Ricky Hickman gets up for Q&A
Local professional basket
ball player Ricl^y Hickman is
an official bailer.
The overseas standout has
got every skill that you would
want in a basketball player.
He's got crazy hops. He really
has Vince Carter-like jumping
ability. The old Vince Carter.
Hickman can shoot as well as
anyone. And, his defense is
pretty solid. Hickman isn't a
bad passer either.
He's presently displaying
some of his skills at Rusty
LaRue's Triad Pro Am
League. He and I discussed
the league play, as well as
some of the other bailers ear
lier this week. Ricky isn't a
guy that's going to say just
anything during an interview.
He thinks about every answer
as if he's at a postgame prfss
conference. There's nothing
wrong with that. Ricky is a
smart and well-spoken ath
lete. So, I knew I had to throw
a couple wrinkles at him to
get something out of him.
He caught every question
as if I were CP feeding Tyson
Chandler an alley-oop. We
talked about European bailers,
the Olympics, Hang the Net,
Wake's A1 Farouq Aminu and
the new Batman movie.
Take a look at some of the
other topics Mr. Hickman and
I discussed during a cool
interview on Tuesday
evening.
play ball this past year?
Ricky: I played in
Romania this past year. My
agent is supposed to call me
today (Tuesday). He just got
back from his honeymoon.
I'm waiting on him to give me
some good news. Hopefully I
will know where I'm going
within the next week or two.
I've got to stay on the grind
and always be ready.
Anthony: How much are
you enjoying playing over
seas?
Ricky: It's really great
because I get to make money
playing ball. And, it's tax free.
I miss my family a little bit.
You miss being at the crib.
But I will take playing ball
over a 9-to-5 any day. They
treat you like stars over there.
We are their Jordan.
Anthony: I bet. How are
the ladies treating Ricky
Hickman over there?
Ricky: Ah man. (Smiles.)
That's good. Everything is
working out over there.
Anthony: What shoes do
you like to ball in?
One-on-One
m nli inthonv Hill
Anthony: OK. Are you
participating in Hang the Net
at the Hanes Hosiery?
Ricky: Yeah, yeah. I'm
going to be down there
Thursday.
Anthony: Do you think
you can win? It will probably
come down to you and one of
the Holcomb-Faye brothers.
Ricky: I think I can get
them.
Anthony: (Both laugh.)
All right. Let's close out with
free association.
Ricky: (Laughs.) OK.
Anthony: Reyshawn
Terry.
Ricky: Big. Huge.
Anthony: Ricky
Hickman.
Ricky: Um, Versatile.
Anthony: Cedric
Hickman (App. State football
player).
Ricky: My dawg.
Anthony: Rah Davis.
Ricky: Quick.
Anthony: C.O. (Chris
Oliver)
Ricky: Medium range
jump shot.
Anthony: Favorite food.
Ricky: Japanese.
Anthony: Winston's best
bailer.
Ricky: That's Chris.
Hands down. \
Anthony: That's what's
up. Thanks for the time, man.
Ricky: No problem. I
'preciate it, Ant.
??HHumityaRiwM' ??!
Photo by Charlie Pfa?f
Former UNC-Greensboro and East Forsyth star Ricky
Hickman goes up for a score during a recent Pro Am game.
Anthony:
What's good with
you Ricky?
Ricky: Nothing
much. Just relaxing.
Anthony: I
hear that. What's
been going on with
you lately?
Ricky: I've
basically just been
working out the
whole summer.
Anthony: I saw you get
ting it in during a Pro Am
game last week.
Ricky:
Yeah, that's another way for
me to work on some things.
* That's a good league. There's
nothing like playing in game
situation. So, whenever you
get a chance to play against
some good competition you
always want toctake advantage
of that.
Anthony: I saw you
going against CP last week.
How was that for you?
Ricky: It was good. You
know. I hadn't seen or played
with Chris in about a year or
so. It was good to actually go
up against him.
Anthony: Who's the best
player in the league this year?
Ricky: Uh, I like that new
kid for Wake ? A1 Farouq
Aminu.
Anthony: (Smiles.) Yeah,
I was just talking about him.
Ricky: Yeah. That kid is
playing real well. He really
impressed me when we played
them the first game. I think
he's got a real bright future.
Anthony: Is someone
gonna have to sit down at
Wake this year?
Ricky: Yeah, definitely.
(Both smile.) He's really that
good.
Anthony: (Laughs.) OK.
Who's the sleeper of the
league this year?
Ricky: Ben Strong. He's a
guy from Guilford College.
He's really, really tough.
People really don't under
stand how good he is down
low. He's really impressing.
Anthony: You've got a
guy in Kevin Oleksiak. that's
really good too. He gave one
team 40-something last week.
Ricky: That's my old
teammate. We workout every
morning and afternoon. We
workout with a guy named
Keith Gatling. He's coming
along strong. He's gotten bet
ter every year.
Anthony: What's the best
part of your game?
Ricky: Getting to the bas
ket. I've been really trying to
get more consistent with my
jump shot. Over in Europe
you've got to be able to knock
down that jump shot. You're
going to be able to beat a
European guarding you, nine
out of 10 times. But you've
really got to knock that jump
shot down. That's really what
I'm focusing on
Anthony: Where did you
I ' v
Hickman
Ricky: I got a
pair of Kobe's and
Nike airmax. The
Kobe's are the light
est shoes I've ever
played in. I'm not
trying to play in
them that much
because I am trying
to save them for the
season. Anything
Nike is pretty much
good for me.
Anthony: Speaking of
Kobe . Is he going to make the
difference for the Olympic
team?
Ricky: He's going to
make a big difference. But it's
still going to be tough on the
USA. People don't understand
how strong Europe is out
there. There's some tough
teams in their group. They've
got Spain, Greece and
Germany in their bracket.
Spain has a mob.
They have a lot of tough
players. I thought the US
should've picked up more
shooters. So, we'll see what
happens. They have the team
that should probably win it.
But it's not going to be as
easy as some people think.
Anthony: Right.T agree
with you. I think there
should've been more shooters
on the team, instead of three
point guards.
Ricky: Shooting is the
strength in Europe. I don't
think you're going to see
Dwight Howard or LeBron
James dunking on people.
And, the guys they played
against last summer was basi
cally the B-team. Teams like
Argentina didn't bring all of
their boys because they had
already qualified. I'm a big
Ginobli fan. So I think
Argentina has a really good
shot too.
Anthony: Which NFL
team do you roll with?
Ricky: The Panthers all
day. I've been pretty upset
about the last two years. It's
kind of hard to cheer for a
team that isn't showing too
many results. I think we need
another quarterback. I'm hop
ing for some better things. So
we'll see what happens this
year.
Anthony: What did you
think about Jason Taylor
being traded to the Redskins?
Ricky: That's crazy.
Redskins have to have one of
the top defenses in the league
after adding Jason Taylor.
That division is gonna be
tough.
Anthony: No doubt. Have
you seen any good movies at
the theater lately?
Ricky: Oh my goodness.
If anybody hasn't seen the
Batman, Dark Knight ? you
have to go see it. I went to go
see it Friday and Sunday. That
is the best movie I've seen in
the last two years. You've got
to go see it. Heath Ledger
really did his thing.
t
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