The UC Davis Men’s Basketball program made unprecedented progress in their short division 1 history. An incredible season that included a victory in the Big West Tournament and a two game trip to their debut March Madness tournament was thanks to an incredible team effort by the players, coaches, and staff. One of these players, Darius Graham, has been in the heart of the action for four years, so I wanted to ask him a few questions now that his successful career with this team has come to a close.
Ornelas: How would you describe your time playing basketball at UC Davis in a few sentences?
Graham: My time playing basketball has been nothing less than a great experience. To be apart of a program from virtually the bottom and see it flourish to what it is now is what it's all about.
Ornelas: The program truly has enjoyed tremendous growth. Out of your teammates who already graduated, who do you feel you learned from the most or enjoyed playing with the most?
Graham: That's a really tough question to answer because they all brought something that was different yet necessary for both the success of the team and my personal development as a player, leader, and just person. I can't really narrow it down to a single person.
Ornelas: That’s a fair answer. From Corey Hawkins to Neal Monson, you had the pleasure of playing with many talented teammates. All the while being led by a great coach, Jim Les. How would you describe playing under a coach like Les?
Graham: Playing for Coach Les was great for me because he mirrored a lot of qualities that are similar to mine. He's competitive, intense, and will leave no rock unturned in order to win a game. He gives the truth all the time whether you like it or not and I respect anyone who does that because that's the only way I can improve as a player and a person. The relationship we have will last the rest of our lives because of that. He seen potential in me that I couldn't even see in myself. I am grateful for him for pushing me towards that potential.
Ornelas: What was your favorite game you've played as an Aggie and what about that game made it stand out?
Graham: There are so many memorable games that I've been apart of it's hard to pick just one. My first college game in 2012 vs. Oklahoma State was great because it was my first official game and the environment was nice in Stillwater. The long beach state game at home in 2015 was big because we got our first win on ESPN and the fans rushed the court which was cool. The home game against Riverside in 2015 when we won conference was one to remember too. I believe the best environment I've been in here at Davis was the Long Beach state game this past year, the Pavilion was really jumping that night. But the Big West Championship game and the March Madness games are right up there, if not at the top because it was a culmination of all the hard work the past 5 years finally paying off.
Ornelas: Which NBA player past or present do you feel you play the most like? Personally, you reminds me of Isaiah Thomas (Boston Celtics).
Graham: I think I compare myself to probably Ty Lawson (Sacramento Kings) because of the style that he plays with. He's a small, stocky, fast guard that uses his speed to get into the lane to create for himself and others. I also think of Bobby Jackson (retired, last played with Sacramento Kings) just because of how hard he played every possession. Being from Sac I would see him play a lot and really appreciated his hustle.
Ornelas: Which of your teammates surprised you the most this season with their contributions?
Graham: I wouldn’t say I was surprised because I knew how good my teammates individually would be collectively how good of a team we were going to be. We were very deep and very selfless and because of that when guys names were called they were ready to perform. It was honestly a whole team effort and different guys stepped up in big ways throughout the whole season.
Ornelas: What's one non-basketball activity you wish to accomplish before graduating from Davis?
Graham: Besides graduating in June, I would say go around and see different parts of campus that I haven't been able to appreciate as much as I would have liked to. I would also like to try to walk one of those tight ropes that people put of the trees. I think that will be a fun challenge.
Ornelas: I have no idea how people pull off those tight ropes, but it does sound fun. What are your plans and aspirations for life after graduation?
Graham: I have a lot of different things that I would love to get into. The first right now, however, is to pursue a career in basketball. I'm confident that I can do great things at the professional level and am prepared to start that process. Along with that, there are different business endeavors and social work that I have looked into in order to help the communities I've been in contact with. I'm young and eager so it will definitely be exciting to see what is in store.
Ornelas: All I know is that whichever team you play for in the future, you’ll have a lot to offer them. Tell us about the NCAA tournament experience, playing against North Carolina Central and Kansas, and how you felt things went?
Graham: Being in the NCAA tournament is something that kids growing up playing basketball dream of and to be able to participate in it was a dream come true. It was a goal set out by this team in August and since then we were on a journey to improve and get better everyday. It was very tiring and things did go very fast but we were having fun the whole time! To be able to win our first tournament game against NC Central was great because it was another historic moment in school history I was fortunate enough to be apart of. Also playing against Kansas was fun also. They were a historic program with great players and a Hall of Fame coach and to be able to compete on the highest stage against a team like that is all you want. All in all, March Madness will never be forgot me, my teammates, and a lot of people within the Davis Community.
Ornelas: I certainly won’t forget this March Madness journey. How does it feel knowing that what you accomplished at UC Davis helped take this basketball program into unprecedented heights?
Graham: It feels great to have goals that I set out to to accomplish when I first committed here, happen. There were a lot of people outside of the program who thought these goals were farfetched and unattainable, but the only people that needed to have faith were the people that were there working day in and day out to accomplish the goal. 5 years ago when I would say we are trying to do something real special here at UC Davis in regards to basketball, a lot of people would look at me funny and probably tell me to have "realistic goals." To be able to say it and do it, and know that UC Davis basketball is now, especially in the Sacramento area communities, considered a premier program, it's all I can ask for. We had to demand respect because respect wasn't given to us. And the best thing is, is that I feel this is only the beginning of what's about to happen for this program. I guess we will have to see this all unfold.
