Before celebrating a five second coast-to-coast trip and before signing Sunday afternoon autographs in Humphrey Coliseum, senior Bulldog point guard Derrick Zimmerman waited and wept.
Louisiana’s 1998-99 Class 4-A player of the year, Z averaged 30.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 11.2 assists, 7.3 steals and 5.3 blocks per game for his father and coach, Dale.
“It was the best experience of my life. Some people don’t really get a chance to know their dad as a child, but I got to know him first as a dad and then as a coach, ” Z said. “It was a blessing in disguise for me. He’s my biggest role model because he has worked so hard at trying to make me better and make our family better.”
Zimmerman, a native of Monroe, La., chose the Maroon and White.
“I had butterflies, because it was the first time that I had ever worn anything other than purple and gold.”
“I was confident of the situation. We had a losing season my freshman year, but they had gone to the NIT the year before. I just said that we were going to be a winner once we got all the right pieces together and we would get State basketball back to what it should be.”
Z appeared in every game for the 1999-2000 Bulldogs that finished 14-16. His 16.5 minutes of playing time were hardly what he expected. He no longer controlled basketball games.
“That was the most trying time of my life as an athlete. I had never had to ‘wait my turn.’ I was struggling. I fought it for two years, and just said I will make the most of it, get better, and coach will have to play me.”
“It was so difficult that sometimes I cried at night. I wanted to give up, but I said I just have to keep fighting. I talked to my brother the most because he faced a similar situation at Grambling State University. My brother is probably the hardest person on me. I really look up to him.”
Z persevered and had three break-out games at the end of his sophomore season, averaging 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists as the ‘Dawgs made a quarterfinal run before bowing out to eventual NIT champion Tulsa.
Z’s improvements continued and garnered him a selection on the all-SEC team. On the MSU career leaders list, he ranks third in assists (443), second in steals (185) and sixth in blocks (77). When MSU wins its 21st game, Z will become the winningest Bulldog ever.
“When I look back on the decision that I made on May 15, I think I made the right decision,” Z said
The Reflector recently sat with Zimmerman for a short Q & A:
The Reflector: Do you have any pre-game rituals?
Zimmerman: I just try to get a good sweat going before the game. I eat the pre-game meal–green beans, potatoes, and whatever meat they have.
R: What meat do you prefer?
Z: Pork chops.
R: Do you have a most memorable moment on the court?
Z: When we came back and beat Kentucky my junior year. We were down 20 (points) and it gave our fans a chance to see how good we were.
R: What is your most memorable moment off the court?
Z: Being able to learn about my teammates’ backgrounds and lifestyles. Being able to hang out with 14-15 guys every day as friends.
R: The team does a lot together off the court. What do you like to do the most?
Z: A lot of us go bowling. We ain’t pros, we just bowl. The thing we do the best is play video games. It’s really competitive.
R: Who is the best?
Z: It depends on the game.
R: What do you play?
Z: Any sports games. Just about everyone on the team has a PS2.
R: I heard that a game misrepresented you.
Z: One of the video games had me white instead of black, but it was OK. I guess it’s one of those limited quantity items, so it’s a special collectors edition.
R: How do they represent your attributes now?
Z: They’ve got it right now. They have me pretty close.
R: So do you guys argue over who gets to be MSU?
Z: Every time we play, it is always MSU vs. MSU. Everyone scores a lot for themselves in those games.
R: Do you have a favorite road trip?
Z: Oxford, Miss. That was a special moment for us because we were up and let them get back in the game. Their fans went crazy thinking they had won the game, but they forgot that they had to deal with Derrick Zimmerman driving 94 feet for the game-winning basket. We were celebrating after the game and they started throwing things at us. That was something we had never experienced in college. I think they said we were trying to taunt them, but we weren’t trying to do that at all.
R: It seems like the players in the rivalry have a mutual respect for each other that doesn’t transcend to the fans. Z: The players have a lot of respect for each other because a lot have played each other since high school. We can’t control what is outside the lines between the fans.
R: Who would you like to play one-on-one with the most?
Z: Myself. I am a real competitive person so it would be a real tough battle.
R: How about two-on-two?
Z: I would love to play with my brother against Michael Jordan and his brother.
R: Do you watch any movies?
Z: I watch a lot of basketball movies. One movie that I kind of fell in love with was John Q. I admire how Denzel Washington kept fighting for his son’s life.
R: Do you have a dream career?
Z: Hopefully, I will get a shot at playing pro basketball. Once I get my degree in fitness management, I just want to give back to the community. Some people think I might come back and coach. I know I don’t want to sit at a desk.
R: Would you ever coach with your father?
Z: Yeah, I would love that. Our knowledge about the game combined would be good for teaching kids. I actually go back and help him with the team he has now.
R: What if you ever coached against him?
Z: That would start up a real spark in the family. My dad is an ultra-competitive guy. If they gave technicals for getting on your players, he would lead the nation.
R: You have a reputation for getting on your teammates.
Z: I try to motivate them just to get the best out of them. I think I have the best teammates in the country in any sport. It is just part of being a captain, and it’s me helping them to correct their errors. I want them to get on me when I do something wrong.
R: When was the first time you touched a basketball?
Z: I was, it’s funny, people probably don’t believe it, but I was 2 years old. My dad has been coaching since 1976-77. I’ve just been around sports all my life. I’ve been taught sports and books. My brother was 4 so he was always picking on me.
“I want MSU fans to remember me as an intense guy that gave his all on the court no matter the situation. Outside of basketball, one of the best people anyone could meet: easy to talk to, can get along with everyone, and loves to put on the State uniform and give his all for the fans,” Z said.