Lathan Sommerville on Lead Role

Yeah, something like that. You didn't know him at all, did you? I know him a little bit through some of my old teammates. They told me about him. He's a high character guy, so yeah. So you're at Rutgers with two first round draft picks. Yes, sir. And then you were here last year and had some injury that cost you a third of the season. Yup. And you're with another first round draft pick. Yes, sir. Kinda it's your time a little bit to maybe step up and really have a bigger role than you've had. Cause you've been a starter each of the last couple of years. Yeah. But tell me about that. I mean, they took you to Big Ten Media Day and Danny was talking about you're one of the guys that's really coming on as far as picking up your game. Yes, sir. Just consistent growth and staying consistent in what I know I can do. Last year, I feel like I had some injury stuff. And I also just, when I wasn't injured, playing at the best level that I know I can play. So it's just getting back to being confident and being who I know I am. So do you feel kind of the responsibility since you've been here and you're one of the hold over big guys because the others left like Frank and Giannis went when you know elsewhere, a lot of there's kind of like a lot of responsibility on you to kind of show these guys the way I think. Yeah, it is for sure, but it's no pressure. It's just who I am, I'm a natural born leader. So, I mean, just taking that step and just showcasing that every day being consistent in that role, doing whatever the team needs from me to be done. So it's just, that's how I look at it and that's how I approach it. I forgot, what kind of injury did you have last year that sent you down? A knee injury. A knee? Yeah. I think I, was that at Seattle U? No. No, it was in practice. Practice, that's after Seattle U, that's when it happened. Yeah, it was in practice. Yeah, cuz Wesley got hurt in the Seattle U game. In Seattle U, yeah. And you got hurt right after that. Yup. And that was a- Bad stretch, yeah. Costly stretch. Yeah, bad stretch. And you shouldn't have lost those guys either, so. Yeah. So what are you thinking about this basketball team? There's a lot of turnover, two thirds of the roster. Yeah, we're a really connected group. That's what I noticed early off the court, on the court, we're extremely connected. I feel like everybody likes each other and now translating the game. So I just keep continuously building that chemistry and we'll see where that takes us.