Getting To Know: Providence's Rodney Bullock
By SEAN BRENNAN
Special to BIGEAST.com
In our latest installment of “Getting to Know,” we chat up Providence star Rodney Bullock. Bullock tells us his feeling about being the Friars’ leader with the departures of Kris Dunn and Ben Bentil, why the number 720 means so much to him, what Providence head coach Ed Cooley may have learned about him, why a last-second basket to win an NCAA tournament game might not be his career highlight so far and why he has an affinity for a certain ex-general and president (and no, it’s not George Washington).
BIGEAST.com: So how does a kid from Virginia wind up playing hoops at Providence?
BULLOCK: “I had a relationship with one of the former players from my high school (Kecoughtan H.S. in Hampton, Va.) that went here, Josh Fortune. It was also (because of) the relationship with Coach (Ed) Cooley and it was just a great feeling when I came here.”
BIGEAST.com: How difficult was it seeing both Kris Dunn and Ben Bentil leave the Friars’ program after last season?
BULLOCK: “It was a different feeling, but I feel we have a lot of pieces (on this team) and it’s all gelling together pretty well.”
BIGEAST.com: Dunn’s leaving was a given, but were you surprised Bentil left as well?
BULLOCK: “The way he was going last year, I had an expectation that he was going to leave.”
BIGEAST.com: Is there any added pressure now being the Friars’ main man?
BULLOCK: “I really don’t ever feel pressure because I’m always so locked into the game. So I don’t think that’s going to change for me.”
BIGEAST.com: You missed your first two seasons at Providence due to a suspension and injury. How difficult was that period of your life?
BULLOCK: “It was approximately 720 days without basketball. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. My family and friends and my coaches and teammates did a great job of keeping my head up and keeping me up and never letting me get too down. But it was a blessing to be back out on the court again.”
BIGEAST.com: Because of those two years away from the game, do you appreciate it more now than if you hadn’t gone through that?
BULLOCK: “Definitely. I wish I could have had those two years back and been able to play because I could have done a lot more.”
BIGEAST.com: You played your AAU ball for the legendary Boo Williams program in Virginia, one that over the years featured Allen Iverson, Alonzo Mourning, J.J. Redick and former Villanova star Scottie Reynolds. What was that experience like?
BULLOCK: “Everybody wanted to play with them that was from that area. It was an honor to play with Boo Williams. He’s a great guy and he gave me a lot of good advice. I haven’t seen him in a while but I’m hoping to see him again when I go back home.”
BIGEAST.com: At BIG EAST Media Day, Coach Cooley said there were a lot of questions that needed to be answered about this Friars team going into the season. You are currently leading the BIG EAST in scoring (21.3 ppg.) and are fifth in rebounding (6.8). So what has coach learned about Rodney Bullock?
BULLOCK: “I think he understands what I am. I going to come out there and help the team by playing hard. I’m not the most vocal guy out there. But I just want to lead by example and play as hard as I can and have the guys watch me play hard and hopefully they come out and do the same.”
BIGEAST.com: Providence was selected to finish ninth out of 10 teams in the BIG EAST coaches’ preseason poll. But here the Friars sit at 8-2, including a victory over a ranked Rhode Island team. Did the poll have it all wrong about this team?
BULLOCK: “I definitely think so. I thought that was disrespectful. I feel we are going to have a great year. We have a lot of pieces and everybody likes each other on the team and I like the camaraderie that we have. When we’re out there on the floor we just gel together and we have a great coach and I think he’s learning more and more about us every day.”
BIGEAST.com: Providence is leading the BIG EAST in scoring defense, allowing just 59.4 points a game. Is defense going to be the thing that carries this team this season?
BULLOCK: “Most definitely. Every year I think that’s been the case here. Every year we have a tough defensive team and it shows on the court.”
BIGEAST.com: I’m pretty sure I know the answer already, but what would you say is the highlight of your career so far?
BULLOCK: (Laughs) “What do you think it is?
BIGEAST.com: I think it’s your last-second basket to beat USC in the NCAA Tournament last March.
BULLOCK: “That’s probably right, or my first game back against Harvard (to open the 2015-16 season), I had butterflies all over my body that night. I hadn’t played in over 700 days so it was amazing to be back out on the court again.”
(Rodney logged 20 points with six rebounds, three blocks and a steal in 31 minutes in his first game with the Friars that night).
BIGEAST.com: That was the Friars’ first win in the NCAA Tournament since 1997. Can this Providence team make it to the tournament four years in a row?
BULLOCK: “Definitely. I think we have a lot of good pieces this year and we have the same hunger and fire and just hearing the media and what they’re saying just gives us more fire every day. We just can’t take any games for granted.”
BIGEAST.com: Four of the 10 teams in the BIG EAST are already ranked in the top 20 and Seton Hall could be knocking on the door after knocking off No. 16 South Carolina at the Garden this past Monday. Are we going to see Providence crack the top 25 at some point this season?
BULLOCK: “I believe we can crack the top 25. We’re playing pretty good and there are a lot of teams that wish they were 8-2 right now. So I think eventually if we keep playing together as we are we will be in the top 25.”
BIGEAST.com: What’s the best thing about playing for Coach Cooley?
BULLOCK: “He lets you be yourself emotionally out on the court. He doesn’t hold you back from being you. He gives you that chance to be out there and be yourself and he gives you energy every TV timeout.”
BIGEAST.com: Off the court I see you have a big interest in someone not exactly associated with basketball – Ulysses S. Grant. What’s that all about?
BULLOCK: “Oh yeah I like history. I like listening and learning about it. I’m from Virginia so learning about the history of Virginia and what he did I found very interesting.”
(For you non-Ulysses S. Grant buffs out there - and you know who you are – Grant’s connections to Virginia included defeating Confederate General Robert E. Lee in a battle in Richmond and ultimately accepting Lee’s surrender at Appomattox in April 1865. For more on Grant, you’ll have to talk to Rodney).