Inside Dish - Dec.23, 2009

Quinton Ross really is the shy, quiet type. He lets his tenacious defense and three-point sharp shooting speak for him. But with only two new players for Inside Dish to interview, we decided to go with the shy, quiet type over the Frenchman. Inside Dish talked to Ross in the entertainment center part of the Mavericks locker room. We sat up in the over-sized black fluffy leather chairs and let our feet dangle like little kids.

ID: I ask everyone this when they first come to the team...how did it make you feel when you found out you would be playing in your hometown?

QR: When I found out I was very excited. It felt great knowing that I would get to come home and play in front of my family and my mom.

ID: Do you have a lot more ticket requests playing for the Mavericks compared to when you played for the Clippers and Grizzlies?

QR: Exactly!  A ton of people are asking me for tickets every game. Everyone and anyone will call me up for tickets. It is crazy. I usually have about 10-12 requests every home game, but I just keep it simple and take care of my close family. It gets to be too much so I have to cut it off.

ID:  You played at Kimball High School in Dallas and went to the State Finals...did any of your teammates play college ball or make it to the NBA?

QR: I had a couple of teammates that went Division I and played overseas.

ID: How did you decide on going to Southern Methodist University? Did any other schools recruit you out of Kimball?

QR: It wasn't an easy decision. I was leaning towards Texas Tech, but again SMU was an opportunity for my mom to be able to watch me play since I stayed close to home.

ID: When you finished at SMU and no one drafted you, did you think that you wouldn't make it into the NBA?

QR: Well, I had to take a different route but I never stopped believing that I would make it into the NBA. I had to go to Europe for a year. It was a great experience for me and it taught me a lot that helped me once I got into the NBA.

ID: Did you think you had a shot of getting drafted? What were "people" saying about your chances?

QR: Everyone thought I had a chance to be a high second round pick. And I felt like I had decent workouts with the teams, but on draft day it just didn't work out.

ID: When did you personally think that you might have a shot at the NBA?

QR: I would say after my sophomore year in college I really got a feel that I might have a chance. My freshman year my play was inconsistent, but my sophomore year I played really well and I played with some really good basketball players and I could hold my own.

ID: Can you believe that this is your sixth season as a player in the NBA?

QR: I really can't. Time flies by so fast. But I am just trying to get to 10 right now and then we can go from there. I am just enjoying the ride and working as hard as I can to be successful in this league.

ID: Have you ever doubted that you can compete in the NBA?

QR: Never that. I have been competing my entire life. I never doubt myself when I am on the court. I just go out there and give it my all. I just try to play to the best of my abilities and see what happens.

ID: When did you start playing basketball?

QR: I started playing when I was 8 years old.

ID: Were the Dallas Mavericks your favorite NBA team growing up?

QR: Nah, I was a Chicago Bulls fan growing up.

ID: Who were your basketball idols growing up?

QR: Jordan and Pippen of course, but I was a huge Penny Hardaway fan.

ID: Who did you play one-on-one with growing up?

QR: For the most part I was always playing with all my friends, but my dad is the one that got my mental toughness right. He was always beating me up in one-on-one.

ID: Have the Dallas people welcomed you back with open arms?

QR: Without a doubt. People have been great and embraced me since day one of my return. Everyone has been really cool.

ID:  Any significance to why you wear the number six?

QR: I wore 13 my entire career but Matt Carroll had that number, so I just went for 6 because it's my 6^th year in the league. I just have to keep it moving from here.

ID: How have the Mavericks treated you so far?

QR: The Mavericks have been great. It is a great organization and definitely the best that I have been around. Everyone is hands on and involved like a family.

ID: When you were growing up in Dallas, could you imagine traveling the United States in a private jet, staying in five-star hotels, and getting a big fat paycheck every two weeks?

QR: Never, not at all. It is really unbelievable. Basketball is the greatest game in the world to make your living. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

ID: Now for the Dallas questions: What is your favorite restaurant in Dallas right now?

QR: Benihana all day, every day.

ID: What was your favorite restaurant in Dallas growing up?

QR: Definitely Grandy's.

ID: Are you a Dallas Cowboys fan?

QR: Die-Hard.

ID: Have you ever been to a Stars game?

QR: Never.

ID: What is your favorite thing to do on a night out in Dallas?

QR: I just like chilling out. Maybe catch a movie and get a bite to eat.

ID: Do you remember your first Mavericks game as a fan?

QR: Yeah, my uncle took me when I was 13 or 14. It was my first professional game.

ID: Do you eat fast food? What is your favorite fast food?

QR: Oh, yeah. Shoot...I am everywhere...McDonald's, Catfish Floyd's, Top Cat...

ID: Boxers or Briefs?

QR: Briefs.

ID: Pepsi or Coke?

QR: Coke.

ID: Crunchy or Puffy Cheetos?

QR: Puffy.

ID: Toothpaste?

QR: Colgate.

ID: Favorite Chewing gum?

QR: Super Bubble. They have a bucket of it in the locker room. I love that stuff. For real, that stuff is the best.

ID: Favorite Super Hero?

QR: Batman.

ID: Favorite Actor?

QR: How can you go wrong with Denzel (Washington)?

ID: Favorite Actress?

QR: Halle Barry.

ID: Favorite movie growing up?

QR: Pass, come back to that one.

ID: Favorite movie now?

QR: Harlem Nights.

ID: What was the last movie that you saw in a theatre?

QR: Law Abiding Citizen.

ID: Favorite TV show growing up?

QR: Martin.

ID: Favorite TV show now?

QR: ESPN News, SportsCenter, and all those...I am all sports.

ID: Who plays you in the made-for-TV movie of your life?

QR: It's that cat on The Wire. What's his name? *********The Wire...show him cast.

ID: What actress would be your love interest?

QR: Zoe Saldana.

ID: Do you remember you first girlfriend?

QR: Yeah, definitely. I was in high school. I could tell you her name but I don't want to put her on blast like that so I am not going to tell you her name.

ID: Do you remember the first time that you took a girl on a date and you drove her? When was it? Where did you go? What kind of car was it?

QR: Well, it was my junior year in high school. My mom had a Grand Am that she let me borrow. I took her to dinner and a movie. We ate at Cheddar's, and the movie was Amistad.

ID: What kind of car do you drive now?

QR: I have a Chevy Camaro.

ID: What type of music do you like?

QR: I am diverse. I like Hip-Hop, R&B...it just depends on my mood.

ID: What books are on your nightstand right now?

QR: I am reading the Lance Armstrong book right now.

ID:  Favorite NBA city to visit other than Dallas?

QR: New York.

ID: Who is the most famous person that you met when you played in Los Angeles?

QR: It's L.A. I met everybody. There are so many stars out there that you are meeting people left and right every single day.

ID: What do you plan on doing after basketball?

QR: I will probably go into coaching.

ID: Last question: You were an Economics major at SMU.  Do you have any advice for the United States Government to help us get out of this recession?  Just kidding.