2K Sports Preseason All-American Team: Ray McCallum Jr.
Words. Jason Jordan
HighSchoolHoop caught up with Detroit Country Day School point guard Ray McCallum Jr., a rising senior rated No. 33 in the HSH top 50, for five quick questions on his impending trip to Douai, France, where he’ll compete in the World Basketball Tournament from June 8-15.
Photo. Detroit News
HighSchoolHoop: How have the practices been going for the tournament?
Ray McCullam Jr.: They’ve been really good. Really competitive. We’ve got some of the top players in the country going to play against some of the top players in the world. I think all of us have a pride about us and we don’t want to have a bad showing so we’re all really focused on winning.
HSH: How did it feel to be selected?
RM: Oh it was a real honor. It’s not everyday that you can go to France. But on top of that you go there to play with some of the top players in your class and compete. I was honored.
HSH: Is this your first time playing against foreign competition?
RM: No. I got a taste of it last summer in Dallas at Adidas Nations. We played European teams.
HSH: What do you hope to gain from the experience?
RM: Well, I want to learn more about how the game is played in different parts of the world. I know that when we played last year the rules were a little different and it’s a real adjustment to change some things on the fly like that. But I know in the end I’m just gonna be a better player for this experience.
HSH: Outside of the basketball part of the trip, what are you looking forward to?
RM: Probably just hanging out with some of the guys. It’s always fun to experience things for the first time with people, and we’ll all be going to France for the first time, I believe. I want to do some sightseeing and stuff like that. I know that it’ll be a fun trip.
Some video of Ray’s handiwork…
[...] Ray McCallum Jr. knows that, coming from a likely lock for the 2010 McDonald’s All-American game, this will come across as disingenuous and rehearsed and, for lack of a better phrase, a bunch of ho… [...]