Cardinal Character: Gabe Gonzalez-Kreisberg ’09

“G-G-K, G-G-K, G-G-K!” If you have ever attended a Wesleyan men’s basketball game, you have will certainly heard these cheers reverberating off the bleachers in Silloway Gymnasium. This reporter had the good fortune of learning more about the man behind the nickname, the three point balls and consistent non-existent trash talk on the court.

NZG: First things first, what’s your shot at the playoffs? What are your thoughts on the playoff beard?

GGK: We have to beat Bowdoin and we have a chance. If we win both, we’re in. Playoff beards have been discussed, but we thought it was more of a hockey thing–plus I rock the beard all the time. So, you know…

NZG: What do you think when you hear G-G-K chanted in Silloway Gymnasium?

GGK: It pumps me up. I think I can pull up for 6 threes and wet all 6.

NZG: Who would you compare yourself to in the NBA?

GGK: I’ve been compared to Big Z [Zydrunas Ilgauskas] in the past. Some call my game soft but I prefer to say that I have good outside touch.

NZG: Is there ever going to be a Wesleyan team slam dunk competition or three point competition? And which one would you enter?

GGK: I’ll come out of retirement for a three point contest. Jason Mendell ’12 would give me a run but I beat him in practice. Plus he’s a freshman and I certainly don’t lose to kids born in the 90’s.

NZG: How many games have you fouled out of?

GGK: (laughing) Oh man I can’t even count them. Neil Creeden [’11] is the only one who really calls me dirty. He thinks I take artistic license with the use of my over-sized elbows. But I just return what I get, you know?

NZG: Do you talk trash on the court?

GGK: Only after I dunk on someone, which doesn’t happen too often–well, never.

NZG: Who is the team clown?

GGK: Stan Grayson ’09. He thinks his nickname is “Big Daddy” Stan. Occasionally our coach calls him that but only when he writes nicknames on the scouts. He likes to think that we all call him that, but no one can make up their own nickname…

NZG: With the loss of Jeremy Kaminer ’10, I see big man Stan Grayson ’09 dribble the ball up the court, which seems a little unconventional. Has Coach [Reilly] ever given you that responsibility?

GGK: I think not given the distance between my hand and the floor–and my relative lack of skill when it comes to ball handling.

NZG: How do you like your new coach?

GGK: Coach Reilly is the man.

NZG: How much does trainer Ken Dompier mean to your success?

GGK: I have to say Ken has to be the winning-most trainer at Wes. What makes him so good is that he has the ability to help me out with my female problems but is also able to help me out with my injuries on the court. You can always count on him for a fist pump or two on the court. We wouldn’t succeed without him.

NZG: What did your parents feed you when you were a kid to help you grow so tall?

GGK: The same stuff that A-Roid was abusing from ’01-’03, and I’d have a muscle milk on the side.

NZG: Pretty standard, who’s your favorite professional player?

GGK: I’m a Celtics fan but my favorite player is Shaq.

NZG: What do you think of Shaq as a hip-hop star?

GGK: Loved his first CD but his new stuff just has a little too much emotion.

NZG: Shouldn’t big men be allowed to show emotion?

GGK: We don’t.

NZG: What was the locker room like after the Amherst win earlier this year?

GGK: Ecstatic, after the game we went to the ever-classy Athenian Diner and stuffed our faces–spending much more than our 10 dollar a day winter break allowance.

NZG: How does a guy of your size get by on 10 bucks a day?

GGK: My mom makes me food and brings it to me. I still have some in the freezer. My parents come to most games. My dad got kicked out of one game when I was in high school but I made sure he toned it down now that I’m a grown man.

NZG: What does the team do after big wins?

GGK: We all jump around yelling in the shower because it has the best acoustics, then Coach gets in the middle and jumps around with us, then we break it down.

NZG: What does break it down mean?

GGK: It usually involves our coach yelling “Cardinal!” and we say “Pride!” in response.

NZG: I see you’re leading the team in blocks…

GGK: I’m leading the team in blocks but I’m trying to up my steal game. I’ve been looking to Stan for help but I’m not as quick as him so I’ve been trying to do it my own way. That usually is me hacking someone and just not getting called (laughs).

NZG: How many charges have you taken this year?

GGK: One vs. Amherst, but I have like five attempts and failures. When I try to take a charge it usually ends up with the gym crew moping the floor because I get it all wet.

NZG: How many times have you dived to get a loose ball?

GGK: (confidently) Actually I lead the team in that statistic. I like to sacrifice my body for the team–against Tufts I managed to take down about four of their players on the bench diving for a ball. But then again, that makes sense because I’m not known for my daintiness.

NZG: I noticed you’re the commissioner of intramural basketball. Why is it that you can’t stop laughing when you watch my team (X House) play?

GGK: (laughs) I just can’t understand why you couldn’t ride the Russ Follansbee (’09)-Nate Green (’09) combo all the way to the championship. Especially with Jeff’s ball handling and Spike’s shooting. In retrospect maybe it was the refs’ fault. That, or the fact that you never seem to show up completely sober…

NZG: What is something the campus doesn’t know about you that you’d like to share?

GGK: I have a turtle named Yoshi. Jason and I were bored over break and decided to get a pet. We named him Yoshi because we spent so much time over winter break playing Mario Party and Mario Kart on 64, it just seemed to fit.