School: Homewood-Flossmoor, 2000.
Position: Forward.
College: UCLA.
Cummings averaged 18.5 points and 7.4 rebounds in his senior season at Homewood-Flossmoor and was a two-time player of the year in the SICA East. He has a 9.7-point average at UCLA (14-6 after Thursday night’s 91-62 loss to Oregon) as the team’s top reserve. Last season he averaged 6.4 points and was selected to the all-Pac-10 freshman team. His father, Terry, enjoyed an 18-year career in the NBA after starring at DePaul.
You had high expectations this season after an impressive freshman year. Are you meeting those expectations?
“I’m not really satisfied. There are a lot of things I could be doing that I’m not. My situation is that I’m not playing the minutes I want to be playing. I need to figure out what they need me to do to win big games, and then my time will come next year.”
What has been your biggest adjustment?
“Having to deal with schedules. My schedule is overwhelming. We have classes starting at 9 or 10 in the morning. Then you go to weights. In between you have to find time to eat. Then you practice and I go to tutoring for a couple of hours. After that, the only thing I can think of is rest.”
What’s the best advice your dad has given you?
“He always told me to create my goals and establish myself as my own player. I was always in the shadow of my father. He wanted me to step out of the shadow and make my own footsteps. Once I started doing that, I became a better basketball player.”
What are your goals?
“Academically my goals are to excel the way I do in athletics. I want to be an honor-roll student. Right now I’m working my way up to it. I have a 2.8 or 2.7 grade-point average. This quarter I have a really good grasp on my classes.”
What about in basketball?
“I just want to be the best. Right now I’m playing behind two big-time NBA prospects. I’m a prospect, but I’m younger, further behind the seniors. I come in and spark the team. I bring a lot of energy off the bench.”
