Meet Anton Grady
Height: 6’8”
Weight: 225
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
High School: Cleveland Central Catholic
Position: Forward
2013-14 Season (Sophomore)
- Named Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League.
2012-13 Season (Redshirt)
-Selected Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League.
-Received a medical redshirt after tearing his meniscus on Nov. 20 at Robert Morris.
-Averaged 13.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in his six games of action.
2011-12 Season (Freshman)
-Named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer team after ranking fifth in the League in blocked shots (1.4), sixth in rebounding (6.4), seventh in defensive rebounds (4.5) and eighth in offensive rebounds (1.9).
-As the team’s six man, averaged 8.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots in 21.2 minutes per game.
-Ranked sixth in the League in field goal percentage, shooting .533 (112-210).
-Scored 12 points with eight rebounds and four blocked shots vs. Wright State (2/25/12).
-Career-high 23 points with eight boards at Green Bay (2/21/12), making 10-of-15 from the field.
How excited are you to get back out on the court after watching much of the 2012-2013 season from the sideline?
Very excited. I really can’t wait. Couple of more weeks it’s going to start. The rehab was tough and it was a long process but in a couple more weeks it’s going to be over.
Prior to your freshman season you tore you other meniscus. At this moment, where would you describe your health?
I feel that this is the best I’ve felt in a long time. Both my knees feel good and I feel I have great strength in both my knees.
You grew up in Cleveland, was Cleveland State a team you grew up routing for?
The relationship with Cleveland State is Coach Waters and Earl Boykins [Water's coached Anton's uncle Earl Boykins when he was an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan]. Earl and Coach having a past was a huge factor. If Coach Waters wasn’t here, I probably wouldn’t be here. Earl never demanded where I go to college, he put the ball in my court and said to look at different schools and said it was on me to communicate with him on how I felt with all the schools.
During the 2011-12 season you were named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer team after averaging 8.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 block shots per game. How do you look to build upon that season after sitting out much of last year with an injury?
It’s just getting back in the groove of playing basketball and understanding and knowing what I can do on the court and just going out there and performing. I really worked on shooting the ball and I feel that my jump shot has improved a lot and I think Coach can attest to that.
Cleveland State last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2009. The Vikings were picked to finish third in the Horizon League Preseason Poll. What’s it going to take to get Cleveland State back to the NCAA Tournament?
That’s a good question, hard work. I feel that this summer we had a lot of guys that put in a lot of work in the gym and I feel that it’s a start and that’s something we got going for us.
You were recently selected Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League for the second year in a row. Is that something you are satisfied with?
No. Never. Horizon League Player of the Year is something I’m striving for.
Cleveland State also had sophomore guard Bryn Fobes selected Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League. What’s the goal for the Vikings this season?
We plan on winning the Horizon League. These are predictions right now. I take the predictions as somewhat of a disrespect; but I put a chip on my shoulder. At the same time I think I didn’t play much last year so people are going to have their doubts. But it’s something [Viking's preseason prediction of third-place in the Horizon League] I can take back to my teammates and bring them the negative news. It’s going to make everybody mad about the news.
What’s your favorite thing to do off the court?
Rap battles. URL [Ultimate Rap League] is a good one.
Where’s the best place in the Cleveland area to go out to dinner?
Wasabi’s. We [basketball team] love going there. It’s a hibachi restaurant that you go and they cook the food right in front of you. Me and my teammates try to stay consistent. If you have a girlfriend and try to take her out once a month this is the restaurant. Wasabi Special is what I go with; you get lobster, scallops, shrimp, chicken, fired rice, noodles and I add some chicken in that.
Who’s a player you feel you model your game off?
KG [Kevin Durant] and Kobe Bryant. I love the intensity and fire that they play with. Every time I see them play I’m like, man they take so much passion in what they do.
Tags: Cleveland State - Men's Basketball
