Get to Know Vincent Yarbrough

Today, get to know….
Nuggets rookie forward/guard Vincent Yarbrough

Yarbrough was the 33rd player taken in the 2002 NBA Draft and the Nuggets only second-round pick. A four-year player at Tennessee, was named All-SEC first team as a senior after ranking second in the league in scoring (18.1 ppg), sixth in rebounds (7.5) and ninth in steals (1.87), finishing as the Vols’ all-time leader in that category. The 6-7, 210-pound native of Cleveland, Tenn. looks to contribute at both the shooting guard and small forward positions.

JG: “Outside of basketball, what is the one thing that you have always wanted to do but never been able to?”
YARBROUGH: “I’ve always wanted to skydive. I don’t have the nerve to ever do it, but I just want to know what it feels like to fall from the sky.”

JG: “What NBA team and players did you root for as a kid?”
YARBROUGH: “The Bulls and Jordan just like everybody else.”

JG: “Why did you select No. 3?”
YARBROUGH: “I was No. 1 at UT, but that was taken here (by Donnell Harvey). So I wanted a single digit and it’s what was left.”

JG: “How old were you when you first dunked?”
YARBROUGH: “12.”

JG: “What is your favorite sport to play besides basketball?”
: “Baseball. I love baseball. Growing up I always wanted to be a pro baseball player.”

JG: “So do you have a favorite baseball or football team?”
YARBROUGH: “I am a big Yankee fan. I always have been. In football I like the Titans, since I’m from Tennessee.”

JG: “Did you watch the Tennessee-Arkansas game the other night?”
Tennessee defeated Arkansas 41-38 in six overtimes Saturday night in Knoxville, Tenn.. It was the second-longest game in college football history.
YARBROUGH: “I watched the whole thing. We got lucky.”
JG: “Yeah, I was at a wedding in Memphis and that’s all anybody was concerned with was finding out the score.”

JG:“Do you have any kind of superstitions or pre-game rituals?”
YARBROUGH: “No, not really. I do always put on my left shoe before my right one though.”
JG: “I’d say that probably qualifies.”

JG: “What was your major in college?”
YARBROUGH: “Psychology.”
JG: “Why?”
YARBROUGH: “I was just always interested in psychology and sociology and what makes people do the things they do.”

JG: “What are your favorite websites to visit?”
YARBROUGH: “UTK.edu (University of Tennessee website), I’ve got to check and see how my Vols are doing, and Distant Replays (www.distant-replays.com)
JG: “What is that?”
YARBROUGH: “It’s a company where they’ve got all the throwback jerseys for sale.”

JG: “Do you have any pets?”
YARBROUGH: “I’ve got a dog.”
JG: “What kind and what’s its name?”
YARBROUGH: “It’s a rotweiler named ‘Nori,’ short for ‘Noriega.’”

JG: “Do you collect anything?”
YARBROUGH: “Baseball cards, basketball cards, football cards and comic books.”

JG: “Do you have any nicknames?”
YARBROUGH: “Sweet James.”
JG: “Where did that come from?”
YARBROUGH: “People used to call me that because I was good with the ladies at a young age. Most of the guys here just call me ‘V.’”

JG: “What’s your favorite movie?”
YARBROUGH: “The Shawshank Redemption.”
JG: “That’s a great movie, it’s one of my favorites too.”

JG: “Your favorite musical artist and favorite CD?”
YARBROUGH: “Favorite musician is Donell Jones. Favorite CD is Jay-Z’s (In My Lifetime,) Volume 1.”

JG: “I know you’re just a rookie, but do you know yet what you want to do after basketball?”
YARBROUGH: “Yes, I’m going to open a center for abused women and children somewhere.”
JG: “Wow, that’s very admirable. Is it because of the psychology thing?”
YARBROUGH: “That and just because of some of the things I saw growing up.”

JG: “And finally, what is the best advice anyone has ever given you?”
YARBROUGH: “‘Stay true to yourself.’ That’s what my mom always told me.”

You can e-mail your questions and comments to Jonathan Goldstein at NuggetsPR@hotmail.com