Stephon Lamar

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s basketball team has grown fond of recruiting California-born products over the past five seasons. At least the feeling is mutual, as Stephon Lamar, this season’s most recent addition, is growing fond of playing for the Huskies.

Hailing from San Diego, Cali., the six-foot-tall point guard has been endlessly compared to Jamelle Barrett and Showron Glover, former Huskies point guards who were also born in the sunshine state. Lamar is determined to make his own mark on the Huskies squad, though, and has already begun to do so.

After four games with the Dogs, the starting point guard has averaged 25 points per game, including a 40-point performance against the Regina Cougars on Nov. 3.

The arts and science student is in his third year of university sport eligibility after having spent one year playing with the NCAA Division I University of the Pacific Tigers in Stockton, Calif. and another basketball season at San Diego City College.

Despite the cliché, Lamar lives by the mantra of eat, sleep and breathe basketball.

“When I’m not at the gym practicing, most of the time you can catch me at the gym practicing,” Lamar joked.

“I love to work out and work on my game, I come to the gym and work on ball handling and shooting.”

When he finally does get off the court, Lamar is often catching up on the latest news regarding his favourite NBA team, the Los Angeles Lakers.

“My favourite active player is Kobe [Bryant]. He has the best footwork and skills and he is clutch too,” Lamar said.

He quickly noted, however, that his favourite all-time player is undoubtedly Michael Jordan.

“When Jordan retired I was seven,” Lamar said. “I started playing organized ball when I was three, so I for sure remember watching Jordan play when I was young.”

Like most basketball players, Lamar has a closet full of shoes, including Michael Jordan’s signature line, Air Jordans.

“I have four pairs of basketball shoes but I’m really a big sneaker guy,” Lamar said.

“I only have about 10 pairs of sneakers here [in Saskatoon] but I might go home in the winter and come back with a whole different 10 pairs.”

Lamar was raised by his grandmother in Phoenix, Ariz. for most of the first 11 years of his life. He then returned to San Diego, where he was born.

Coming to Saskatoon was the basketball prodigy’s first trip to Canada.

“It’s weird being a foreign guy, but everyone is nice and it’s been a very easy transition.”

He admits the hardest part of the transition has come recently with the change of seasons. Winter in Saskatoon is much colder than he has ever felt before.

“Cold isn’t the word for myself. This is freezing.

“There are no words to describe it. I tried to tell my cousins back home that it’s cold, but you have to come here and experience it to know what cold is,” Lamar laughed.

The weather even affects Lamar’s mood.

“When people walk by me and ask ‘How are you doing?’ now, my first response is ‘I’m cold.’ ”

Lamar says his teammates have warned him that the weather will get even colder in the months to come, so he is preparing himself to brave the elements.

“I have a jacket and gloves already and I know every single tunnel around this school.”

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Photo: Raisa Pezderic/The Sheaf