Saint Mary’s Gaels forward Malik Fitts caught up with USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire to discuss the process of becoming a pro.
Fitts, who is 6-foot-8, averaged 16.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game during his junior year. He also averaged at least 1.7 connections from the 3-point range during both of his seasons at Saint Mary’s while shooting above 40.0 percent from beyond the arc as a sophomore and junior as well.
The 23-year-old prospect touched on his shooting and his rebounding during our interview. He also spoke to us about his adoration for Kobe, listening to Future so often that his roommates get upset as well as his emerging interest in fashion.
Please note that this interview, conducted by USA TODAY SMG’s Bryan Kalbrosky, was very minorly edited in its transcript for brevity and clarity.
First off, I just want to thank you for your time. I know things are awfully crazy right now. I’m curious: what’s the main thing you’ve been doing with your time to get ready for the NBA Draft?
MF: I also want to say thank you for taking the time to interview me. During this whole pandemic thing, I’ve really been just working out…it’s all I pretty much can do. I can work out in the mornings but other than that, there’s really not much you can do. I’m just making sure I stay in the gym. That’s the most important thing I try to do.
Tell me a little bit about how you’ve been able to cope with everything knowing the season ended so soon and so suddenly. What have been the main things that you’ve done to make yourself feel normal during the circumstances?
MF: When the season ended, I wouldn’t say it was shocking because, you know, we saw how some leagues were canceling their seasons. We figured that if the NBA was going to be canceled, we figured that the NCAA was going to follow that and then when it happened, it was just unfortunate because a lot of [players], especially our guys, felt like, we [would have been] able to go to the tournament and do something special. We believed that we could do that. We believed that we were capable of making some noise and it was just unfortunate for a lot of athletes around the world. But at this point, you just control what you can control and you’ve got to ride with it. That’s pretty much how I’ve viewed it. Nothing much you can really do about it.
Your team had a top-20 offense. I think you played a huge role in that, obviously. What do you think the ceiling could have been for your team this year if you guys had the opportunity to play in the tournament?
Malik Fitts my word pic.twitter.com/EgyCY7s8Sj
— Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) February 7, 2020
MF: We believed that we could win it all. That was our mindset going into the season. That was one of the goals we had written up that we had on our wall in our locker room. The team, the players and the coaches, all believed that we had all the players that we needed to win it all and we definitely believed that. As I said, it was just unfortunate how things turned out. But there’s no doubt in my mind we knew we could have done something special.
What would you say your role for that team was? How would you describe what you did to help that team get to where they were by the end of the season?
MF: I felt that I was someone that some players could look up to and some players could feed off of because of my work ethic. Not even just me but, you know, other players and other leaders that were on our team. I just felt that my ability to score the ball and shoot the ball, that’s something that I would say I’m pretty good at, I do that well. I would just say that [my role was] showing up, doing what I have to, leading for these guys.
What were some of your favorite memories of playing at Saint Mary’s
MF: I would say we when took our tour. We went on a tour to Australia. It was like two weeks. It was probably one of the best experiences because I’d never been out of the country so that was my first time ever leaving the country. I just thought it was beautiful just seeing Sydney and Melbourne, just things that I’ve never done before.
Playing at a smaller school, how do you think you’ll be able to stand out at the next level?
MF: I would say my life I’ve always been the guy that’s the underdog. You know, the guy that really no one really talks about. That was totally fine with me because I use it as my motivation. Every day, I used things like that as motivation. I try not to worry about it. Like, I just keep it going. I just let the work speak for itself and the [fans], I believe that when I get the opportunity, they’ll see that it really doesn’t matter where you go, it’s about where you’re wanted.
My freshman year, I was caught up in big schools and things like that but instead, I didn’t really take the time to look at [school] as a family. [The fans will] just be able to see someone that works hard, someone that really cares about the game and they’ll notice.
Another reason I wanted to come to Saint Mary’s was that it reminded me so much of my high school. Here, you get so many reps up shooting that, honestly, I can’t even count how many times we shoot up here. I looked at the 3-pointer as really important and something that I wanted to perfect. I believe that’s how the 3-pointer helped me be able to score at different levels.
Obviously, you’re a transfer yourself. What’s some advice you’d give to a transfer in a similar position to where you were at USF?
MF: I would tell them really take your time with the process. Go somewhere where you’re wanted. Go somewhere that can fit you. Don’t worry about all the big hype like the big-name school because if you really put in the work and it shows on the court, they’re going to find you. Teams, anybody at a professional level, will find you. Work as hard as you can and you’ll see the results.
When did you first start noticing that you were getting some NBA attention?
MF: It became a reality this past season. Even after my sophomore year playing here, I saw some mock drafts and of me potentially being like a first-rounder. I didn’t really pay attention to it but this year, that’s when the agents started getting involved. I’m getting calls from agents and my dad was getting calls from agents. At that point, I was like: “This is getting serious. It’s really like that.” Like, I’m getting some of these people that are contacting my dad, contacting myself and I’m realizing if these people see these things, why not go for it. And that’s my goal anyway. NBA is my goal, of course. That’s my No. 1 priority.
What were some things that made you decide now was the time to declare? When was that moment that made you know ‘Yeah, I’m ready for the next challenge?’
MF: I believe it was just the work I put in this past summer. I would say that this past summer was probably one of the hardest summers that I’ve probably been a part of and not even just with basketball but there other things that got involved. I had to work so I could pay rent up here. So, you know, it was just stuff adding up instead of me just focusing on basketball. I was frustrated. I think things like that made me tougher. It made me get ready and just toughened me up a little bit. I’ve just been putting in a lot of work. A lot of the work that I’ve done in the past summer and then during the season, I just felt that it was time.
I believe that my game translates to the NBA. I believe that I have what it takes not even just to be a regular player in the NBA but someone that can impact any team. Just shooting-wise, being able to score the ball and defend. I get a lot of [criticism] about my defense. I’m not making excuses. I believe that guarding guys on the perimeter is something I’m better at instead of guarding guys down low. We had a couple of players that got hurt so we were undersized. We played small ball. I’ve shown it in games as well being able to guard guys on the perimeter but I just believe that my game can expand and it will translate onto the next level.
I’m looking now and I’m seeing in the half-court, when the guy that you’re defending shot from beyond the arc, they only shot 25% on 3-pointers.
MF: My coach was really big on us about defense. If you’re not playing defense, most likely, you’re not going to play. I looked at that as a challenge. I still have a lot of moments on defense [where] I lose sight of my guy so that’s something I definitely want to improve on and that was something that my coach got on me about. After a while, I saw it was a problem so I wanted to lock-in, just make sure that this was something where if I really wanted to impact a game, I had to make sure defense is really important. Because that’s something that he really preached to us. Being able to move laterally, I just give thanks to the strength coaches that we’ve had. I believe I can stay in front of guys that are my size and that play the wing.
I think, also, one thing that’s very special about you is your defensive rebound percentage. What’s something you have done to become an above-average rebounder and how do you think that will translate to the next level?
MF: I realized that I could rebound, I want to say, my freshman year of college. I believe I was averaging like five rebounds a game and, like, I had a few games where I was having double-doubles and I was just like: I just want to go get the rebound. I don’t want to leave it up to anyone else to go get the ball so I want to go get the rebound. You know that saying: “Board man gets paid.” So once I realized rebounding is very important, especially at my position, I took it more seriously. I took that “board man gets paid” very seriously and ever since then, I don’t mind it. I enjoy going to get the rebound.
What is your comfort level taking it full-court, getting the defensive rebound and just going in transition?
MF: I think I just see the floor pretty well. A lot of times, going down the court, I’m going at a pretty fast pace. I would say it’s pretty challenging for guys to really step over. I believe I can go by any guards or bigs so I just kind of use that to my advantage. Whenever I get the opportunity to go, I just go and I try to make the best plays possible.
How do you think you’ll be able to spread the floor in the NBA, especially on unguarded looks off the catch?
MF: It’s just about being able to hit the open shot. I believe that just hitting a couple of shots [is key] because you know how, if you hit a couple of shots, you’ve got guys blowing by and things like that. I’m pretty big on catch-and-shoot. I definitely work on that probably the most, just spot-up shooting and then movement shooting comes after that. People know that the 3-pointer is pretty big in the NBA, so that was something I wanted to work on more.
Growing up, I’ve always been known as a shooter as my main thing and I give credit to my high school coach because that’s when I was doing a lot of shooting drills. I realized as a freshman and watching that a lot of these dudes on this team can shoot, so clearly shooting 3-pointers is very important. You have guys that are like 6-foot-6 shooting threes and I’m like, clearly this is important.
It will be effective because in the NBA, you’ve got the big and he’s either going to show or he’s going to switch, so if I end up slipping out faster and if I get an opportunity to get up and shoot the shot, if it’s open, I’m going to take it. But, in that situation, after knocking down a couple, I’m pretty sure the scouting report will be “This guy can shoot the three” so after getting him up in the air, the spacing is so big in the NBA and on the NBA floor. I just think with much more spacing, I’ll be able to make an impact. I’ll be able to either get to the basket or pull-up or somebody else is going to be open because they have to come and help.
On offense, you play a lot of iso ball for someone your size. Were you always a frontcourt player? And if not, if you maybe grew up playing in the backcourt as a primary ballhandler, how are you able to use some of those skills to make you a more versatile player?
MF: I would say playing a lot of 1-on-1 and King of the Court when I was back in high school. Also, just working with my trainers and working with my coaches. One of the assistant coaches during the season, we would do like 1-on-1 moves and we would just work on that. That was just something I would do a lot with him in my spare time and it ended up showing the last two years. I was able to really grasp that and accept what I was about to get into my sophomore year when I took my redshirt season. In my redshirt year, I was able to just really sit back and see how I could impact this team for next year and that’s when I was getting work with the guys and just working and just getting for my time. Now, when you look at it, two years have already gone by so fast. It’s really crazy to think about it.
Looking back on those younger days, when did you first fall in love with basketball?
MF: I started playing, when I started to put a ball in my hands, was at the age of four. Playing at a young age, my dad pushed me because he knew I loved the game of basketball at a young age. He knew that was my passion so, at all times, he put me in a situation that would benefit me to get closer to what I am working for. But at a young age, I played at four years old and that’s when I first started to fall in love with it.
I started falling in love with it more when I started watching the Lakers. I grew up watching Kobe. I watched him play. I watched the 81-point game. I was at a young age and I remember vividly. I remember a lot of his big games. I remember so many Kobe games. I looked up to him because of his work ethic. He was someone that worked hard and he was somebody that really wanted to succeed and he made me fall in love with the game even more. I wanted to be like Kobe at a young age. I wear his number to this day. He’s definitely someone that influenced me to be great.
Obviously, this year has been unbelievably hard with his tragic loss. I know that he’s your profile picture on Twitter, too. What are some of the biggest ways that you hope to honor his game when you become a professional athlete yourself?
MF: I just want to be someone that really wants to win, someone that’s hungry to win just like he was. I’ll be someone that really loves the game of basketball and would do whatever it takes. To me, that’s how I want Kobe to be remembered. Also as a great, of course, but someone that really loved the game of basketball and put in the work.
Are there any other goals you have set for yourself moving forward?
MF: I want to be successful with basketball. I want to be known as one of those players that worked hard, as one of the greats. Also, I want to be able to take care of my family. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do, just make sure my family, no matter what situation, they’re always taken care of. I also want to be known as someone that can impact people, just someone people can look up to. I want to help people around the world. I want to be one of those people that they can look up to.
Speaking of which, who are some of your biggest motivators to have helped shape you become that person?
MF: Definitely my parents. I would definitely credit them. I would say my high school coach Matt Dunn at Damien because at a certain point in my life, I was immature. I was a freshman in high school. I had a talk with Coach Dunn one day and I realized it was time to grow up. Because really, it was preparing me for the next level because I was going into varsity after my freshman year. He helped me. That’s when I really had a reality check.
What are some things you like to do when you’re not on the court?
MF: When I’m not on the court, honestly, I like to hang out with my boys. But if I’m not hanging out with them, I’m just most likely chilling by myself and I listen to music a lot. I love music. That’s one of my favorite things to do. I listen to music so much that people in here get tired of me from playing it on the speaker. But I’m just, like, hanging out at the house. I play video games. I play Call of Duty, I play on the XBOX quite a bit. I’m pretty big on gaming. I like games like that. But if I’m not doing anything, it’s pretty much just hanging out, chilling with the boys. It’s pretty much all we can do right now.
Who are some of your favorite artists that your roommates are tired of hearing? Like, man, Malik listens to this guy way too much?
MF: Oh, nah, it’s Future. It’s Future. They know I listen to him way too much. I know I listen to him too much but I think he’s the coldest. My favorite artists, honestly, Future’s one but I like Drake, Young Thug, I like a lot of artists. I like R&B. People really don’t know that R&B is really my favorite. I love hip-hop but R&B really is my favorite. I like R&B more.
Do you come from a musical family? Do you play music at all? It sounds like you have a pretty big passion for it.
MF: It’s funny. I used to play the drums at church. I grew up in a Christian family. My dad’s a pastor. So, I grew up in a church. We sing in a choir. I sang in a choir. I played the drums. In elementary school and middle school, actually, I played some instruments. I played the clarinet, I know that, and I tried the saxophone. I was alright with the clarinet but it was also something we had to do for the class and I honestly enjoyed it. I really did.
If you weren’t in basketball, what do you think you’d be doing? Do you think you’d be in music?
MF: Nah, I think I’d be in fashion. Fashion is my second thing. It really goes basketball, fashion and music. I really love clothes. It’s something about clothes. I could go on and on about it, to be honest.
Please do. Let’s hear some of your favorite brands!
MF: Right now, I don’t shop at like anything crazy because, for one, I don’t have it like that. But I shop at H&M, they’ve got some really good stuff. Fashion Nova for men Has some heat. Forever 21, they got some things in there that’s cool. But I do a lot of my shopping online because I can’t really go in there and find pants that are my size or shoes. Clearly, everyone want the Guccis and the Louis, I just don’t have the money for it.
If the budget weren’t a question, how would you outfit yourself? Shoes to the dome
MF: I would make sure I present myself well because I think presentation is important. I read a book by Tim Grover and even Michael Jordan says that appearance is important. But, like, I wouldn’t really worry about Guccis and Louis. I like Jordans. My favorite shoes are the Jordan 1s. Those are my favorite basketball shoes. I’d most likely have a collage of Jordan 1s if anything. I’d rock some Gucci, some Louis. That’s pretty much it. I have to really see more into the clothing.
What did you think of the Jordan documentary series on ESPN?
MF: I like how he’s just a dog, really. He was really a dog, man. I love it. It’s cool to see live footage of what he went through because I, honestly, I wasn’t in the Jordan Era. I grew up on Kobe. But this documentary gave me an opportunity to see what he was doing and how much of a savage he was on the basketball court because he did not care. He wanted to win.
What are some things that you think you can apply to your game from watching him? Obviously, you grew up a Kobe fan but you’re learning a lot more about Jordan now. Do you see yourself in him at all?
MF: One hundred percent. Just, as I said, work ethic. That’s something that comes along. If you put in the work, you have the opportunity to do it. Just taking from the [documentary], like I keep saying, [I am] someone that really cares about the game and wants to win, really will do anything he can to help his team win the game.
Is there anything else that you think NBA teams should know about you? Anything you think you’d use to describe yourself?
MF: I would say, personality-wise, I’m very goofy. I’m a very outgoing, goofy type of person That’s how I always am. I can’t control it. But it’s not to the point where it’s too far. That’s probably something that sticks out with me is that I’m very goofy. I’m happy a lot. I’m always trying to talk to people and keep a smile on people’s faces.
But most importantly, I would definitely do whatever I can to help the team, no matter what situation it is, whether it’s my rookie year or even years later. I’m going to cheer on my team no matter what. If they do something that was effective, I’m going to tell them. I think I can be a good teammate because I’ll keep it real with you no matter what, whether it’s good or bad. I believe that’s something that everybody needs to hear. You don’t always need to hear the good. I’m going to always be real with you. I would never do anything to snake you. That’s who I am as a person.
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