Interview with Justin Steers, Forward for Coppin State University

Justin Steers found a home during his freshman year at Coppin State as he received a spot on the "All MEAC Rookie Team". After his impressive freshman year, Steers was held out last year due to personal reasons. This past year was a season Steers needed to help himself grow as a player, but a person as well. In my interview with Justin he dives into what to expect from him this season and the rest of the Coppin State basketball program.

Q: “Hey Justin, thanks for taking the time for this interview. How has your quarantine been going in terms of still finding the way to lift, condition, and get in the gym to work on your game?”

A: “Hey, appreciate you reaching out for sure. Being on lockdown and going through this different way of living has been tough for me. Not being able to do much just has me on edge to get back. My strength coach (coach Chris Hays) has been keeping us active through the “TeamBuildr” phone application while we are quarantined at home. Other than that I’ve been doing tons of push-ups and sit-ups to stay in shape.”

Q: “Coming out of the Philadelphia area, you had the opportunity to play and practice with some of the best players in the nation through playing AAU with “Philly Pride”. How do you feel like that experience has helped in your transition to the college game?”

A: ”Being from Philly I already feel like I have the edge on everybody else because of my heart. The experience you get from playing with Philly Pride is second to none! I’ve had great coaches during my two summers with the program, Leon Dales, Sean Colson, and Kenny Jackson. They played a huge role in my development making sure I was ready for the division one level. When it comes to Philly high school hoops you have to be tough. Talent is all over the city and playing throughout the city for four years is the reason I have tough skin and a big heart. My transition to college on the court was easy because when you have heart nobody can get over you and I took that mentality and ran with it. I knew what I was capable of out of high school and the people around me knew that too, so just me being confident and having confident people around me made my transition 10x easier to deal with.”

Q: “In your freshman year you garnered honors to the “MEAC All-Rookie Team”. Can you go into what made your jump from high school to college so seamless, and what allowed you to play at such a high level?”

A: “Like I said in the previous question I had coaches around me take my game from one level to another. Being a late bloomer and hopping onto the AAU scene for the first time, my last 2 years of high school was the best thing I could’ve done. My game wasn’t there, I wasn’t ready for college. I gained so much confidence playing on the UAA circuit, and I spent countless hours that nobody saw working on my game. My transition to college was easy because I was prepared thanks to my AAU and high school coaches.”

Q: “After a solid freshman campaign, you had to sit out this past season due to being ineligible. What did you learn in this past year off, and how do you feel like that is going to help you grow not only as a player, but a person as well?”

A: “Sitting out this past season was by far the worst thing to happen to me since I started playing basketball. I had to learn it was a blessing in disguise at the same time, and I had a lot of maturing to do and during this time off I had great people around me making sure I was getting better at my flaws. I was fortunate enough to get back to where I started my freshman year and I'm ready to make a huge impact on this team.”

Q: “At 6’7, with great length, and superb athleticism, you have defensive potential to be one of the premier players on that end of the floor in the MEAC. What do you think you need to do in order to fulfill that potential?”

A: “In my opinion, as a freshman I felt like I was the best defensive player in the MEAC. What separates me on that end of the floor is my heart and passion to get a stop. The number one thing I worked on is not having defensive lapses. You can’t take plays off on defense, so just taking that mindset into next season, I believe I’ll be recognized for being the best defensive player in the MEAC.”

Q: “Going into your second season as a college player, what are you looking to do from a personal goals standpoint?”

A: “Going into my second season as a player, my only personal goal is to be the best teammate and player I can be for Coppin State. All my goals are pretty much based around team success.”

Q: “Your style of play is that of a high energy, athletic, slashing forward. How do you think your game has the potential to translate to the next level and what do you need to improve on to get there?”

A: “I think my game can translate well going into the next level and there are aspects of my game that haven’t been showcased yet that I feel like will translate as well. I need to improve my jumper, ball handling, and pace if I want to take my game to the highest level.”

Q: “Can you describe what it is like playing for coach Juan Dixon, who is an all time great college player that played at University of Maryland? Do you feel like he is the right guy to get the program headed in a positive direction after some down years?”

A: ”Playing under coach Juan Dixon isn’t easy. He coaches you hard and holds you accountable as a person off the court and as a player. I never heard of Juan Dixon before Coppin State, but I can see what all the hype is about because he still runs with us during practice and he’s still a lights out shooter. Coach Dixon has improved records every season since accepting his job. So I do believe we have the right coaching staff to push this program over the hump.”

Q: “What do you feel like the outlook of the team is heading into the 2020-2021 season in regards to competing for a MEAC Championship?”

A: “We have been a few pieces away each year and this upcoming season we have an amazing class coming in that I’m very excited and confident about, along with the three players who sat out last season including myself. I feel like we are the best team in the MEAC and have a great chance in winning the conference.”

Q: “Last question here Justin. Thanks for taking the time to talk to the Beef Up Front. With that being said, playing at Coppin State, located in Baltimore, is comparable to playing in a basketball crazy city like Philadelphia. How are the fans down there compared to back home, and do you think they are excited about the future of Coppin State basketball?”

A: ”Can’t compare Philly hoops to any other city in the country, but playing in Baltimore wasn’t a different experience for me, as I was definitely used to an atmosphere like that. Also there is a big class coming in like I said which has the city buzzing right now so our local fans are excited for sure.”