University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Mardrez McBride
November 16, 2022 | Men's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
A fifth-year senior from Augusta, Ga., Mardrez McBride is no stranger to getting to know new teammates. One of coach Mike White's new members of the Georgia men's basketball team, McBride joined the Bulldogs after stops at McCook College (Neb.), USC Salkehatchie and North Texas.
A 6-foot-2 guard, McBride started all 60 games at North Texas over the past two seasons. He's played a ton of college basketball, including in the postseason. In 2021, he scored 24 points against Texas State in the NIT, and in 2021, he scored 16 points in the Mean Green's upset of Purdue in the NCAA tournament.
During a recent Quick Chat, McBride talked about adjusting to another new school, the value of his postseason experience on a team without a lot of it, his first dunk, his football days, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: As somebody that's been to a few schools already, how has the transition to Georgia been?
McBride: It's been very good. We went hard here ever since I got here; every day is a grind. With so many guys coming in, so many newcomers, we're just trying to get a feel for each other.
Frierson: What do you do to get to know one another and build those connections that are so important to team success?
McBride: We're always in here (the practice facility) together, and plus, outside of basketball, we're always with each other, eating out and hanging out together.
Frierson: Take me back to your start in basketball. Did you play a bunch of different sports before settling on hoops?
McBride: I grew up playing football, that was always my favorite, but I dislocated my elbow. After that, I started playing basketball, and the high school I went to (Butler), it was really big on basketball, so I just kept going with that.
Frierson: I read that you were the MVP of your high school basketball and football teams as a senior.
McBride: [Laughs] Yes, sir.
Frierson: That's very impressive. What position did you play in football?
McBride: I played wide receiver, safety, kick returner and punt returner. I always thought football was going to be my sport, until high school, actually. I didn't play ninth through 11th grade, but I did my 12th-grade year because my friend went out there.
Playing again brought back a lot of joy and memories, but I always knew football was going to be my way out.
Frierson: What do you remember about your first dunk?
McBride: It was 11th grade, actually, I was a late bloomer, and my first dunk was a bunny. We were playing in a Thanksgiving tournament at Paine University (in Augusta), and I just came down the lane and just took off and dunked on them.
Frierson: Did that feel as good as I have always imagined it would?
McBride: Yeah, it was definitely a great feeling of accomplishment, for sure.
Frierson: Once you dunk for the first time, are you always trying to get free on a fast break to do it again?
McBride: [Laughs] Yeah, you know, a lot of things go viral these days, and if you can go viral, that puts a brand on your name. Every time you go up there, you're trying to make a highlight play.
Frierson: Is there one play or moment from your whole athletic career that stands out above the rest?
McBride: I would say either the conference championship at my last school or being Purdue in March Madness. Both of those were really special moments.
Frierson: How valuable is that postseason experience when you're joining a team that collectively hasn't played in the postseason much?
McBride: I feel like that's very valuable. Being on that stage, that's the biggest stage in college basketball, so being on that court and feeling the atmosphere, you're feeling like you're ready for whatever and you can compete with anybody.
Frierson: Do you have a favorite basketball player right now? Or a player that you really liked growing up and tried to model your game after?
McBride: Not model my game after, but I like LeBron James a lot. I like how he does everything, so I try to take the things that he does and put them into my game in different ways. There is a big size difference [laughs].
Frierson: Do you watch the NBA every night now that the season is rolling, or do you need to get away from the game from time to time?
McBride: I try to watch guys like Ja Morant, Golden State, Damian Lillard, the Lakers, of course, so I'll watch games here and there. It just depends on the matchups and what I feel like doing. When I'm at home, I'm usually trying to get my mind off basketball and be relaxed.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
A fifth-year senior from Augusta, Ga., Mardrez McBride is no stranger to getting to know new teammates. One of coach Mike White's new members of the Georgia men's basketball team, McBride joined the Bulldogs after stops at McCook College (Neb.), USC Salkehatchie and North Texas.
A 6-foot-2 guard, McBride started all 60 games at North Texas over the past two seasons. He's played a ton of college basketball, including in the postseason. In 2021, he scored 24 points against Texas State in the NIT, and in 2021, he scored 16 points in the Mean Green's upset of Purdue in the NCAA tournament.
During a recent Quick Chat, McBride talked about adjusting to another new school, the value of his postseason experience on a team without a lot of it, his first dunk, his football days, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: As somebody that's been to a few schools already, how has the transition to Georgia been?
McBride: It's been very good. We went hard here ever since I got here; every day is a grind. With so many guys coming in, so many newcomers, we're just trying to get a feel for each other.
Frierson: What do you do to get to know one another and build those connections that are so important to team success?
McBride: We're always in here (the practice facility) together, and plus, outside of basketball, we're always with each other, eating out and hanging out together.
Frierson: Take me back to your start in basketball. Did you play a bunch of different sports before settling on hoops?
McBride: I grew up playing football, that was always my favorite, but I dislocated my elbow. After that, I started playing basketball, and the high school I went to (Butler), it was really big on basketball, so I just kept going with that.
Frierson: I read that you were the MVP of your high school basketball and football teams as a senior.
McBride: [Laughs] Yes, sir.
Frierson: That's very impressive. What position did you play in football?
McBride: I played wide receiver, safety, kick returner and punt returner. I always thought football was going to be my sport, until high school, actually. I didn't play ninth through 11th grade, but I did my 12th-grade year because my friend went out there.
Playing again brought back a lot of joy and memories, but I always knew football was going to be my way out.
Frierson: What do you remember about your first dunk?
McBride: It was 11th grade, actually, I was a late bloomer, and my first dunk was a bunny. We were playing in a Thanksgiving tournament at Paine University (in Augusta), and I just came down the lane and just took off and dunked on them.
Frierson: Did that feel as good as I have always imagined it would?
McBride: Yeah, it was definitely a great feeling of accomplishment, for sure.
Frierson: Once you dunk for the first time, are you always trying to get free on a fast break to do it again?
McBride: [Laughs] Yeah, you know, a lot of things go viral these days, and if you can go viral, that puts a brand on your name. Every time you go up there, you're trying to make a highlight play.
Frierson: Is there one play or moment from your whole athletic career that stands out above the rest?
McBride: I would say either the conference championship at my last school or being Purdue in March Madness. Both of those were really special moments.
Frierson: How valuable is that postseason experience when you're joining a team that collectively hasn't played in the postseason much?
McBride: I feel like that's very valuable. Being on that stage, that's the biggest stage in college basketball, so being on that court and feeling the atmosphere, you're feeling like you're ready for whatever and you can compete with anybody.
Frierson: Do you have a favorite basketball player right now? Or a player that you really liked growing up and tried to model your game after?
McBride: Not model my game after, but I like LeBron James a lot. I like how he does everything, so I try to take the things that he does and put them into my game in different ways. There is a big size difference [laughs].
Frierson: Do you watch the NBA every night now that the season is rolling, or do you need to get away from the game from time to time?
McBride: I try to watch guys like Ja Morant, Golden State, Damian Lillard, the Lakers, of course, so I'll watch games here and there. It just depends on the matchups and what I feel like doing. When I'm at home, I'm usually trying to get my mind off basketball and be relaxed.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
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