Meet Basketball Player Cutie: Sanjay Lumpkin

Name:  Sanjay Lumpkin

Home: Minnesota

Major: Undecided

Year: Freshman

Relationship status: Single

Sport and position:  Basketball; shooting guard and small forward

Birthday: Apr. 29, 1994

How long have you been playing basketball for?

I started playing in fourth grade and I have been playing ever since.  My stepdad got me started; he played in the NBA. I played a lot of sports growing up and I just liked basketball so I kept playing…my stepdad [Jim Petersen] played for the Houston Rockets, the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors.  My dad, Sean, played in the NFL; he played for the New Orleans Saints.

Did your stepdad and dad’s careers in sports influence you growing up?

I’ve grown up around sports of all kinds and I have always wanted to be like my dad and my stepdad.  They both played college sports and made it to the pros and told me that with hard work anything is possible, so I just try to do what they did and maybe one day I’ll be as successful as them.

Do you want to play professionally?

I would want to play pro in the future if the opportunity presents itself but I want to just focus on college right now and have the best college career I can while I’m here.

What do you like about playing?

I just like the competition.  I’ve played against really good guys and the competition playing here at a Big Ten school is even better. 

What other sports have you played?

I played golf, and I still do play golf.  I played baseball and hockey but I quit those to focus more on golf and basketball, and then I had to focus on one for college so I chose basketball.

How has it been playing on the Northwestern team?

I haven’t played that much in college because I’ve been sick and now I broke my wrist.  I’ve played in six or seven games but I had mono so I missed like 10 games because of that and it took me a while to come back.  Then the day we got back from our break I hurt my wrist.  So far I like it a lot though; my teammates and coach have been great and it’s been everything I’ve expected.

What’s your favorite part of being on the team?

I like being a part of the group of seniors that are already here and everyone else on the team.  They have really taken me in and I’ve loved them since I first came here; I’d do anything for them.  Everyone gets along and there’s not really cliques on our team, we’re just one big family.  We’re together all the time so that’s who I hang out with most of the time and I do everything with them; we practice, eat and travel together.  We go on road trips and stay in hotels so there’s a lot of time to hang out and bond.

What’s your favorite game the team has played?

I would say so far my favorite game was beating Minnesota.  It was a great game; we played really well and it was fun to beat Minnesota since I’m from there. I didn’t play though because I was hurt.  The Stanford game was also a good game and I played in it.  We lost, but when I was choosing my school it was between here and Stanford so I got to see people there that I knew.

What do you do at practice now that you’re injured?

I go to all the practices…I ride the stationary bike and I do a lot of running with our trainer.  I’m just trying to stay in shape.

Describe your personality.

I would say I’m pretty funny and pretty goofy.  I’m a nice guy and open to talk to anybody; I can have a conversation with anyone.

What are your pet peeves?

I hate when people are eating their food and they chew with their mouth open and I can hear them smacking their gums and chewing their food.

What’s your favorite type of music?

I like rap, and I like pop and R&B.  The only kind of music I don’t really listen to is country.

Who is your favorite basketball player and why?

Brandon Roy, he played for the Trail Blazers and just signed with Minnesota.  I can see myself trying to do what he does.  He’s an all around player, a great scorer, shooter…he does everything really well.  I’ve always looked up to him and I love how he plays.

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