By Bill Martin
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Back in September of 2007 La Salle received a verbal commitment from 2009 prospect Nurideen Lindsey, out of Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, PA.  CAA Insider recently caught up with Nurideen for a Q & A session.

CAA Insider: First off, let me congratulate you on your commitment to La Salle. 

Nurideen Lindsey: Thanks.

CAA Insider: You committed to La Salle before your junior season of high school basketball even started.  How did you know La Salle was the right place for you, that early in your high school career?

Nurideen Lindsey: Me and Ash Howard had a real close relationship off of the basketball court, before they were recruiting me.  So after I found out they were recruiting me it wasn’t that hard of a decision to make, and it’s not far from home.

CAA Insider: What other schools were recruiting you, before you committed to La Salle?

Nurideen Lindsey: Other then La Salle I had, Boston College, St. Joe’s, Virginia, Virginia Tech, etc.
 
CAA Insider: Which of these schools did you have offers from?

Nurideen Lindsey: From my understanding all of them.

CAA Insider: When did the La Salle coaching staff first see you play and when did they really start recruiting you hard?

Nurideen Lindsey: Ash Howard first saw me play when I was 14 years old in an Unlimited Rec. League.  I’m not sure if they were recruiting me at that time, but after that me and Ash grew far our friendship.  Around my 9th grade year I started seeing Ash at some of my games.  Then during my sophomore year Coach G. (Giannini) started attending a couple of my games, so I kind of figured that's where the recruiting started.

CAA Insider: What role do you see yourself playing in your first year at La Salle?

Nurideen Lindsey: Whatever role I have to play to improve my team.  If it’s being a great defender then working hard to be a better defender is what I’ll get done.  Hopefully it's something to improve the team.

CAA Insider: What are the strengths of your game? 

Nurideen Lindsey: I have one main strength, and that’s getting the ball in the bucket...

CAA Insider: What areas of your game do you need to work on the most?    

Nurideen Lindsey: The areas that I’ve been improving in all summer are defense, being a better teammate, and trying to be a point guard.  I’m only 6'-2" right now so from the looks of things I’m going to be a point guard in school.  So I’ve just been trying real hard to learn how to do the things that I didn’t know how to do that could improve my game and make my job a little more easier.

CAA Insider: What was the best game you have ever played in your basketball career, at any level?

Nurideen Lindsey: The best game I ever played was when I was 14 years old.  It was a Rec. League and it was 17 and under.  I was the youngest guy on the team and it was the championship.  It was the last game my oldest brother that I lost later that year from being shot saw me play.  There was 8.8 seconds left and we were down 2.  I was nervous cause I had never been in this situation before and the shot was drew up for me to take.  I got the ball at half court and the time got to like 6 seconds.  I got stripped but I got the ball back at half court and just threw up a prayer from half court and made it.  It was unbelievable.  Probably the highlight of my life.

CAA Insider:  What NBA player, past or present, does your game most resemble?

Nurideen Lindsey: A lot of people say I play like Kobe Bryant (laughs).  Me personally, I don’t think I can possibly play like the best player in the world.  But everywhere I go I give the same impression to people.  Even people that never saw me play and never heard nobody say that I play like Kobe.

CAA Insider:  Who has had the greatest influence on your basketball career?

Nurideen Lindsey: Rodney Wescott.  A guy named Shawn Harvey introduced me to Rodney around the time my brother got killed and I was ready to just give everything up.  Shawn told me that Rodney would take care of me as far as basketball but he has been more then a coach to me.  I’m very blessed to have a guy like Rodney willing to take me and look at me as if I was his own son, and I thank Rod for that.

CAA Insider: Who is best player you’ve had to guard?

Nurideen Lindsey: Lance Stephenson.

CAA Insider: How did you do with that match up?

Nurideen Lindsey: I played against Lance when I was in the 8th grade at the Right Bounce All-Star game in New York, and he was the #1 player in the country at this time.  I was about 5'8 at this time and he was the same size (6’-5”) as he is now (laughs).  He scored 38pts I think (laughs).  I took that personal though.  I recently ran into him again this past July in Vegas and I was guarding him.  He scored 18 this time and we beat them, so I think I played him pretty good this time (laughs).

CAA Insider: Do you know what you are going to major in at La Salle?

Nurideen Lindsey: I haven't made my decision on what to major in yet.  Me and my mom have had talks about it but I’m not sure yet.  Trying to take my time, just to make sure it’s the right thing to major in.  Just incase basketball doesn't work out in the best for me.

CAA Insider: Thank you for your time, and good luck next season.

Nurideen Lindsey: Anytime, thank you for taking the time to interview me and I cant wait to get to La Salle.  To the La Salle fans and coaching staff I love you guys, cant wait to get there.