DJ Steward on Playing Michigan State
Duke freshman guard DJ Steward is getting ready to lead the Blue Devils against Michigan State in Tuesday’s Champions Classic.
Steward has some history with the Spartans. Their coaches recruited him in high school for awhile.
“A little bit,” he said. “They showed a little interest at first. Then they kind of faded away.”
Faded away?
“An assistant coach—I can’t remember the name of the assistant coach,” he said. “I talked to him a little bit. Then, I don’t know what happened. I can’t even remember—my junior year, I think—they came onto me, then went away. But there’s no hard feelings with that. That’s just how it goes with the recruitment.”
The Blue Devils have been preparing for a tough, physical Michigan State team.
“As a whole, and for me, it’s using my quickness, using our quickness as a team,” he said. “Play faster than them. Be ready for anything and play through it. The practice we had was a pretty rough and tough practice. We beat up on each other and played physically to be ready for Michigan State. I think we’re pretty much ready for that.”
The game will be Duke’s first appearance on ESPN, which is usually a milestone for a college freshman.
“It’s pretty much another game to me,” Steward said. “To go out there and battle with my teammates. It’ll be a tough game. We all just have to be ready to compete. We’ve been waiting for this moment a long time. You never know when our last game will be.”
