If you happen by the Larry O. Finch Center in the afternoon and catch The University of Memphis men’s basketball team warming up — you’ll notice a blur.
If your eye is quick enough you may be able to faintly make out a 1 on his back.
The blur is Antonio Burks, the fastest point guard in Conference USA and an emotional leader of this year’s team.
“He’s tried to be a leader and then backed off a couple times but I tell him that’s what you have to do,” head coach John Calipari said. “I want him to be a competitor, but I need him to lead the team.”
He said Burks has been instrumental in helping with the development of newcomers Clyde Wade and Jeremy Hunt.
“Some of the young guys have already learned pretty quickly,” Burks said. “They have to step up like Jeremy has and lay tough defense and show what they are made of.”
Sophomore shooting guard Anthony Rice said this year’s team could surprise a lot of people.
“I like playing the underdog role,” Rice said. “You never know what to expect from an underdog and sometimes other teams take you for granted.”
With the departure of Kelly Wise and Dajuan Wagner the Tigers lack the name recognition that last year’s team had.
“At the (C-USA) media day the reporters didn’t know who any of us were other than Earl (Barron) and Burks,” Rice said. “That right there lets you know that they don’t expect much from us.”
Burks said he enjoys the new role of an underdog more than last year’s much-hyped team that was ranked in the top ten in many preseason polls.
“People are already putting us down, but I think we can make a run at the NCAA tournament,” he said. “This year we don’t have the same expectations and I think we have the ability to shock the world.”
