The RoundHouse | 10/12/2021 7:40:00 AM
Qua Grant knows how Shocker fans love basketball. He was one of those fans this summer cheering on the AfterShocks at The Basketball Tournament.
"We rushed the court after they won," he said. "All the fans were there and that was pretty cool."
Koch Arena basketball in July is a fun novelty for the fans and the current Shockers reveled in the TBT games watching the old guys play. The fans, Grant will learn, hit another level in the winter months. Grant is excited to start his public experience as a Shocker on Tuesday with
Shocker Madness (6 p.m.) at Koch Arena.
He chose Wichita State after a star-studded career at NCAA Division II West Texas A&M because he trusted the coaching staff, liked the team's potential and the atmosphere at games impressed him.
"I've always wanted to play in front of big crowds," he said.
Grant, a 6-foot-1 junior guard, is expected to play a variety of roles for the Shockers. He can play point guard. He can defend and he can play off the ball as a dangerous driver and shooter. Teammates describe him as "serious" about basketball and serious about his role on the team.
"High energy," forward
Dexter Dennis said. "He fits in the Shocker category really, really well. This guy is a worker. I love his approach to the game, to practice."
While Grant prefers "laid-back," he doesn't dispute their perspective.
"You've got to take the game seriously," he said. "We're out here competing and pushing every day to the limit, so it's a serious time for that."
Grant, from DeSoto, Texas, earned NCAA Division II All-America honors twice at West Texas A&M. He averaged 22.4 point, 8.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season and led the Buffaloes to a runner-up finish in the national tournament in March. He made 38.4 percent of his three-pointers and 52.3 percent of his shots.
Those numbers, coaches and teammates say, don't describe his intensity, his tough defense and his positive attitude.
Guard
Tyson Etienne is a frequent opponent in practice for Grant. The matchups force Etienne, last season's Co-Player of the Year in the American Athletic Conference, to use his speed and moves to keep Grant from engaging in close quarters where his strength is an edge. Etienne can't overpower Grant.
"Super-tough and hard-nosed," Etienne said. "He's low to the ground, so he can get under me and he's also strong. It's forcing me to learn how to beat guys a different way. He continues to get me better every day."
Grant isn't always serious around his teammates. He loves to play Madden and loves to talk about the Dallas Cowboys – his favorite NFL team.
"I'm unbeatable in Madden," he said.
While the locker room isn't full of NFL fans, Grant and freshman
Jalen Ricks lead the way with football talk, especially when the Cowboys are winning.
"There's just two of us," Grant said. "We're holding it down. Every time we win, we're talking. They hate us because they say 'Ya'll say you're going to the Super Bowl every year. This is our year. Again.'"
More important to Grant, this is the year for the Shockers.
After deciding to transfer, he sat on Zoom calls and liked how Wichita State coaches described the program and his role in it. He considered the appeal of playing a different role than he did at West Texas A&M and relying on talented teammates.
He liked that the return of Dennis, Etienne and center
Morris Udeze signaled the potential for success. He liked what he saw and heard about the noise and support in Koch Arena.
West Texas A&M did big things during Grant's time. Now he wants to help the Shockers continue their success and play on a bigger stage.
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.