SE: Sneed Ready to Make the Most of His Return to K-State MBB
Jun 19, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Xavier Sneed knew why he was coming back. When he returned to K-State, however, he experienced it.
Sneed, who withdrew his name from the NBA Draft on May 29, worked a few of head coach Bruce Weber's youth camps soon after coming back to Manhattan. Multiple fathers and even some young Wildcat fans made sure to pass along a unanimous message from the fanbase: We're glad you're back.
"Just to have them love to see me back and have their gratitude and appreciation for me has showed a lot for what we have here at K-State," Sneed said. "Of course, that was a big reason for coming back to K-State, the great fan support that I have here and the love that I get from there. Also, finishing out my degree, being able to get that degree and have that with me at all times is also something that's big for me. That was also key to that decision."
Now that he's back, Sneed's focused on making the most of his last season in purple. He said his pre-NBA Draft experience should help in that regard. More than anything, he said it taught him to approach everything one way.
"Just every day being a pro," Sneed said. "Being locked in at the task at hand and doing everything right, helping the younger guys and getting them to understand the culture right now. Just being consistent with everything on and off the court, from taking care of my body to tying my shoes up right to being able to get out here early and stretch…just doing everything the right way."
K-State's most experienced senior with 70 starts the last two seasons, Sneed became the third Wildcat in the last three years to test the NBA Draft waters early. Kamau Stokes soaked up the experience in 2017 between his sophomore and junior seasons, while Barry Brown, Jr. did so last summer before earning First Team All-Big 12 honors as a senior.
Sneed said he leaned on anyone and everyone he knew with experience in the NBA Draft process. From Brown, who's in the process now, to former Wildcat and current Orlando Magic swingman Wesley Iwundu to fellow St. Louis, Missouri natives like Bradley Beal and Larry Hughes, Sneed gathered as much information as possible beforehand.
The theme he said he kept hearing: "Just be yourself, don't go outside of yourself really, and just go out there and show everything you have."
K-State's top returning scorer (10.6 points per game) and rebounder (5.5) from last season, Sneed got opportunities to display his talent in workouts with the Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics. He also got invited to the Professional Basketball Combine in California. Additionally, he said he participated in pro day events in Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada.
"I learned a lot. It was a great experience. I had a great time at all the places that I went. I got a lot of great feedback and know what I need to do to better myself for this year and to help myself for next year," he said. "That's just being the type of player that I am, expanding my game a little bit more, handling the ball a little bit more and showing some things in my game that I haven't got to yet.
"For me, during this process, it was just (about) me having fun, getting good feedback from each team. I was just taking my time through it all, having fun. Basketball is what I want to do with my life, so I was just taking it all into perspective and having fun."
Sneed described his first few days back in Manhattan the same way.
"It's been great to see my guys," he said. "I'm very excited. It's my last go around, so I'm ready to do some big things for the team…there's a lot of goals we have."
Last year's senior class put together a bucket list of items to cross off in their final campaign. Sneed, after working a youth camp one day last week, decided to start one for the 2019-20 season.
"One of the kids asked me, 'What are some things you want to do?' So, I just got it started," Sneed said. "I have a lot of things I still want to do and a lot of things the guys want to do as well. We have a big year ahead of us."
Asked for a sample of what might be on that list already, Sneed started at the top.
"Shoot, first off, win another Big 12 Championship," he said. "That's number one on our list right now."
Xavier Sneed knew why he was coming back. When he returned to K-State, however, he experienced it.
Sneed, who withdrew his name from the NBA Draft on May 29, worked a few of head coach Bruce Weber's youth camps soon after coming back to Manhattan. Multiple fathers and even some young Wildcat fans made sure to pass along a unanimous message from the fanbase: We're glad you're back.
"Just to have them love to see me back and have their gratitude and appreciation for me has showed a lot for what we have here at K-State," Sneed said. "Of course, that was a big reason for coming back to K-State, the great fan support that I have here and the love that I get from there. Also, finishing out my degree, being able to get that degree and have that with me at all times is also something that's big for me. That was also key to that decision."
Now that he's back, Sneed's focused on making the most of his last season in purple. He said his pre-NBA Draft experience should help in that regard. More than anything, he said it taught him to approach everything one way.
"Just every day being a pro," Sneed said. "Being locked in at the task at hand and doing everything right, helping the younger guys and getting them to understand the culture right now. Just being consistent with everything on and off the court, from taking care of my body to tying my shoes up right to being able to get out here early and stretch…just doing everything the right way."
K-State's most experienced senior with 70 starts the last two seasons, Sneed became the third Wildcat in the last three years to test the NBA Draft waters early. Kamau Stokes soaked up the experience in 2017 between his sophomore and junior seasons, while Barry Brown, Jr. did so last summer before earning First Team All-Big 12 honors as a senior.
Sneed said he leaned on anyone and everyone he knew with experience in the NBA Draft process. From Brown, who's in the process now, to former Wildcat and current Orlando Magic swingman Wesley Iwundu to fellow St. Louis, Missouri natives like Bradley Beal and Larry Hughes, Sneed gathered as much information as possible beforehand.
The theme he said he kept hearing: "Just be yourself, don't go outside of yourself really, and just go out there and show everything you have."
K-State's top returning scorer (10.6 points per game) and rebounder (5.5) from last season, Sneed got opportunities to display his talent in workouts with the Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics. He also got invited to the Professional Basketball Combine in California. Additionally, he said he participated in pro day events in Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada.
"I learned a lot. It was a great experience. I had a great time at all the places that I went. I got a lot of great feedback and know what I need to do to better myself for this year and to help myself for next year," he said. "That's just being the type of player that I am, expanding my game a little bit more, handling the ball a little bit more and showing some things in my game that I haven't got to yet.
"For me, during this process, it was just (about) me having fun, getting good feedback from each team. I was just taking my time through it all, having fun. Basketball is what I want to do with my life, so I was just taking it all into perspective and having fun."
Sneed described his first few days back in Manhattan the same way.
"It's been great to see my guys," he said. "I'm very excited. It's my last go around, so I'm ready to do some big things for the team…there's a lot of goals we have."
Last year's senior class put together a bucket list of items to cross off in their final campaign. Sneed, after working a youth camp one day last week, decided to start one for the 2019-20 season.
"One of the kids asked me, 'What are some things you want to do?' So, I just got it started," Sneed said. "I have a lot of things I still want to do and a lot of things the guys want to do as well. We have a big year ahead of us."
Asked for a sample of what might be on that list already, Sneed started at the top.
"Shoot, first off, win another Big 12 Championship," he said. "That's number one on our list right now."
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