Joe, you are from Portland and went to school in Seattle, birthplace of grunge. Are you a fan?

"I grew up with a lot of '90s grunge -- Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam. I'm down with all of those bands."

Is it Pearl Jam or Nirvana on your iPod?

"I'd go with Nirvana, but that's just me. I think Kurt Cobain is one of the greatest rock stars of all time. I just feel his style a little bit more. I got a chance to go to Aberdeen (Wash.), where he's from, and check out his town. That was cool."

Are you able to get some grunge on in the locker room, or is to soon for that?

"Yeah, I'm trying to bring a little bit of the Pacific Northwest with me here."

Are you getting a feel for what they go through at a military school?

"It looks like it's pretty tough, especially for the freshmen. But I think it's making them stronger, and better people with better discipline and character. Once they get through the freshman year, it seems like they get the hang of everything. Once they get through the knob year, they're cool."

Why did you decide to leave Washington?

"After I graduated, I had a year of eligibility left. I wanted to go somewhere where I could make a big impact, and go to a system that fit me better. Washington is more of an up-tempo, extremely athletic program. Here I am, a 7-foot guy trying to deny on the wing and crazy athletic stuff like that, and that's not me. I can shoot 3-pointers, and I think that's one of my advantages, that I'm 7-foot and can shoot. And I think the system fits me here, because they shoot a lot of threes."

You are joining a team that is coming off one of the best seasons in school history, 20 wins and a postseason bid. How will you fit in and help continue that this season?

"I know when Demetrius Nelson left, they were wondering who would come in at the five spot, someone who could score. I think I can do that, and get the job done on defense, altering shots and getting some rebounds. One thing Demetrius did not do is shoot threes, and I think I can do that and help spread the floor. That's a big part of this program, to spread the floor and get guys open."

Don't you have an older brother who played college ball?

"My brother Jack played at St. John's, and now he plays pro ball in Cancun. He really enjoys it down there. He's six years older than me, but I learned a lot from him about being versatile, and I definitely developed my shot because of him."

How has it worked for you coming from the Pacific Northwest to the Lowcountry? Any culture shock?

"People definitely dress differently. I see a lot more polos, sunglasses with the necklace attached, a lot of boat shoes and khaki shorts. In Seattle, you see more skinny jeans and Converse and Vans. I also noticed there's not too much recycling going on around here. That's a huge thing in Seattle, going green, and no one's really going green here yet."

Do you have NBA dreams, or hopes of playing pro ball in Europe or elsewhere?

"My main goal is to keep playing until I can't play anymore. I'm in no hurry to get an office job. I'll probably go into coaching when I'm done playing. If I end up in Greece or overseas, I have no problem with that, as long as I finally get some money in my pocket. One reason I came here is to put myself in that position. The University of Washington is more in the spotlight, but if you are not playing, it's hard to get seen. I hope I can come here and make an impact, help the team win and get noticed, too."

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