BearTalk

In our weekly chat with a Cal player, today we meet walk-on transfer . . .

ROBERT THURMAN
Year: Sophomore
Position: Forward
Height: 6-10
Hometown: North Edwards, Calif.

Your five-man Dream Team, including yourself in the lineup: John Stockton, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, myself and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Age when you first dunked: “I was 13, in the seventh grade. Just having fun with my friends, playing outisde. I didn’t even know what was going on. I was shocked that I did it.”

Why you transferred to Cal from Norwich University in Northfield, VT: Basically, I wanted to get exposure. The Division III level, it was all fun and everything but I felt like i could make my skills better.  Staying at Division III I felt like I wouldn’t develop as well.

Best thing about Norwich: I really like the snow and there’s a lot of that. With snow comes cold. That wasn’t so good.

Worst thing about Norwich: It was in the middle of nowhere. There’s nothing to do, no malls, no stores. Nothing.

Name something you’ve seen in Berkeley that you never would see in Northfield, Vermont: Pretty much everything. I would say the biggest thing would probably be like the Campanile. The architecture is definitely something you wouldn’t see that at a little school like mine.

You were born at Camp Pendleton. Talk about growing up a Marine brat: My mom is a retired Marine. I lived all throughout the West Coast.  I’d say on average (we moved) every three years. One time I can remember being in an area for a year, another time like six.

What you expect to contribute to the team next season: Honestly, I want to be that hustle player, the person that dives on the ground for the ball, every once in a while gets one of those dunks that makes the crowd get crazy. Block shots. Mostly a role player.

First thing you said to Max Zhang after your collision with him in practice left him with a collapsed lung: I texted him and asked, `Is everything all right?’ At first, I wasn’t sure what was going on. He was, `Yeah, I’ll be OK. I’m on medication.’ I was like, `Oh, wow.’ I had heardhe got the collapsed lung and I didn’t know if it was from me. But then I remembered our collision in practice. It was a one-on-one drill. I was backing him into him, he moved forward and I went back and put my shoulder into his chest. I felt really bad.

If you could be an Olympic athlete, other than basketball, your sport/event:  I would say like speed skating. That would be pretty fun. Or, what is that one sport (curling) when you’re on ice and you push it . . . I watched it and it was like, `This is stupid.’ And after watching for about a minute and I was like, `This is awesome.’ I got into it instantly.

The sport you refuse to watch: I would say poker. I don’t even know if it’s considered a sport, but it’s on ESPN. I won’t watch it. Either poker or like golf.

Best concert you ever saw: I haven’t been to many. The best one was a few years ago, I saw the All-American Rejects.

Least favorite kind of music: Definitely country.

Best advice you ever got: It was from Ray Allen when he came to my high school. He basically told me to never quit, stay in college and get a degree. That’s like the most power you can get because no one can take it away from you.

Favorite meal your mother cooks: Actually, my mom’s not much of a cook. The best thing my mom makes would probably be like macaroni and cheese with hot dog slices in it.  My dad’s more of the chef . My favorite thing he would make was a taco salad. He would mix in all sorts of things I like and it was pretty good.

Food you will not eat: I  really do not like flan.  It’s really an awkward texture. Slimy and nasty.

Three people in history you’d like to have dinner with: Jesus — I’d want to see what he’d be like. Abraham Lincoln. And what’s that king’s name from the `300?’  King Leonidas.

The smartest guy on the Cal team: Max. He’s a quietly intellectual person.

The funniest: Jerome.

The best athlete: Patrick Christopher.