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Kristian Doolittle spent his freshman season as Trae Young’s teammate and learned something new over the course of each of his four years at the collegiate level. From being deploying defensive principles to picking and choosing his spots on the offensive side of the basketball, he considers himself to be a very well-rounded prospect.
Now, as the NBA draft approaches, he’ll carry his experiences, the lessons taught by his coaches and his father (who is a high school basketball referee) and a hidden talent of playing the piano with him to the 2020 NBA draft. In all likelihood, he’ll hear his name called and will begin living his dream in what will certainly be the most challenging rookie season we’ve seen in recent memories.
No NCAA tournament, no summer league and no three-month-long period to adjust to life as a professional.
But, Kristian Doolittle, who sat down with us for a one-on-one interview, still has no excuses.
Please note that the transcript for this interview has been partially edited for brevity and clarity.
Congratulations on a strong four years at Oklahoma. What are your biggest takeaways were from your time out there and the biggest things you learned playing basketball at Oklahoma?
KD: The biggest thing I learned was just how to adapt — You know, different situations in terms of players and roles for me. From my freshman year from not really having a role and just trying to learn as much as I can through the year to my sophomore year, where I was just being more of a defensive player and learning how to find my spots. Junior year, you know, it was a breakout year for me, just played with a lot of confidence, offensively and defensively, learned how to play a different position due to injury to our team, trying to make the most of it and then this year just putting it all together. This was the most confidence I ever had, I just was trying to do whatever it takes to win, honestly, whether it was me scoring or someone else scoring or passing or whatever, just putting the team first.
You played with Trae Young during your freshman year, what were some of the highlights of that season playing alongside a generational talent like Trey. Any memories?
KD: I would say one of the most exciting games was when we played Northwestern at home. He had a really good game that game. He was able to hit a lot of deep threes. He made a lot of deep threes almost every game, so that’s not necessarily a highlight that will stand out but just to be able to see the crowd whenever he made plays… Against [Oklahoma State University], he had said he was afraid of birds and fans at OSU started wearing hawks masks throughout the game, so that was funny.
What are some things you’ve learned from your coaches during your time in college?
KD: Having a high release point, making sure the ball stays tight to your body and doesn’t lean out, I had the tendency to do that sometimes. Not shooting off balance and things like that, making sure you land straight up and down when you shoot.
One thing that’s really important in your game is your proficiency in the pick-and-pop. Please explain how you’ve been able to become so good at that.
KD: I would say repetition. Coach used to always preach to me to get my feet set. Sometimes when I would be in position to catch and shoot, I wouldn’t have my feet set, so I would have to I have to end up driving because I would be off-balance if I was to attempt a shot, so just having more reps and doing things like that, just having more confidence in shooting the three. A lot of times, I would go in for the two or basically just turn them down altogether, so I would say repetition is the most important thing that helps with the pick-and-pop.
You were one of the best shooters off the dribble in college basketball. How have you been able to get to this point?
KD: I would say it’s just a rhythm dribble. You know I’ve always been one to shoot off the dribble, not necessarily have to catch even when I was younger. I don’t know, it’s just always something that I feel comfortable with, just attacking the person who is guarding me, whether it be for myself or for others. But just being able to shoot the pull-up jumper, I feel, is just harder to guard than someone who’s catching and shooting because you can do all things when you dribble the basketball, including pass or shoot. So that’s always something that I’ve worked to perfect.
How do you think that’ll help your offensive game at the next level?
KD: It’ll help a lot because that’s what the next level is, it’s basically isolation ball, to an extent. You have to be able to win your matchup, so whatever you have to do to win your matchup. Whether it be catch and shoot — depending on what rules people have, some people are catch and shooters, some people they slash, you know they put the ball on the floor and get to the goal — just being able to be versatile and being able to do other things.
Obviously, the catch-and-shoot game is such an important part of succeeding in the NBA. Why do you think your dribble jumper ended up being so much more effective than your catch-and-shoot? Did you focus on your dribble jumper more or anything like that?
KD: I’d say I’m just more comfortable shooting a dribble jumper than a catch and shoot. I don’t think I shot a catch and shoot that consistently but I guess I can make an improvement in that area. I feel like with more repetition, I’ll get more comfortable with it, that’s really all it comes down to — what I’m more comfortable with is what I’m gonna do. That’s why I think there’s such a gap between catch and shoot and off the dribble because I’ve been doing off the dribble my entire life now this year I was doing more catch and shoot.
One of the more impressive parts about you as a player is your defensive rebounding instincts. How have you become such an effective defensive rebounder?
KD: Just seeing the trajectory of the ball and also always being guarding someone who is by the rim makes it a lot easier to get a rebound, rather than having to box out or having to go back in for a rebound. I feel like it’s just that positioning plays the biggest role in it, because I was always already down there, but being able to project where the ball is going to go and then being able to go and get it.
As a defender, you very rarely commit fouls, and that shows a great sense of basketball intelligence. How did you go about keeping your fouls committed so low?
KD: My dad’s a ref, so I have a great understanding of what’s a foul and what’s not a foul, what you can do and cannot do, just always being in a good position defensively, showing your hands, basically just doing the basic things that they tell you to do. I’ve always been one to not foul and just try to play good, solid defense all the time.
What was it like growing up with a dad as a referee? How did that help you as a basketball player?
KD: It helped a lot. He’s the one who introduced me to the game. He would always bring me to games that he reffed… Watching his games and basically seeing it from a different perspective, you know, seeing it from his angle, it’s a lot different than from the players’ view. I feel like it helped a lot.
What level does he referee?
KD: High school.
Has he ever reffed one of your games?
KD: Nah, people would think he’s cheating, so he didn’t ref my games.
Was he a strict basketball parent considering his knowledge and insight?
KD: I wouldn’t say he was strict on me but he’s not gonna sugarcoat anything, which I guess is my preference. He’s not gonna tell me I’m the best in the world, he’d simply tell me what I need to work on because there’s no point in telling somebody what they’re already good at. he was always trying to tell me somewhere I could improve.
You may have been playing a little out of position at Oklahoma, where it seemed that you played a lot at the four. What position do you see yourself playing at the next level?
KD: I’d probably play the same — either three or four — because of my size. With my size, I’m able to play more than one position, so I wouldn’t say I’m locked into either any specific position. It will probably just depend on the time and situation and different things like that — the lineup on the floor — and I can adapt to any situation I go into.
One thing about your game that is really gonna be important is your ability to guard multiple people. What are some things you think you can add to an NBA defense with your size at 6-foot-7?
KD: I like to switch. We did a lot of switching at OSU, so that’s something that happens naturally for me. Being able to guard multiple positions, there have been multiple games where I would start off on a point guard while he’s bringing the ball up just to disrupt him and make it harder to pass and get into his space and things like that, so there won’t be anything that I see that I’m not accustomed to.
How would you describe your game to a basketball junkie who has heard good things about you but never got a chance to watch you play?
KD: I’d say I’m someone who does little things, like box out, basically all the things that don’t get glorified, things that don’t show up on the stat sheet. I feel like that’s the type of player I am, but also very skilled, as well, so I’m able to do all types of things and basically just doing anything to help my team win because, at the end of the day, I could care less about personal accolades and things like that. Basically, I’m just trying to win.
What do you see your role being at the next level? What are some goals that you have for yourself in your basketball career?
KD: I have no idea what the future holds, but I want to play until I can’t play anymore in the NBA.
What do you do for fun when you’re not playing basketball?
KD: Play 2K.
Have you ever played with yourself in 2K?
KD: Nah, I mean, no I haven’t no.
Are you excited to have that opportunity next year?
KD: Depending on if my player actually does anything. It would be cool to see myself on there, but I don’t know if I’m gonna play with myself.
Has that been a dream of yours for a while to be in 2K as an actual player?
KD: Nah, I didn’t used to think about it until it became more of a reality, I mean, a few months ago. That was the first time I ever thought I could be or that it even dawned on me that I could be in this game one day. That’s something that’s pretty cool.
How good are you at the game?
KD: I would say I’m not that bad, I don’t necessarily play against people, I do MyCareer and things like that — when you have an individual player that you work on, not necessarily yourself.
Is that player pretty similar to you as a player?
KD: Yes and no. I have multiple players, so I kinda just, made a true center, which is not me, and I have a point guard, which is not me. But then I have an in-between guy who I think is the most like me.
Do you play in MyPark and stuff?
KD: Yes, especially during this quarantine, I’ve been in the park non-stop. I’m all 99.
So you’re like a king in the park?
KD: Yeah more or less.
What else have you done in quarantine to stay busy?
KD: Just been running, trying to stay in as much shape as I possibly can. I mean, running a mile, every other day, there’s only so much I can do in terms of basketball shape, but I do what I can. Under the circumstances, the gyms are closed, so I can’t lift weights or anything like that, but I try to stay active.
What are some things that people might not know about you that would be interesting to share about you? What is something you’d tell a front office so they could learn a little bit more about you as a person?
KD: I tell them that I can play the piano. I can play whatever the music is in front of me, I don’t necessarily have a go-to song… I’ve been playing for 11 years. I took private lessons, my cousin taught me.
This interview with Kristian Doolittle was conducted by USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Bryan Kalbrosky.
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