NCAA Regional Semifinals Chat

March 22, 2001

One year ago, Morris Peterson was a starting forward for Michigan State, the 2000 NCAA championship team. Today, Mo Pete plies his trade as an outstanding rookie for the exciting Toronto Raptors. Read our chat with Mo Pete as we count down to the NCAA regional semifinals!

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CTVSportsnet: Mo Pete and CTVSportsnet want to welcome all hoops fans to our chat today. Morris is just coming from a team practice, as he and the Raptors prepare for their game with the Hawks tomorrow night. It's been quite a year for this NBA rookie - a NCAA championship with the Spartans, and, now, a promising career with the exciting and fun-to-watch Toronto Raptors. Welcome to you all, and let's get started with our first question!

Mo Pete: Thank you all for taking the time out today. I want to say it's my pleasure. Hopefully, today, I can answer some questions you are thinking about, and that you want to ask. I can't wait to get started!

Chivonne: You've been playing exceptionally well since coming to Toronto, and the fans love you. What has been the contributing factor to consistently improving your game? How do you like Toronto so far?

Mo Pete: To the first question, one thing that I've tried to do is take one day at a time and learn each day, because I think it is very important that you never look ahead. That's always been my philosophy. We have such great guys on our team and our coaching staff. They have done an exceptional job, and they have made my job easier. I love the city of Toronto--the fans, and the city. There are a lot of things to do, and I'm having a great time.

Albert: Hi, Mo. I think you are playing great this year, and inserting you in the starting line-up was an excellent choice! What has been your biggest learning experience this year as a rookie?

Mo Pete: Hi! My biggest learning experiences have been adjusting from the college game to the NBA game. Sometimes, it is a little difficult--a little more difficult in the NBA than in college. In college, you can help your man a little more, and you can help your teammate a little more on defense, because you can play zone. In the NBA, you have to play man to man all the time. Sometimes, that's a big challenge when you have to go against guys like Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, and guys of that caliber. I'm enjoying playing in the NBA; and hopefully, I'll help bring a lot more things to the table each year.

Spoon: Have you been trying to prove to people that you should have been drafted earlier? If so, you are doing a great job.

Mo Pete: Thank you! I think a lot of people get caught up in how high you are supposed to go in the draft, but one thing I tried to do is just concentrate on getting drafted by a team that I can help. Of course, I tried to let all the other teams know that passed me up that they should have reconsidered it! (laughing) Every time I play a team that didn't draft me, I do come out and have a chip on my shoulder, or view that as an extra incentive. That was a good question!

Charmer: I was wondering what kind of a training/fitness schedule you had? Can you fill us in on your normal training week, and do you have to do extra fitness work outside team training sessions?

Mo Pete: Yes, fitness work, off-season work, is very important, because you want to go into the season in shape. We are getting paid lots of money to play basketball, and part of our responsibility is to be in shape. If you aren't in shape, that's not doing the right thing. In off-season, I try to run every day, lift weights, and even do aerobics. I stay in shape, because it is the most important thing I can do for basketball. You have to be in shape.

Charmer: Do you have a set routine prior to games? Superstitions, etc.?

Mo Pete: Yes, I do. Every night, before the game, I have to eat a Reese's cup. I've been doing that ever since college. My sophomore year in college, I did that the night before the game--ate the junk food--and had the best game of my career. Ever since then, I've been doing that the night before the game. I eat a Reese's. The company should send me a box of Reese's today, now that they've found out! A BIG box!

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