Military-prepared man
Energy, hard work and fun: These are just a few words that describe Aggie basketball junior college transfer DeUndrae Spraggins. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound forward from Paris Junior College comes to Utah State with a history of discipline and toughness.
Spraggins’ father introduced him to the game of basketball at a young age in East St. Louis, Ill., where, growing up, he said he had the chance to play against many great players-two of which being current NBA stars Darius Miles and Larry Hughes.
After high school, Spraggins felt he needed discipline in his life. He joined the Air Force for four years as a mechanic, serving from 2001 to 2005 at Nellis Air Force base in Nevada. He said his commander at the base knew he could play basketball and told Spraggins if he could get a full-ride scholarship, he could get out of his military commitment.
“That was great for me because I needed the discipline,” Spraggins said. “I was a bad little boy, and I needed that in my life. That’s another reason why I like the coach up here, (USU Head Coach Stew (Morrill). I need that discipline figure.”
Although some might consider Morrill a commander in his own right, Spraggins said he is happy to be in his current situation.
“Great coach, winning ways, fans are great. Why wouldn’t you want to put yourself in this predicament?” Spraggins said.
With the energy and work Spraggins is putting into practice, Aggie Assistant Coach Tim Duryea said Spraggins, along with fellow newcomer Gary Wilkinson, are putting themselves among the great practice players at Utah State.
“They are in the class of Jaycee Carroll, who is the best practice player I have ever been around,” Duryea said. “Their energy level every day is comparable to his, and that is a high compliment.”
Because of this work ethic, Duryea said Spraggins will be a candidate for a lot playing time at small forward.
“He’s in the mix,” Duryea said. “He’s going to be a hard guy to beat out just because he brings it every day. He’s very athletic, shoots the ball well.”
Spraggins described himself as a guy who is never going to quit and likes to have fun and play tough on both ends of the court.
“A lot of fun. Hard work. Never going to quite. A tough mentality,” Spraggins said. “I like to defend.”
Anyone who plays defense will certainly fit in well with the Utah State system, but Spraggins said it is his play-making ability that might be his greatest attribute and contribution to this year’s team.
“Play maker, making plays, for myself, or for other people,” he said.
And his biggest weakness?
“Getting too anxious to make those plays,” Spraggins said.
Some of that play-making ability and anxiousness showed in the team’s Blue and White scrimmage last Friday night. The junior forward recorded five assists but had five turnovers to go along with them. He scored 10 points on two for four shooting, including two for two from 3-point range and five for five from the charity stripe.
“He may not understand everything he is doing yet, but he makes mistakes at a 100 percent, and I guess as a coach that is what you want,” Duryea said. “You want a guy who you know they’re going to make mistakes, but you would rather have them make aggressive mistakes than have to prod them along all the time.”
-sam.bryner@aggiemail.usu.edu