[00:00:15] Speaker A: Hello.
[00:00:15] Speaker B: Welcome to the Roundhouse podcast with Paul Solentrop of Wichita State University strategic communications. Thanks for listening. We're going to continue our series introducing you to the newcomers on the shocker basketball teams. Our guest today is TJ Williams. TJ is a freshman. He's a six foot five guard. Attended Wichita Heights High School where he was the 2024 Kansas Gatorade Player of the year. He averaged 15 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Falcons. Heights won the city league title and placed second in the class six A tournament in the spring. In 2022, TJ helped Heights win the six A title. 2023. The Falcons were the runner up, so quite a run at the state tournament for Heights during TJ's time there. TJ, favorite moment as a Heights Falcon, just a great basketball tradition. I think everybody knows that going back many, many years. What was your favorite memory from your high school career?
[00:01:08] Speaker A: My favorite memory would definitely have to be holding that plaque up at the end of 2020 season.
That was just a special group of guys. We worked our tails off, especially me. Being a young guy, being a leader on that team, being sophomores, just being young and getting to enjoy that moment with my brothers, it was really good.
[00:01:26] Speaker B: So when I read off your stats, I think the thing that jumps out to me is that's a well rounded stat line. Describe your game, how it evolved to where you can be such a good passer, defender.
[00:01:36] Speaker A: All those things, really. My teammates, they put me in good positions to where I could, you know, read the floor and do what I do best, just get downhill and make my reads. Just being around those guys, especially just knowing when they're going to shoot. One thing that's really big at Heights is anticipation. So just knowing the next guy's gonna shoot it, you gotta go get it or go rebound, you know, he's gonna backdoor, just pass it. So just, just really getting a brotherhood together and learning each other really helped us.
[00:02:01] Speaker B: So Heights and Capen have dominated the city league in recent years. Your teammates with Henry Thangvall, who played at Capen, do you guys ever talk about those? Some great games, some buzzer beaters, some pain and joy on both sides over the last three or four years?
[00:02:14] Speaker A: We haven't really talked about it. Cause just really. Cause he beat me twice his senior year. He wasn't around when we start beating them, but his brother was, and me and his brother played on the same AAU team. So, you know, we just give each other a hard time. It's just all fun and games. At the end of the day, it's just really just being boys.
[00:02:31] Speaker B: A lot of good city league basketball. So your coach at heights, Joe Auer, he told Scott Pask of KsHsaa covered that you embraced every aspect of leadership in a way no other player of his had. Describe being a leader. What's that mean to you?
[00:02:49] Speaker A: I really just took on that role because I feel like just. Just me, like, not a lot of things can really break me. Like, get to me. So just knowing, like, it never, this never happened, but, like, you know, teammate misses game winner layup or something like that. Like, I rather go around people saying that what I could have did early on in the game, rather than people narrowing it down on the last layup, like, oh, they could have won if he would have made the layup. Like, nah, we could have won if I would have made this, that, and the other. So just being able to just take leadership and ownership in what I really do, it just made me a better leader.
[00:03:21] Speaker B: How did you learn that?
[00:03:25] Speaker A: Really just, I mean, always just being. I was always the youngest on the team, so growing up on every team, I was always the youngest. Everybody's birthdays were sold before mine. I was always the youngest little guy, but not really little. Cause I was kind of taller than everybody, but just, you know, just having a voice being heard, you don't want to go out there and just be out there. Like, I'm gonna go out there. I'm gonna have fun doing what I love to do and just be vocal with it.
[00:03:50] Speaker B: Yeah. Would you describe yourself as a lead by example person or a vocal leader or a mixture of both?
[00:03:56] Speaker A: Really a mixture of both. But the more and more I get familiar with these guys, lead by vocal, really is what I'm on. So, you know, I'm gonna let you know when you messing up, and hopefully you will let me know when I'm messing up. And, you know, we just iron for iron, you know, just keep sharpening each other up.
[00:04:12] Speaker B: So heights has just an outstanding basketball tradition. People would remember the great Darnell Valentine, Antoine Carr teams, Doc Holden from the late seventies, and then that has continued.
What was it like being a part of that tradition, winning another state title for that program?
[00:04:29] Speaker A: It was really cool. Obviously, when you're young, you don't really think about things like that, but now looking back, it's like, okay, I'm really up there with the mountain Rushmore of Heights. I believe it's a lot of guys that have been through there, and just to be blessed to be one of the only to, you know, do a certain amount of things is just really awesome to me.
[00:04:50] Speaker B: And then that fits in with Wichita State. Basketball has been on a good run of local players in last year. Talk about Evan Wessel played at Heights, Connor Francamp, Xavier Bell on the current team Samaj Haynes Jones from east.
Was it important for you to play in your hometown? Was that part of your decision process to become a shocker?
[00:05:09] Speaker A: Yeah, definitely. Especially being young, coming to all the games, being a ball boy at one point and just watching that run when they went like, like 36 and o. 35 and o, something like that, it just really inspired me. Like, I've always wanted to be a shocker in the back of my mind, passing the facility every day, going to school or going home because I live down the street, but it's just always so cool just looking at it and like, dang, I could really call that home one day. So for me to be able to call it home now is just really a dream.
[00:05:37] Speaker B: So you were a ball boy?
[00:05:39] Speaker A: I was.
[00:05:39] Speaker B: Okay. Do you have a favorite shocker or a favorite memory from being around those teams?
[00:05:45] Speaker A: I got two. Cleanthony early for sure.
Cleanthony early for sure. Dang. I got three matter of fact clean. Anthony Taekel and then Fred. Fred, really? Cuz, I mean, it's Fred. Like, he was just so good here. Just inspired me. Just keep working, working, working. And he posted me on his instagram page when I was in, like third grade. So I just felt. Just felt so good towards him. And hopefully, you know, in the next few years, I could work out with him or whatever the case may be.
[00:06:14] Speaker B: Okay, excellent. Those are three. Three obviously very good shockers, good memories.
Lebron or Michael Jordan. I've been asking everybody this, who's the greatest?
[00:06:24] Speaker A: I feel like Lebron.
[00:06:25] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:06:26] Speaker A: I feel like Lebron.
[00:06:27] Speaker B: And tell us why he does.
[00:06:28] Speaker A: He literally does everything. You can put him in any position, any situation, he's going to know what to do. It's going to be dominant. And then he just. The longevity speaks for himself. And that's just crazy to me because he the only one to do it. So I just feel like he'd a go.
[00:06:45] Speaker B: Okay, good. Good arguments. Can't argue with that. Do you have a favorite NBA player? Somebody you really enjoy watching somebody maybe you model parts of your game after?
[00:06:55] Speaker A: My favorite NBA player is Giannis.
Obviously, I ain't seven foot and 240, but that's just my favorite player. Just really. Cause his motor, he's always gonna go, always gonna play hard.
He don't try to sit out when he is he not out for too long, just always give it 110 and whatever people say, he just takes it and goes with it and just keeps working.
[00:07:18] Speaker B: Giannis good choice.
What do you want shocker. Fans to know about your game? Maybe envisioning fans walking out of the arena in January. What do you hope they're thinking and saying about TJ Williams?
[00:07:30] Speaker A: Just a young guy just coming in from high school just to fill out the experience, fill out college, honestly, have fun and obviously play defense, get buckets, do what he's supposed to do for the team to win.
[00:07:44] Speaker B: So you've been at practice here about three weeks or so.
Toughest practice drill. Is there one that you kind of dread a little bit?
[00:07:55] Speaker A: I'd say.
I'd say the layups in a certain amount of time, like, you hear that and you would think it's easy, but it's like a real short amount of time. You gotta make a certain amount of layups, so you just really gotta keep pushing and, you know, you can't get tired cause you gotta keep going, keep going, keep going to where you make the target. And if you don't, you gotta run. So, like, that's really the back end of it. You don't wanna run.
[00:08:16] Speaker B: And is this the full court? Everybody's the sprinting going up and down. You gotta team has to make x amount of layups in x amount of time. I've seen that, seen that many times.
What are your early impressions? What's practice like? How do you describe it to fans?
[00:08:31] Speaker A: Early impressions? Everything's been cool, everything's been smooth. The team jailed together really good. Obviously, I thought coming in it was going to be kind of awkward, maybe the first couple weeks or whatever the case may have been, but all these guys been playing each other for prep high school or college, and me being from here, I already knew that half the team from coming here last year, everybody just gelled together real good. So everybody's on a team standpoint is really good. And then the coaches just being reasonable, they know freshmen, like, all right, you gonna have some jitters here and there, but like, you know, everybody just know everybody here for a reason. So everybody can ball. So coaches just really believing in everybody and just, we just gonna get the job done.
[00:09:11] Speaker B: Has there been a older guy who's been particularly helpful in helping you get ready for practice, get ready for the being in college, academics, all that?
[00:09:22] Speaker A: I'd have to say probably Xavier Bale, just another local kid, you know, just getting me ready for, you know, all the criticism that's gonna come with it, all the politics, like, everything's gonna be said about you. But then again, the city could also love you, too. So either or, you know, just keep your head on straight. Don't just try to narrow it out. I wouldn't say don't listen to it, because you're. You're gonna hear there, but, you know, just trying to narrow it out and just a whole lot of things on the court he helps me out with, but that's really the main thing he.
[00:09:52] Speaker B: Really helped me out with. I hope he's telling you, ignore social media. Has that been part of his advice package?
[00:09:57] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:09:57] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah, that would. That's. That's pretty sound advice. If you weren't playing basketball, is there another sport you would be playing in college?
[00:10:06] Speaker A: In college?
I don't know.
[00:10:09] Speaker B: Did you have a second sport, something else?
[00:10:11] Speaker A: I did. I only played basketball all my life, but I feel like. I don't know. I feel like if I would have took swimming seriously, I could have been a really good swimmer. Cause I can really swim, so if I would have, like, took the time to train and all that stuff, I feel like I would have been pretty good.
[00:10:25] Speaker B: Okay, interesting one. I haven't heard a lot of swimming in my time doing this. Tell us about your journey with basketball. When did that become your passion, your favorite?
[00:10:34] Speaker A: I was in fourth grade. Or not fourth grade. When I was four years old. Sorry.
I picked up a basketball. My dad put it in my hands and just told me, like, hey, son, you know, we could try this sport out, and if you like it, we can go on with it. So for him to do that for me, and I loved it, obviously, everyone in my family played, so just being around it was just really cool. Then getting on the travel team, starting to travel, starting to see players, actually, Grady Dick, he played on my organization when we were young, and just seeing him play, and obviously x played, too. And a lot of other local guys that I can call, like big brothers to me just really inspired me to go hard every day, and then just seeing them all pave off in their own way, like, I just felt like deep down, I could get my own too.
[00:11:21] Speaker B: Zion Pipkin is going to be our next guest. Also a freshman, he's a guard from Houston. Give fans a little scattering report on Zion. What kind of impression has he made early in these practices?
[00:11:31] Speaker A: That's my guy. That's my roommate, actually. So we're the only two freshmen. So we're the youngest. I'm young. I'm the youngest, but we are the youngest. So just being with him just been really cool. His game, we can really shoot that thing and I don't know how, but he don't get tired. That man got unlimited stamina. So just seeing him knock shots down and then really pick you up 94ft, being a hassle, being a nat, just always on it. He gonna play hard all the time.
[00:11:58] Speaker B: What are you listening to? Reading, watching. What would you recommend for the people?
[00:12:05] Speaker A: I'm really big into music. I listen to a lot of genres, but really what I've been on right now is some party next door. It sounds like party music, but it's just some chill music. Just get your vibe right, get your mind cleared and just enjoy your day.
[00:12:22] Speaker B: Do you have a music routine before practice or before game that you're listening to? Tell us about that.
[00:12:27] Speaker A: I actually got a song, so it's a song by Drake and. Drake and Lil baby. It's called wants and needs. And I listened to that before every game just because the first time I ever listened to it, that was actually one of my best games I've ever had. So before every game I listen to it and it just keeps me going.
[00:12:45] Speaker B: Okay, good choice. Last thing, we'll let you be a mentor. So you've been through the recruiting process. Now you're early in your college career. What advice would you give to a high school athlete who is maybe starting that process?
[00:12:59] Speaker A: What I would have to say is just enjoy it. Enjoy it for real because it's gonna fly by. Like, people telling me that all the time when I was 15 getting recruited and I was like, yeah, like, I still got years left, but, like, being here now, it's like, dang, I wish I would. I wish I would have. So some of those things I wish I would have done, I wish I would have took more visits. You got to take advantage of that. You really have to just go out and explore whether if, you know, you don't want to go there or not, just go explore. Go see what's out there and go talk to coaches, get some advice and just build your game.
Another thing is just taking care of your body young.
Obviously, when you're like a junior in high school, you can go to the gym and not really care about stretching, just go straight in and hoop. But being older now, just taking care of your body is a real, real aspect.
[00:13:51] Speaker B: Okay. TJ Williams, freshman guard from Heights High School. TJ, thank you for your time.
[00:13:55] Speaker A: Yes, sir. Thank you.
[00:14:10] Speaker D: Hi, this is Rick Muuma, 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 podcasts.
[00:14:40] Speaker B: Welcome back to the Roundhouse podcast and our series introducing fans to the new Shockers on the basketball team. Our guest is Zion Pipkin. Zion is a six foot one freshman guard from Houston's Legacy School of Sports Sciences. We played for former Shocker PJ Kuznard. 24/7 sports ranked Zion the number eleven player in the state of Texas last season. Listed him with having offers from Colorado, Houston, Sam Houston State and TCU. Zion, let's start. Tell us about your journey to Wichita State. How did you end up choosing the shockers?
[00:15:15] Speaker C: Like, choosing them was kind of easy. Cause, like, I knew it fit my playing style with coach Mills. And, like, I like the guys. I like playing, like, I like playing with them and being around them. Like, I felt like that was cool. So it was kind of an easy decision for me, like, what I wanted to do for the future and academically, so, yeah, that's what I picked.
[00:15:36] Speaker B: Paul Mills has a lot of Houston roots. Did that help? Was that part of the decision process?
[00:15:41] Speaker C: Yes, sir.
[00:15:41] Speaker B: I tell us about playing for PJ Kuznard. He is well known around Wichita State, remembered fondly for a lot of reasons. What was it like playing for PJ?
[00:15:49] Speaker C: Playing for PJ, it was cool, you know, like, you know, you have to play defense, you know, the things you have to do because he gonna abet it in practice. So you just gotta know, like, we gonna play defense?
Definitely. I'm gonna say defense again. Cause we gonna sit down and play defense. Just playing hard and, you know, like, just playing with each other and playing like, playing for each other, you know. So making an extra pass to the corner when you have to, you know, taking the right shots when we have to get into the paint, you know? Yeah.
[00:16:18] Speaker B: PJ was a good defender when he was here as a coach. How does he get guys to buy in? How does he get you to enjoy defense to value that part of the game?
[00:16:27] Speaker C: Well, you either gonna play defense or you finna run, so it's your choice which one you wanna do. So, yeah.
[00:16:33] Speaker B: Did you buy in immediately, or did you do a little running before you figured it out?
[00:16:38] Speaker C: I bought in, but, you know, like, people on the team, you know, so we all had to run as a team and do things as a team. So, you know, it was all cool at the end of the day.
[00:16:47] Speaker B: So you have a reputation as a good defensive player. When did you figure out the value of that part of the game? Not everybody does that. Offense is more fun. When did you begin to like defense?
[00:16:59] Speaker C: I have to say, the young gays, I just love the game, like, you know, growing up, you know, just watching players, you know, play defense and, like, certain gyms I was in and stuff, like, just watching players play. So I just love defense as a little kid. Really?
[00:17:14] Speaker B: Did PJ ever talk about his 2006 NCAA tournament game against Tennessee? They ever make you watch football?
[00:17:21] Speaker C: He talk about it all the time. He's gonna say he was a dog. That's all he gonna say. He was a dog.
[00:17:26] Speaker B: Here are his numbers from that 2006 Sweet 16 game against Tennessee, or game to go to the Sweet 16. He had 20 points, made six of seven shots, nine rebounds, five assists. Pretty solid game for PG. He had four turnovers, but I'm sure those are probably his teammates fault on that. Okay, that's interesting. So you're well aware of his exploits against Tennessee. Interesting. You come from a big family, eight siblings. Tell us about that. What's it like growing up in an atmosphere like that?
[00:17:53] Speaker C: Growing up in a big house, like a big family like that. Like, you, you have no choice but to grow it fast. You see a lot of things and you know where to go right and, like, wrong. Because, like, you see a lot of your older siblings make certain mistakes and stuff. And I just say, like, knowledge, like, you gain a lot of knowledge growing up in big families like that.
[00:18:13] Speaker B: Okay.
Point guard, such an important position on a team. What's your mindset about describing the position? What's it take to be great? Doing point guard things?
[00:18:23] Speaker C: I know becoming like, being a great point guard, you have to be a great leader, and I feel like I have to get better at that, but that'll come along.
Just being a good point guard is playing defense and playing hard. Everything else is going to come with it. Just because if you working, just put in that work, everything else is going to come with it. Just play hard, really.
[00:18:43] Speaker B: Leadership, always an interesting subject. How do you go about becoming a better leader?
[00:18:48] Speaker C: Just talking more on defense. Just talking more off the court. Just anything really.
[00:18:53] Speaker B: Communication.
[00:18:54] Speaker C: Yes, sir. Communication. Being the leader.
[00:18:58] Speaker B: What do you want shocker fans to know about your game? Let's say it's January. They're walking out of the arena. What do you hope they're thinking about? Zion Pipkin.
[00:19:06] Speaker C: They gonna know Zion Pipkin is gonna play hard every position or try to play hard every position. My only goal. And come out and try to come out with every win smallly, goal is to win.
[00:19:17] Speaker B: So the shockers are three weeks or so into practices. What are your early impression? What's it been like, the adjustment to college basketball?
[00:19:27] Speaker C: This is really the game speed.
I feel like the speed is different and the physicality, that's really about it. And you really have to just make shots. Like, making shots is important. Really? Yeah, I say that.
[00:19:39] Speaker B: What's the toughest practice drill? Is there one that you just don't really look forward to?
[00:19:44] Speaker C: I say the toughest one is probably playing defense full court, but that's tough for anybody, really. So, yeah, playing defense full court, that.
[00:19:52] Speaker B: Would be a tough one.
You are one of two freshmen on this team, along with TJ Williams from Wichita Heights. We had him earlier. I gave him an opportunity to tell the fans about your game. You tell us about TJ. What's the scouting report on TJ Williams?
[00:20:08] Speaker C: He gonna fly high. That's all I gotta say. He willing to jump over anybody. Really? He gonna fly high, play hard every time. That's TJ.
[00:20:16] Speaker B: Is there a veteran who's been helpful in showing you the ropes of college life? Off the court, on the court, practice drills, whatever.
[00:20:26] Speaker C: I have to say, all the older guys been there for me in every which way, so I just really want to thank all them. Like, they've been good to me and TJ, of course.
[00:20:39] Speaker B: If you weren't playing basketball, is there another sport you'd be playing in college?
[00:20:43] Speaker C: I'd probably be playing football. I'd probably be playing running back.
[00:20:46] Speaker B: Running back?
[00:20:47] Speaker C: Yes, sir.
[00:20:47] Speaker B: Did you play that in high school?
[00:20:48] Speaker C: I played it in middle school, but I was real good.
[00:20:51] Speaker B: What switched you over to basketball?
[00:20:53] Speaker C: I mean, I was number one in the city, so, like, that was pretty simple. Like, just go play basketball.
[00:20:58] Speaker B: So, yeah, stick with it. Okay, LeBron or Michael Jordan, who's the greatest?
[00:21:05] Speaker C: I'm gonna go with Kobe. Just off the mentality and the dog, he got like he wanted them once.
[00:21:10] Speaker B: Okay, I've asked all of the newcomers. You're the first one to go with anybody other than LeBron.
Why did you go with Kobe Bryant?
[00:21:17] Speaker C: It's just like, his mindset. Like, his mindset to the game was different.
If he having a bad game, he right back in the gym. So you're not going to be able to tell him nothing the next day. So that's why I like Kobe. Like, yeah.
[00:21:31] Speaker B: What are you watching or reading? Listening to. What's the recommendation? You'd give the fans something to check out. Maybe on Netflix or.
[00:21:43] Speaker C: I say on Netflix. I probably want to watch the new show called Supercell. I feel like that was a good, good show. A lot of superheroes and stuff, so, yeah, it's a good show to watch.
[00:21:53] Speaker B: Okay, last question. We'll give you a chance to hand out some advice. So you've been through the recruiting process, landed you here at Wichita State. What advice would you give a high school freshman or sophomore who's starting this process?
[00:22:08] Speaker C: Don't get caught up in everything. The work still has to be done. So regardless of anything, just still put in that work. Because at the end of the day, nothing don't matter if you're not putting in work. So just put in that work and just pray and keep God first. Everything gonna be good, really.
[00:22:23] Speaker B: All right. Very good. Zion Pipkin, a freshman guard from Houston. Thank you for your time.
[00:22:27] Speaker C: Yes, sir.
[00:22:41] Speaker E: I great insight, as always. Thanks for listening to the Roundhouse podcast courtesy of Wichita State University strategic communications. We encourage you to rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can always find more roundhouse
[email protected]. martin.
[00:23:00] Speaker F: Left wing to Mike Jones, 8 seconds left. Smithson out to Mike Jones, 25 footer. Good. He got it. With 3 seconds left, Mike Jones from about 25ft out, hit another long jumper. 2 seconds. Shot going on the clock. That may not be official, but Wichita State leads 66 65. Timeout, Kansas. 2 seconds to go. Wichita State, 66, Kansas, 65.
