mean the wiggle, the, the Flos, everything is just, is just on point and he got talent. Lots of talent. I look.
Speaker 1 00:05:01 And he's your new teammate here at Wichita state for people that don't know. All right. Excellent, good, good answers Mel on Flanigan. Thanks for your
Speaker 2 00:05:08 Time. No problem.
Speaker 1 00:05:20 We have Jerron. Pierre Jerron is a six foot five sophomore guard. He is from new Orleans, Louisiana. He transferred here from Southern Mississippi drawn. So you've played some pickup games. You've worked out with your new teammates. You've been here about three weeks. Uh, give us a name that shakra fans should pay attention to. Who's who's made an impression on you so far.
Speaker 3 00:05:39 Who's made an impression on me so far. I would say Colby Rogers.
Speaker 1 00:05:43 And tell me about Colby. What will shock
Speaker 3 00:05:45 Fans? He shot the, come off the ball. I mean, that's something that the shocker said they needed for this year. So I mean he's impressed me a lot.
Speaker 1 00:05:51 You have diagnosed that correctly. The shockers need some shooting. That's good to, that's good to hear John, if you weren't basketball, is there another sport? You, you would be playing
Speaker 3 00:06:00 Football.
Speaker 1 00:06:01 What position did you play? Did you play junior high, high school? No.
Speaker 3 00:06:03 No, no. Just, but I know I would take chances into football.
Speaker 1 00:06:07 Okay. What position do you think you'd play every day? Everything. All right. We've had got a lot of football players on this team who are pretty confident in their abilities. Definitely wide receivers and defensive backs. All right. Uh, Ryan Horn, new strength and conditioning coach here at Wichita state. You've been, been working with him for a few weeks. Give us your impressions.
Speaker 3 00:06:25 My guy love him.
Speaker 1 00:06:27 Why
Speaker 3 00:06:28 Me? He lets me get all my extra lifts in. He wants the best for me.
Speaker 1 00:06:31 Have you extra lifts are important. I think coaches love people that like to, will it lift extra? Have you always been, uh, aggressive
Speaker 3 00:06:38 In the weight room? Always. Always.
Speaker 1 00:06:40 I'm gonna make you an NBA coach. What NBA player are you taking to start your NBA team
Speaker 3 00:06:48 NBA player. I'm taking to start my NBA team.
Speaker 1 00:06:50 Anybody currently in the league? You, you, your choice.
Speaker 3 00:06:52 Bones island,
Speaker 1 00:06:54 Bones island. I did not expect that. All right. Tell me why
Speaker 3 00:06:57 The way he play his game, his story, all that.
Speaker 1 00:07:00 Okay. Bones island. A rookie for the nuggets had a really good year. Went to VCU. Am I correct? In all that? Mm-hmm <affirmative> yeah. Interesting choice. So far we'd had GNI and we had had Steph, but you went in a totally different direction. Good stuff. Uh, what advice would you give an incoming freshman about college life academics, athletics. How do you get your, your college career off to a good start?
Speaker 3 00:07:22 Uh, some advice I would give to a freshman. Hmm. Got one on our team right now. I'd say stay humble. Come in with a chip on your shoulder and just grind and really work. That's what I say. And everything else will fall in place.
Speaker 1 00:07:37 This could be summer basketball, high school, college, whatever. Who's the best basketball player you've been on the same court with
Speaker 3 00:07:45 The best basketball player. I've been on the same court with yeah.
Speaker 1 00:07:47 On your team opposing team, just the best, best talent you've played on the court. With
Speaker 3 00:07:52 That I played on the court with, I would say the best talent would be. Are we talking about someone I've played with or just like regular? Like I've been know him, my whole life playing with
Speaker 1 00:08:02 Anybody. You've been on a basketball
Speaker 3 00:08:03 Court with Justin Johnson,
Speaker 1 00:08:04 Justin Johnson. Tell me about him. He plays for the North Carolina.
Speaker 3 00:08:08 No, he plays for university of Texas at Rio Grande.
Speaker 1 00:08:12 Okay. Tell us about him.
Speaker 3 00:08:13 Uh, he's a 6 7 1 2 and three great player. I mean everything he does good size. He can do everything. He's school on three levels defend he's one of those good players. Special one.
Speaker 1 00:08:24 All right. J Johner. Thanks for your time. No
Speaker 3 00:08:26 Problem.
Speaker 1 00:08:39 We have Xavier bell. Xavier is a six foot three sophomore guard. He is from Wichita, Kansas. A transfer from Drexel played at Andover central Xavier. You've been here about three weeks, played some pickup games, got in some workouts with your new teammates. Uh, give us a name that shocker fans should be paying attention to.
Speaker 4 00:08:58 Um, really just the team in general. I think we got a lot of new guys this year who want to be here who want to win, who want to help this program get back to where it's been. So I think really just the men's basketball, soccer men's basketball in total. I mean, in whole, I would say is probably who people should be really taking notice to.
Speaker 1 00:09:15 So growing up in the area, give us a little bit of your history. Following the shockers. Did you have a particular team that really, you know, really caused you to follow the team? Mm-hmm <affirmative> did you have a favorite player? Yeah. Anything like that?
Speaker 4 00:09:26 Yeah, so actually growing up, my dad, my dad came here. He was the last, he was part of the last team, uh, before the end of the football program. And then my oldest sister and my oldest brother, they both came through here just as students. But, um, just having that family, that family knit of people coming here, who I know obviously being from Wichita around the area, um, just being around the university in tall, just growing up that ways is what really kind of drew me here. So,
Speaker 1 00:09:51 So you were also an excellent football player at Andover central. Uh, if you weren't playing basketball, would you be a football player? Is there another sport?
Speaker 4 00:09:58 Yeah, definitely. I would, uh, I would've tried to go, I would've went the football route without question, if it wasn't for basketball. Um, you know, I didn't really, I didn't have any scholarships come outta high school for football, for any like division one levels or anything like that, but it was a sport that was really close to my heart. That was the first sport I started playing out with, uh, flag football in like first grade. So that, that being my first sport I played and then, but picking up basketball and just running with that one is, is something that I can't like I can't overlook or anything like that. I would say.
Speaker 1 00:10:28 How did being a multi-sport athlete through high school? How do you think that helps?
Speaker 4 00:10:33 Um, it was, I felt like it was beneficial for my part. Just always being active. Um, not really taking an off, like an off season break kind of during the school year, whether that was from football season to basketball season. And I never, I never got to run it until my senior year, but that ended cuz of COVID but track too. Um, just, just being active that way and just staying in shape, just making sure I'm ready for whether it was a football game or a basketball game. So
Speaker 1 00:10:57 Ryan Horn is a new strength and conditioning coach at Wichita state working with the men's basketball program. Give us your impressions of Ryan after three weeks working with him.
Speaker 4 00:11:05 Ah, he's cool, man. He's uh, he brings a lot of energy, uh, especially in the mornings, you know, some days if you don't feel like being in that weight room or your body's tight and you come and you come in, but he's there with all that right. Energy and enthusiastic. I think that's been, it's been really beneficial these past three weeks, just getting to know him and just being a part of that. So
Speaker 1 00:11:24 I'm gonna make you an NBA coach. You gotta, you get to pick a player to start your team. Who are you picking first?
Speaker 4 00:11:30 I'm gonna go Gianni, just cause you got, you got size. He can play, he can play a lot of positions. He's not a true ball handler, but you can build a team around him. Um, he's got that dominant paint that dominant paint interior. So I think just that. And then just as far as his defense too, being able to shut a lot of guys down guard, multiple positions from the one all the way down to the five, I think is huge. So yeah.
Speaker 1 00:11:55 You honest, good choice. What advice you're not too far removed from this. What advice would you give an incoming freshman about college athletics, college academics, just getting the whole thing going in the right direction.
Speaker 4 00:12:06 Definitely. I would say from the jump, you know, just having the right mindset and just being all in, you know, I think when a lot of times when a freshman comes in, he has all these hopes and all these dreams of, oh, I'm gonna be this, I'm gonna be that. And then he gets hit with reality soon, as far as like with the workload and the schedule that's put on them as it is from high school coming to college. So I think just knowing that and just, and just knowing that there are better days, uh, after those hard ones, I think just pushing through that and just, uh, just like I said, just being all in is, is key. So
Speaker 1 00:12:37 Best basketball player and this could be AAU. It could be high school. Who's the best basketball player you've ever been on the court with
Speaker 4 00:12:45 K Cunningham. I played again, I played against him, my, uh, my sophomore year going into my junior year on the E Y B O circuit out in Georgia. So yeah, he, he kind of, he kind of gave us, kind of gave us a business a little bit, but yeah, he's, he's a real good player. So
Speaker 1 00:13:00 He's a talented guy, definitely. So Xavier, you are a business major and we've had some interesting guys come through this program that were business majors and it seems really applicable or important in the, with the name image and likeness thing. You can learn a lot in your classes as far as, you know, managing your money, branding, all those kind of things. Tell us a little bit about business as your major and maybe that will, how, how you think that will help you now and 10 years from now 20 years
Speaker 4 00:13:28 From now. Definitely, definitely. So I think, um, hon honestly, business was a pretty general, uh, pick for me. You know, my dad is a real big business guy right now. He's a, a district man district manager for a small business administration. So he's, he's big in the, in the business aspect. And then my sister who worked, who got a sports management degree, um, they've all like, they've all the stories I heard from them. And then just kind of really picking up my own stuff as far as like what goes on in business, like you said, saving money, how to spend it, what to do with it, how to invest it, stuff like that. Um, just taking all those things into account and really just kind of building my own knowledge and gaining my own knowledge from that stuff has been, has been huge as, as far as my decision in, uh, in picking business and kind of staying with it to this point. So
Speaker 1 00:14:10 You mentioned your father, we should be clear he's Wayne Bell played football for Wichita state. Mm-hmm <affirmative> what position did he play? Tell us a little bit about your, your dad. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 00:14:17 He's uh, he's cool. He's a, he's a real likable guy, no real known in the city. Uh, real connected, but um, really just my take on him is just, he's just, he's super real with me. You know, I think a lot of times whenever I meet people, they tell me all these good things and all these good. I have some people who tell me, you know, Stephanie, I need to work on, but really each day in and day out, he's always, he's the main one in my ear telling me what I need to do, how I need to do it. Um, and just corrected me when I need to be corrected. And then he's the first one. I would say that pass me on my back, whenever something is going right in my direction. So I think just having that type of support, especially from a, from him, uh, and growing up on my life, him kind of being there and guiding me like in the right direction, um, has been huge as, as far as my, uh, development.
Speaker 5 00:15:14 Hi, this is Rick Neuma president of Wichita state university. Check out the latest episode of the forward together podcast. Each episode, I sit down with different guests from shocker nation to celebrate the vision and mission of Wichita state university. Listen, wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 1 00:15:44 Thank you for listening to the roundhouse podcast, courtesy of Wichita state university's strategic communications. We appreciate your time. We encourage you to rate reviews, subscribe wherever you get your podcast, such as on iTunes or Google play. You can find more roundhouse
[email protected]. Thank you for listening
Speaker 6 00:16:06 And they let him pass it up court. And then he gets picked off along three by Pango. No good. One second. It's over its over Wichita state has beaten the number one team in the nation to go to the sweet go. Crazy Wichita. I know you.
