Wake Forest Athletics
My Basketball Journey: Ari Stewart
1/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 20, 2011
This article was originally published in the Jan. 12 edition of Wake Forest's basketball gameday magazine, which is given away at all men's basketball home games.
Q: When did you first start playing basketball?
A: I was five. My mom was my coach. I played in a small rec league, and she taught me how to do a layup, shoot and do the regular basketball fundamentals.
Q: When did you first realize you were "good" at basketball?
A: When I was five. I was a long, awkward kid. But I was a little skilled and real fast growing up. I could dribble and just beat everybody to the goal, so I thought I was kind of good then.
Q: What is the one area of your game that you have had to work the hardest on to improve?
A: Defense. Just being a better defender, taking after L.D. Williams last year and trying to assume his defensive role.
Q: What is the one area of your game that has just seemed to come naturally?
A: Scoring.
Q: What is the best memory of your high school basketball career?
A: Winning the state championship my senior year [at Wheeler High School]. We played against Milton High School, and we beat them by 20 points so it wasn't really a game.
Q: What is your best memory of your AAU basketball career?
A: When I was in eighth grade and my team beat Team California. At the time, they had the No. 1 player (Demetrius Walker) in the country on their team and they were the No. 1 team in the country. They might have lost two games total in four or five years, and we beat them.
Q: What coach or mentor has had the most influence on your basketball career?
A: My AAU coach Tyrone Riley. He was always in my ear growing up, always making me get in the gym. He always kept it real with me, telling me this is what you have to work on to get better and get to the next level.
Q: What were you looking for in a college when you were being recruited?
A: I was looking for the best basketball, but I also didn't want to go too far from home (in Marietta, Ga.). I knew I wanted to play in the ACC because it's the best conference in the country. Wake Forest is a great academic school and has had good success on the court. And it's only five hours away from home.
Q: What do you see yourself doing after your basketball career is finished?
A: That is actually something I think about all the time. I really don't know, but it's something I think about a lot.
