Athlete of the week | Maarty Leunen

Media Credit: Conner Jay

Oregon Daily Emerald: How special was it having your jersey retired at your high school?

Maarty Leunen: It's a great honor to be the first person to have their jersey retired at Redmond. It was a good opportunity for me to go back, be honored and see all the friends and family that supported me. It's going to be up there forever so no one can take that away from me, so it's kinda cool.

ODE: Was it more emotional than you were expecting? (Leunen choked up during his acceptance speech.)

Leunen: Oh yeah. I didn't think it would be that bad, but once you get around all those people that helped you, supported you, and then when you have to go up there and thank all these people, you start thinking about these great memories you had. It's tough. You're coming to an end of your career. You've gone through high school and you've gone through college and there's only one more step you can go. It's kind of sad.

ODE: So what is the next step for Maarty Leunen once the season is over?

Leunen: Hopefully try to make an NBA team and a have a good, professional career.

ODE: What are you going to do once the season's over? Are you going to stick around?

Leunen: That's still yet to be decided. I know I've got to sign with an agent ... I don't know, kind of see where the wind takes me. Like I said, I'll be working out to make an NBA team.

ODE: Should you not make the NBA, have you given thought to playing international ball?

Leunen: Yeah, for sure. I'm not canceling that out. I want to shoot for the stars and hopefully make the NBA but if not, then I'll go overseas.

ODE: With how you performed in the Pan-Am games, did it seem like you'd be a good fit for that style of play?

Leunen: Oh yeah, without a doubt. I always felt my style was kind of European. You've got skilled players that can do it all and obviously I can shoot the ball pretty well and they like players like that.

ODE: Did you ever think you'd be at the top of the Pac-10 in three-point percentage?

Leunen: I always felt like I could shoot with the best of them but I'm shooting at a really good percentage (this season). I didn't even think I could shoot it that well just because when we get into the Pac-10, the defense turns up a couple of notches. It's a little tougher. You know me, I focus in on taking good shots and so I'm not really going to force anything up. I don't take too many bad shots. They're all particularly open and not too tough, so I'm going to shoot a good percentage.

ODE: Still, for a guy that shoots a lot of threes, you seemed to be the most ... bruised.

Leunen: (Laughs) Oh, I know. It's on the other end of the floor where I get bruised.

ODE: How many of those dings have you endured in your career at Oregon?

Leunen: A lot. I've been lucky enough to not have anything too serious. I know after every game my back's pretty sore or I've got bruises on my arms or something, scratches that I always notice on my back.

ODE: Would those set an Oregon record?

Leunen: Yeah. (Laughs) It might be. I am undersized so when those big guys post me up, they know they can go a little harder just because they can usually throw me out of the way. But, you know, I do my best.

ODE: What's the worst thing you've heard on the road yelled at you?

Leunen: I've got some funny things but I probably couldn't say them. (Laughs) At Washington State, they go '6-foot-9? That's the tallest piece of crap I've ever seen.' (Laughs) That was pretty funny.



Earlier, another reporter asked Leunen if there was anything else he wanted to accomplish at Oregon. Leunen gave it some thought and said "I want to win a national championship. That wouldn't be bad." Then another reporter suggested maybe a triple-double. "A triple-double would be nice, actually," Leunen said. "I've came close a couple of times, so that's my goal: Triple-double."

jmay@dailyemerald.com

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