Small Forward, Big Impact

Name: Timothy Lee

Grade: Sophomore 

Height: 5’11”

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Brown

Date of Birth: September 28, 2009

When and how did you start playing basketball?

My teammate Gavin Cheng introduced me to it in first grade. 

What position do you play, how did you end up there, and what specific skills/strengths are required?

Ever since I was a little kid, I used to be really tall for my age, and I would play the center position. But when I got into Stuyvesant, people were taller than me, so now I play the small forward position. As a small forward, you’re basically playing a big guy and a small guy at the same time, so you have to be good at everything, kind of: a center has to stay down low on the court and play as a big man, getting a lot of rebounds; a guard has to be fast, play at the top a little, and be able to shoot; a small forward is basically those two combined. 

What is your jersey number, and what made you choose that number?

I’m number 11. I always wanted to be number 11. My freshman year my coach gave us a bunch of jerseys and they already had a bunch of numbers on them. I saw 11 and said, “Oh, I’ll choose 11.” The two ones… it’s kind of corny, but it means equality. The two players, me and the person I’m playing against, are equal on the court. That’s why I chose 11.

What did a typical practice look like?

Our coach, Coach Barbin, makes us warm up. We do full-court warm-up drills. After that we run; we hate running, but we do run. Then, we do technical drills, work on our plays, and other things. Usually, at the end of practice we scrim.  

What is your favorite Rebels memory?

It happened a couple weeks ago: I dropped 26 points against Chelsea. That’s the highest I’ve ever dropped, so it was pretty fun. 

In your opinion, what are the best and worst parts about basketball?

The best part is winning and being the best out of everybody. This year we’re pretty good, so that’s pretty good. The worst part is the amount of competition there is. It’s a very popular sport, so there are a lot of people that are way better—maybe my age or even younger.

Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

It’s not a ritual or anything, but they usually have a timer before the game starts. When it hits two minutes, I sit down on the bench and meditate. It helps me relax. 

What is something that you have overcome or are working to improve as a basketball player? 

There are always things I can improve. I can improve on my shooting and my handling. I’m trying to work on my hard work. In the off-season, I just don’t want to play or I have a lot of work, so I have to find time for basketball. 

What are your plans with basketball now that the school season is over? Is Varsity a goal?

After the season, the varsity coach usually lets JV and varsity meet twice a week and we do weightlifting, so I’m probably going to do that. In the summer, I do a lot of tournaments with the varsity coach. Hopefully, I'll do that and I'll practice outside because, during the summer, it's pretty hot. I want to start on varsity next year, hopefully. 

Has being captain changed your outlook on basketball? What did the role entail?

Being captain hasn’t really done much. To be honest, the other captain, Brendan Tan, does way more than I do. It doesn’t make me higher than anyone else, but on the court, I tend to be a leader. I talk the most, and I just try to help people out. 

Fun Questions:

Funniest Teammate: Odin Boughal 

Favorite Basketball Team/Player: New York Knicks and Jared McCain

Favorite Basketball Shoe: Kobe 6 Protro Reverse Grinch 

Favorite Sports Drink: Cool Blue Gatorade 

Favorite PostGame Meal/Snack: Shake Shack with friends or whatever my mom makes 

Playing on Full or Light Stomach: Light Stomach 

Hobbies: Chess, math, watching Netflix, playing video games 

If You Could Play Any Other Sport: Track

Motto to Live By: Obsession beats talent 

Fun Fact: My freshman year, the day of my tryouts, I couldn't get out of my bed because my back was injured. It was really bad, and I couldn’t move. So, I just stayed in my bed and didn’t go to tryouts that day. I didn’t let coach know because I didn’t know how to contact him. When I came back to school, I ended up being cut from JV. I basically begged Coach Barbin, and he let me try out again.