Okaro White sat down with HEAT.com after a recent practice to discuss his off-court interests and other things people may not know about him.
Who was your favorite player growing up?
‘Melo, Carmelo Anthony.
What is a moment in your life that shaped you?
Probably my move from Brooklyn to Florida. I didn’t start playing basketball until I got to Florida.
What did you do before?
Track & field, and then I played football when I first got here. I didn’t play basketball for like, two years until after I was in Florida.
What were your favorite races?
My best races were the 200 & 400 [meter]. My mom, she’s Jamaican, she ran for their National Team when she was young so she pushed me to get into track & field.
You said you didn’t start playing basketball until you moved to Florida. When did that move happen for you?
Probably around 11 or so, seventh grade I think.
Looking back on that, what would you say was your most memorable high school game?
Well, I lost in the State Championship, but the game before the State Championship we won that on a buzzer-beater.
What’s your favorite show on TV currently?
Power, The Walking Dead.
What would you be doing if you weren’t playing basketball right now?
If I ever had the opportunity and wasn’t playing basketball, I would actually want to work on the Canadian border in customs.
Well, that’s a bit specific. How’d you decide on that?
Honestly, when I was trying to pick my major in college I didn’t know what I want to do. It came down to the last week and they said, ‘Listen, you have to pick a major.’ So we went through every single major, they sat me in a room for like, three hours, still couldn’t figure it out. They asked, ‘What do you watch on TV?’ I was a big CSI, First 48 type of dude, and I ended up going with Criminology and Social Science. I also had a girlfriend in college and her dad does what I would want to do.
Who are the top three musicians in your rotation?
Tupac, Gucci Mane and YFN Lucci.
Which player do you most style your game after?
As far as game style-wise, I try to guard most positions. This guy, he’s a younger guy, but he does it really well, he’s one of the best in the NBA. Kawhi Leonard, the way he guards multiple positions.
What’s one thing you cant live without?
Sweet Spaghetti.
Sweet Spaghetti?
Yeah, yeah. Sweet Spaghetti. That’s my favorite meal. That’s regular Spaghetti with sugar in it. A lot of sugar in it.
What’s your favorite workout or drill?
We have these shooting drills, like contests, five of them. And whoever does the best in each drill, each one has their own instructions, you list them up on the board, first place, second place, top four or five.
What is your favorite sport outside of basketball?
Football. I watch a lot of soccer too though, but I’m big time into football.
What’s been your most memorable moment on the court?
ACC Championship, my Sophomore year. It was the first one at my school, Florida State. We just ran through the regular season and the ACC Tournament. We beat North Carolina two or three times, we beat Duke twice. We beat North Carolina by like, 35 on College Gameday.
Once you’ve finished up your playing career, what do you see yourself doing?
If I can be blessed to play in the NBA or wherever for as long as possible where I have enough saved up, I’d like to do some investments. I’m not big in it right now, but I’m starting to get into it with my financial guys, maybe some real estate.
What’s been your most unusual experience with a fan?
Well, I played in Greece last year and I saw fires being created inside the gym while I was playing. It was like a little fire pit they would throw on the floor, burn the floor.
Were they trying to disrupt the game?
That’s just fans, that’s what they do, they light small fires and sometimes they throw them on the court.
What’s your favorite outdoor activity?
Baseball, but not the actual full game – Just a home run derby.