Recently, I did a print interview with Christian Bishop. Here are some of the things we talked about.

KW: This team has a crowded front-court full of talented forwards, yet you’ve still been able to carve out playing time and make an impact both scoring and rebounding. What does playing with all kinds of other talent do for your game?

CB: Playing with a whole bunch of different types of talent really benefits me, honestly. I kind of fall into points and rebounds, and my team allows me to be myself – when I’m working with those types of players at a high talent level, it benefits me the most to do my thing.

KW: What brought you to Texas? What made you think that Austin was the place for you?

CB: Coach Beard was a big part of what brought me to Texas. You know, he has a winning background – he knows how to coach his players hard and tough. When you’re with someone like that who has knowledge about the game, it really helps to benefit you as a player. And, of course, there’s the city of Austin. It’s great. There’s great people down here, and the weather is perfect. And, just being able to build my name, image and likeness is also a benefit, but I obviously came to the school for the team. The goals and aspirations that the guys on the team have really help me to drive to get better.

KW: Which NBA players do you model your game after? Who inspires you to play the way you do?

CB: Some of the players that I like to compare myself are include Brandon Clarke – on the Memphis Grizzlies. I also like John Collins on the Atlanta Hawks. I think they’re really great players. Someone that drives me to give it my all is Ja Morant on the Grizzlies – he just plays hard. He’s making the extra plays even during the regular season and they play 82 games, so it’s hard to keep that up and do stuff like that. I play with high energy, and I have a high motor, so seeing someone do it for 82 games gives me motivation to play like that during my season.

KW: What about Chris Beard do you admire? What makes him the coach you think can lead you guys through the Big 12 and deep into the tournament?

CB: I really admire that Coach Beard cares about us as players and individuals outside of basketball. He’s going to push us hard, coach us hard on the court – but that’s how every coach is. Outside of basketball, he’s a great man and a great father. And, just his love for the game and the passion that he has really helps to motivate me.

KW: What does your daily routine look like? How do you stay focused throughout the week?

CB: When it comes to my routine, I wake up and get ready for practice – we normally have two practices a day, whether it’s a walkthrough or watching film. I like to have water in the morning, and the Optimum Nutrition AMIN.O. Energy drink – I like Orange Blast. It’s great because it gives me a boost of energy and tastes good, and has amino acids and electrolytes, which are important. They are a brand that really cares about the quality of their products, which is why I’m proud to partner with them. My routine is more about the mental than just the physical. I need to make sure I get rest throughout the day which is key to recovery.