Exclusive: Interview of Newest Runnin' Rebel #33 Charles Rushman

I recently sought out an interview with Charles Rushman a walk-on and the newest player for the Runnin' Rebels. On Tuesday, 10/23/12 we talked about on who he is and why he chose UNLV. Let's welcome Charles to the Runnin' Rebel family, and hope for great things! Video highlights follow the interview.

RR: RebelReign.com

CR: Charles Rushman

RR: What made you want to come to UNLV?

CR: I wanted to be part of a good program, one that could compete. So I figured I’d rather walk on at a place like that rather than play for a sub-par D-1 school or D-2. I would have otherwise taken a scholarship at a D-2 school.

RR: Interesting, regarding going to a competitive program and being part of a really good team – were you interested in other programs?

CR: No, not really. My uncle lives here so it’s kind of nice, since my family is so far away – so that’s what got me into this program.

RR: How has been the transition from Wisconsin to Las Vegas? Do you live with your Uncle?

CR: No, actually I live in the dorms. But he’s out here, so I lean on him for family support.

RR: Since many may not be familiar with the process, could you tell us what the process was to walk on at UNLV?

CR: Well a friend of mine knows coach Schroyer really well, and he saw my film and pretty much determined that they had a spot for me.

RR: Was there any kind of gym tryouts?

CR: No

RR: So it was all off of game film, highlight real and stuff?

CR: Yeah, I played with the guys once. And it just worked out.

RR: As a walk on, you’re not receiving a scholarship.

CR: Correct

RR: Is there any significance to your number, #33?

CR: It’s the number I wore in high school. Larry Bird wore #33, and he’s one of my favorite players of all time.

RR: How do you see yourself making an impact at UNLV?

CR: Well I guess most of what we do is run the scout team, so being a solid player on that – giving the guys a decent look as opposed to else who couldn't

RR: There was a former walk-on by the name of Curtis Terry, who worked himself into the lineup by bringing energy, being a garbage man, and a streaky shooter. Do you think you can do the same?

CR: Hopefully, that’s my goal. With as good as UNLV is right now, it will be difficult and nothing is guaranteed .But  hopefully someday I’ll be able to make a contribution on the court.

RR: Would you consider yourself more of streaky shooter, or more consistent?

CR: I would say more consistent.

RR: So you don’t hit shots in bunches, you usually hit X percentage?

CR: Yeah, I’d say shooting is my strength.

RR: Since you’ve come onto campus at UNLV, what has impressed or surprised you the most?

CR: I just noticed that people that don’t follow sports, or basketball,  still usually follow Rebel basketball – it’s the big thing here. Its what everybody cares about.

RR: What do you think about the athletic facilities here?

CR: I think they are phenomenal. For sure.

RR: I’ve seen some of your video on YouTube, and you've said shooting is your best attribute. Are you more of a shooting guard or point guard?

CR: I’m more point guard than shooting guard, but it doesn't really matter – I’ve played both in high school, but I always was more of a pass-first type player.

RR: Besides shooting, what are your best point guard attributes?

CR: I’d say ball handling and defense.

RR: What are your basketball skills goals this season?

CR: I want to get quicker and stronger, I think that’s the biggest difference at this level. Defending at this level is a different world, so that definitely must improve as well.

RR: How many weeks have you been practicing with the team?

CR: One session of summer school, and all of  the practices and workouts, but I wasn’t part of the Canada tour.

RR: We saw you do a really good job at the Scarlet and Gray game, who on the team do you look to advice?

CR: Mike Moser’s locker is right next to mine, so he’s always talking to me and giving me a hard time. I’d probably go to him.

RR: Of our guards, Anthony Marshall, Justin Hawkins, Daquan Cook, Bryce Dejean-Jones, and Katin Reinhardt, who do you try to pick up moves from? Learned anything from playing with and against them?

CR: I’ve learned a lot from Anthony Marshall, because he’s really smooth. He’s always not rushing, always in control – really good to watch. I’d have to say Anthony Marshall, I’ve been really impressed by his game.

RR: Regarding the competitiveness of this years Rebels team, what excites you the most about the potential for this year?

CR: I’d say the best guys work hard, like Mike and Anthony Marshall, Anthony Bennett – there’s so much talent, we’re so deep, so we’re as good as anybody in my opinion.

RR: Have you talked to the Coaching staff or anyone about redshirting?

CR: Yeah, when I came in I briefly talked to Coach Schroyer about it, and I’d like to do it. I assume that’s what I’ll do.

RR: So we won’t really see you play minutes this year if you elect to do so, but you’ll save a year of eligibility?

CR: But realistically I’d likely not see many minutes anyways, so that’s why I’d do it.

RR: So I know you’re from Wisconsin, but I’m not familiar with your town because its not a major city.

CR: (Laughs) Yeah, it’s a suburb of Milwaukee. About a half hour west, it’s called Oconomowoc.

RR: Pretty big Brewers fan?

CR: Yeah, definitely.

RR: Lets talk about your high school play, were you the leading scorer?

CR: My senior year, yes I believe , and in the playoffs my junior year. There was another kid who was about the same though.

RR: Did any of  your teammates end up playing college ball?

CR: Well, actually I graduated two years ago, and went to prep school last year.

RR: Oh, ok – well lets start with high school.

CR: OK, high school – Ben Mills plays for Colorado, he was our center. A couple of other guys from my HS team played division III.

RR: And your prep school?

CR: At my prep school Aaron Ross went to Texas Tech, Jeremiah Jones went to Duscane, Jacoby Davis went to Mississippi State, Logan Mortensen went to New Hampshire, Andy Martin went to Montana, Miles Homles Eastern Illinois.

RR: So you got the best pick of the draw?

CR: Yes

RR: Have you picked a major yet?

CR: Yeah, international business – emphasis on Asia.

RR: Do you speak and foreign languages?

CR: I’m taking Chinese.

RR: Is there anything you’d think people should know that I didn’t ask?

CR: Well, my junior year in high school we won the State championship in basketball. First time in school history we did that.

RR: What size school were you playing at?

CR: Well out here, I know you rank them large to small, for example 4-A, 3-A, etc. My school was the biggest which was the biggest, so that made it more significant.

RR: Very cool, yes – that’s quite an accomplishment.

RR: Regarding Wisconsin, UNLV has had battles with them over the years both in basketball and football. Do you feel any kind of alliance to them?

CR: No, I like them, and when they do well that’s a not a bad thing – but most of my family went to Marquette, so I always loved them. But I’m all-in with UNLV I’m a Rebel now.

RR: Cool, I think you’ll be a solid player for us, and hope you get some minutes.

CR: Thanks, I’m just happy to be here.

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Scarlet and Gray Scrimmage: It's going to be a great year!

2012-13 Scarlet and Gray Scrimmage

Last night I had the privilege of taking in the festivities at the Thomas and Mack.

First, this team looks far different from last year's team. Different = better. When it came to the scrimmage, guys were out there hustling and getting physical like we've wished they would in years past. The scrimmage itself can be summed up as two parts, the first half - solid unrelenting defense, and the second half - an offense show for the fans. I would like to go player by player to share some remarks about their performance last night.

#5 Katin Reinhardt - He looked like the solid point guard he was advertised to be. Extremely quick getting up court, confident in his handle of  the ball, and passes light lightening bolts. A nickname was thrown out there last night "the white mamba". While Katin wasn't Kobe-esq, he certainly could be Steve Nash-esq. Kind of felt bad for him, as the shots he put up (I believe about 5) didn't fall. No worries, everyone knows this guy is a lights out shooter, and his mere presence on the court makes his teammates better.

#33 Charles Rushman - Little was known about the latest UNLV walk-on, but he brought his game last night. He proved he can jump, was confident with the ball, and made several shots. The Rebels have apparently scored a fundamentally sound point guard option who is confident enough to score multiple times in the scrimmage, which is impressive in its own right (remember, the guys he's scrimmaged against are ranked between 13-19th in the country). Hopefully we'll learn more about Mr. Rushman soon.

#24 Demetris Morant - We knew he had leaping ability as the Nevada HS high jump champion, but the guy is confident and is an athletic specimen. He chose well by coming to UNLV, where there's many talented forwards and forward/centers to learn from. I was impressed by his defensive intensity in the uptempo

#0 Savon Goodman - Man, this guy was underrated in the rankings - hell of a score for the Rebs. Knew he was a great player from the damage he did in Canada, but this guy had the poise of a sophomore, and the developed physique to match. With guys like Goodman, Smith, Morant, Bennett, and Reinhardt at point, these guys are as physically built as some of  the Georgetown teams of the 80's, or perhaps more familiar  the SDSU teams of the early 2000's. Goodman showed great hustle, and made his way to the basket multiple times. He also defendant and gave others a lot of headaches around the basket. Count on Goodman to earn his share of minutes this season, it would be a shame not to play a guy like this.

#10 Daquan Cook - Unfortunately with all the glitz and glamour  he kind of got lost in the shuffle. I think Cook can be a good player, reliable point guard, and perhaps air apparent to Bellfield or Hawkins, but he needs time to develop. If an option, would be good if he would take the redshirt year and step in more prominently with Hawk and Ant-Marz graduate.

#15 Anthony Bennett - This guy is the truth, the answer, the fame, the joy, and basketball perfection. I am absolutely impressed with him, and seriously can't imagine how Shabazz Muhammad or anyone could be better than him. Bennett did not get the benefit of the early start having not played the Canada trip, but he didn't miss a beat. After easily winning the dunk competition  he stoked shot after shot, from distance, from close range, dunking. And besides showing off his skill set, he had pure joy for the game of basketball and showed his appreciation for the UNLV fan base - beaming from ear to ear and flexing his muscles in what is sure to be his trademark pose this season. From what I saw, he only missed one shot in the scrimmage. Whether he's the second coming of Larry Johnson, or something different - time will tell, but he is going to be a hell of a player.

#2 Khem Birch - The most impressive attribute of Birch is his defense. He had an excellent swat near the basket, and offensively, while he shot wasn't rolling he has a quick second leap that allowed him to clean up his own and other's garbage. I think once he gets some game time in, and his fellow teammates give him the confidence to dig into his arsenal, he'll be a really solid player. The downside is we'll have to wait till late December to watch him in that progression - hopefully scrimmages will suffice.

#12 Barry Cheney - The other walk-on Rebel (sophomore) he appears to have improved since last season, and was holding his own. Clearly a pass-first guard, he seemed to have the quickness to penetrate and kick when needed.

#13 Bryce Dejean-Jones - Bryce has been unlucky, as he's broken his hand and hopefully won't miss too much more than the Scarlet and Gray game. Somebody should have told him #13 is an unlucky number. As potentially one of the best offensive weapons the Rebels have this season, too bad he couldn't show off last night but here's to healing quickly.

#11 Carlos Lopez-Sosa - Notice anything different? Lopez added the Sosa to his last name to honor his mother and her hard work - good son. What have we come to expect from Carlos, crafty footwork and tricks - good player. In classic Carlos form, he didn't disappoint, he had an excellent fake and move to the hole, and then showed a lot of range for a 6'11" guy, by stepping out and hitting a 3. A perpetual fan favorite, hopefully Lopez-Sosa will be able to make the most of this year, he deserves it.

#22 Roscoe Smith - We won't have the benefit of Smith's experience this year due to the transfer redshirt, but he showed that he had the veteran skill set to be a difference maker come 2013-14. Solid both offensively and defensively is what I remember, again - so many great players and good stuff to watch that sometimes things blend together. I do remember that as advertised, he was great.

#1 Quintrell Thomas - Q has slimmed down considerably (I'd estimate 15-20 lbs) and is moving much more quickly than the previous seasons. He also managed to stay aggressive, and his 8 foot jumpers were hitting fairly consistently. He's always been a good player, he just needs to hold on to the ball.

#43 Mike Moser - Moser was a little bit of a disappointment  given all of the hype and the NBA ready talk. I've talked with other Rebels fans and we all scratch our heads a bit, because Mike Moser is best when he's being Mike Moser, not trying to be Chace Stanback 2.0. While for a good part of last season he was able to stroke the 3 with remarkable frequency for someone who rebounded like he did (statistical outlier), he was most effective when he was working inside. Conclusion - Kawhi Leonard wasn't drafted because he had a really strong outside shot, he was drafted for being a dirty-work rebounding beast, the outside shooting is bonus points. Moser needs to focus on what made him a sensation last year, and keep the talking heads out of his head about what he needs to do or highlight to make the league. Because Mike wasn't 'being Mike' last night, much like Canada - he faded into the background.

#31 Justin Hawkins - Hawk is spectacular when giving the chance to do what he does best. He picks pockets, he shoots, and he hustles. He did all three last night. Oh, I forgot, he is a hell of a passer too. Some of the more exciting hustle plays last night involved Justin Hawkins. As an energy guy and defensive dynamo, he normally comes off the bench but I think he could effectively be used to keep an opponents star guard from finding his rhythm if used on him man-to-man early.

#3 Anthony Marshall - Unfortunately for Rebels fans, and for Anthony he had hurt his wrist/hand the day before the scrimmage, and could not play. Fortunately, it appears not to be serious (x-rays negative). As a senior who also had volunteered for the dunk contest, you have to feel bad that he's missed out on his final Scarlet and Gray - but we know Anthony, he uses that for motivation and will come out hard when he's cleared to play.


So that's the evaluation from last night. Here are some pictures I took from the dunk contest and game. Enjoy. If I'm able to find a video of the actual game, I'll get that posted (as of now I can't find one anywhere, except of the player intros and dunk competition).

Jelan Kendrick commits, and Scarlet and Gray is on Thursday

Breaking news today, former McDonalds All-American Jelan Kendrick has officially committed to be a UNLV Runnin' Rebel. Highlights and links to other story's will follow, but a little background first.

When Kendrick joins our UNLV squad, it will be next season (2013-14) with newcomers Christian Wood and Dantley Walker. Kendrick, originally from Wheeler High School in Georgia was named to the 2010 McDonalds All-American team, as well as the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic. His roster mates included familiar names such as Cory Joseph and Tristian Thompson (of Findlay Prep), Fab Melo (who landed at Syracuse), Harrison Barnes (UNC), Perry Jones III (Baylor) Kyrie Irving (Duke) Kendall Marshall (UNC) Josh Selby (Kansas) and Jared Sullinger (Ohio State). As a connection to a current UNLV Runnin' Rebel, he was teammates with Roscoe Smith on the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic team.

Kendrick is a 6'7" forward who has been known to rock the rim. It's hard to judge where his skill set is right now given that he has effectively removed himself from basketball for the past two years for numerous reasons: multiple problems during his limited tenure at both Memphis, and then Ole Miss. Judging Kendrick purely on where he was coming out of high school, he was one of the best 2010 prospects.

Concerning eligibility and where he'll be in the short-term, it appears that Kendrick will honor a commitment to play for Indian Hills Community College in Iowa this season, then immediately be eligible next season for the Runnin' Rebels.

The overall consensus is that UNLV and its new coaching staff are doing more than going back to the Runnin' ways of the past. They are now recruiting at a high level, and from a page from Tarkanian's book, giving troubled players another chance to prove and better themselves, while UNLV benefits. The irony of of rehabilitating troubled players is that it happens in Sin City :). Getting Kendrick is smart because he certainly has the talent, says he's matured (time will tell) and a replacement will be needed to fill the void created when Mike Moser is gone. Now, the roster has several capable guys who can step into that role and compete for those minutes.

Here are the videos of highlights of Jenan Kendrick, hopefully we'll see this much and more in the 2013-14 season.

Before you salivate -- please remember to attend the Scarlet and Gray scrimmage at the Thomas and Mack on Thursday, October 18. Its free, so financially its a better value than the dollar menu at your favorite fast food restaurant. See this post for all the details.

CBS Sports
Rant Sports
LV Sun

Coach Rice Appearance & Discount Tickets

CAPRIOTTI’S AND UNLV OFFER SAVINGS ON REBELS BASKETBALL TICKETS

Spend $10 Or More To Receive A Voucher For $5 Off Each Ticket For Up To Four People

LAS VEGAS (October 4, 2012) – Continuing Capriotti's Sandwich Shop and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ partnership to offer local families great deals on and off the court, basketball fans can now receive $5 off of select basketball tickets throughout the season. Starting October 14^th, with a purchase of $10 or more, UNLV fans will receive a voucher for a $5 discount per ticket for up to four tickets this basketball season at participating Capriotti’s locations.

This basketball season, families can save on tickets while enjoying Capriotti’s award-winning subs.  With a purchase of $10 or more, families will receive a voucher for $5 off of up to four tickets for the home-opener game against Northern Arizona (11/12), UC Irvine (11/28) and Northern Iowa (12/19) games. To kick off the season, UNLV basketball coach, Dave Rice will be making an appearance on Saturday, October 20^th at the Paradise and Harmon Capriotti’s near UNLV for photos, autographs and family fun to help raise money for the Clark County School District. Coach Rice and Hey Reb will be at the Paradise location from 11AM to 12PM.  The first 10 fans in line to meet Coach Rice will receive a free 9” sub.

“Capriotti’s is looking forward to another successful season of Rebel basketball and cannot wait to share great deals on tickets and our delicious, freshly made subs with Vegas families,” said Ashley Morris, CEO of Capriotti’s and proud UNLV Alum. “The season is right around the corner so we encourage families to hurry in to Capriotti’s and grab their vouchers while supplies last!”

Limit one voucher per order. Ticket vouchers must be redeemed and tickets purchased at the UNLV Ticket Office at least 48 hours prior to tip-off.  Seats will be sold on a first come, first served basis, while supplies last.  UNLV basketball tickets go on sale October 23^rd. For a list of participating stores, please visit www.capriottis.com/unlv. To meet Coach Rice visit Capriotti’s at 4480 Paradise Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89169. For general information, franchising or catering, please visit www.capriottis.com.

About Capriotti’s Sandwich Company

Founded in 1976, Capriotti’s Sandwich Company is a multiple award-winning specialty sandwich retailer with more than 80 company-owned and franchise locations in twelve states across the U.S. including: Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Nevada. With a reputation for gourmet taste, Capriotti’s prides itself on using the freshest ingredients in order to provide customers with a taste of home in every bite. Their signature sandwich, the Bobbie®, was voted “The Greatest Sandwich in America” by thousands of readers across the country and reported by AOL.com. For more information, visit www.capriottis.com.

Injury report: Bryce Dejean-Jones breaks hand during practice

Bryce Dejean-Jones will miss this year's Scarlet and Gray game, but hopefully not too much more. 

Unfortunate news, likely starting shooting-guard Bryce Dejean-Jones (transfer from USC) has broken his non-shooting hand, is in a cast, and is projected to be out 4 to 6 weeks. For accounts from news media and the athletic department, click here: LVRJ, LVSUN, UNLV Athletics. 

What this means is that Savon Goodman, Justin Hawkins, or perhaps Katin Reinhardt will get more opportunity to be the shooting guard till Bryce is back to full speed. This also means that if you were hoping to see Bryce dominate during the Scarlet and Gray, you'll have to watch highlights from last year.

Four to six weeks is not terrible, if that prediction holds true. If four weeks is all it takes to get back, that's before even the first exhibition game. If six weeks is the figure, that puts him returning against Jacksonville State (November 17) or Oregon (November 23). 

The non-shooting hand is still quite important, as it does actually effect one's shot, and passing could be effected as well. Because its just the hand, he should still be able to keep up with conditioning through cardio, and study the playbook. 

Provided Bryce Dejean-Jones' injury does not go much beyond the Oregon game, I don't see any reason to change my predictions for that stretch of games. This year's Runnin' Rebels are far too talented at every position to be hampered by the loss of one player. Hopefully he comes back better-than-ever.