Chris Clemons is a name that continues to get more recognition throughout the country and deservedly so. He is leading the NCAA in scoring at 30.1 points a game and doing it with style.
Clemons is a senior and was able to eclipse 3000 points earlier this year. He’ll be finishing up his collegiate career very soon and will begin searching for his next home where he’ll be playing professional ball.
He has his last home game for the Campbell Fighting Camels on Saturday against Big South conference leader Radford. Chris Clemons sat down with our writer, Cameron Carter here at Basketball Society to talk about the success of Campbell, his potential at the next level, and how he continues to improve his overall game.
Cam Carter: For Campbell to succeed in the Conference tournament what must happen?
Chris Clemons: We just have to be playing at our best all around as a team for sure.
Carter: As a player that is perceived as an undersized professional scorer, what adjustments have you made throughout your years in college to adapt to being able to score at an incomparable rate?
Clemons: Continued to add to my shooting package, improvements on ball handling, and continuing to work on various reads of defenses to know exactly where my shots will be.
Carter: There are the Isaiah Thomas’s of the world that have succeeded at the next level. I know people don’t know the potential you possess as a playmaker because of the level you score at. What do you think the most underrated part of your game is?
Clemons: Most underrated would probably be my ability to pass. I often don’t display that part or it gets overshadowed by scoring.
Carter: How did you feel when you noticed that scoring 3000 points was a realistic feat?What was your first thought or did you just keep playing and not get distracted by it?
Clemons: I was just trying to keep playing. I think it’s best to play the game organic without having more pressure than a game already brings.
Carter: Coming into the season, what was the biggest skill/attribute/quality in your game you wanted to improve on for the remainder of the season to show NBA scouts that you can adapt and play well at the next level?
Clemons: I just wanted to progress my second level of scoring in the mid range area. An area I knew I would need to have at the next level that needed some improvements.
Carter: What have you enjoyed the most in your career outside of basketball at Campbell?
Clemons: The thing I have enjoyed most was being able to be a positive role model to so many kids that I was able to personally meet and talk to.
Carter: What’s the most important quality you’ve taken away from the basketball program while being coached by Kevin McGeehan?
Clemons: The most important quality is how to to be a constant leader and constantly being vocal on and off the court.
Carter: March 13th against Hampton when you scored 48 points, what had you so locked in, in that close game? How were you able to get to the line over 20+ times?
Clemons: Nothing special. Just how the game was going. I took advantage of the way the officials were calling the game and got to the line on numerous occasions.
Carter: At the end of the year, everybody wants to win the championship, but do you have any other personal goals as well?
Clemons: The tournament fits into my personal goal. That’s really all that’s left.
Carter: How frustrating can it be that while you averaged 18+ your freshman year and now 30+ your senior year, there are still doubters that say your game can’t translate to the next level?
Clemons: Not frustrating me at all. I’m not focused on people’s negative opinions of me. What they think is what they think.
We want to thank Chris for sitting down with us once again to discuss his incredible career to date and his future in professional basketball. He is a terrific player and person any NBA team would love to have on their roster.
If you don’t know about him, now you know.
