Trey Burke talks career rebirth, meditation and life with Knicks
Knicks point guard Trey Burke takes a shot at some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Describe your on-court mentality.
A: It varies. When I start the game, it’s a little mellow. It’s not as rowdy, as hype as it is midway through the second quarter or midway through the third quarter or even in crunch time in the fourth quarter. I think that’s something that I want to start the game with thought that I’m continuing on this journey to learn how to do is start the game with that fire. It’s mellow to start, it’s more mellow, more chill, but throughout the game I always find something to get me emotional and to get me more in tune and locked into the game.
Q: Like what kind of things?
A: Usually, most of the time, I try to stay away from tapping into anger. I think I don’t play as well when I tap into anger. I think I play better when I think about a Bible scripture. I’m a man of faith, so I might think of a scripture out of the Word, and I might stand on that and just keep thinking of that. It’s like a source that I can go to, to give me energy when I’m on the court.
Q: What causes you to tap into anger?
A: Usually when somebody’s talking trash (smile). I get a little upset. … I think it’s a small difference. I start playing better, a lot of times, when guys are talking, because I’ve always been competitive naturally since I was a little boy. I don’t necessarily think that’s me tapping into anger though. It’s taking on the challenge, that this guy’s out here to pretty much embarrass me. It’s taking on that, and using that against him, if that makes sense.
Q: But there are times when you tap into anger and it’s debilitating?
A: Everyone plays better with certain emotions. My emotions happen to be more so like hyped up, at the same time, having fun — being very talkative, screaming, being very vocal, being more emotional, that’s when I play better. Some guys play better when they tap into anger. When they are out there playing mad. For me, I play better when I’m joyous out there, when I’m more joyful. … You can’t be too friendly on the court, obviously. But, when I’m having fun while I’m taking on the challenge, and having that rowdy emotion, that fierceness, that passion for the game, I believe that’s when I’m best.
Q: What’s the angriest you ever tapped into?
A: One that sticks out to me was when I was a little kid. I was playing AAU basketball in St. Louis. My grandparents were watching the game, and they were on my mom’s side. They never really had gotten the opportunity to watch me play much up to that point. I was actually playing against Bradley Beal’s team … Team St. Louis. I got very angry, ’cause one of the guys on the other team was talking trash. I just let my emotions get the best of me. Everything that I did on the court, I tried to do it to shut him up, and it backfired. I ended up getting two techs and got ejected out of the game. And it was embarrassing to me because, like I said, my grandparents were watching and I literally let my emotions take me completely out of the game, and that’s something that always stuck with me. Because some guys do try to get that anger to help them play better.
Q: So when you find yourself about to tap into anger …
A. I try to snap out of it consciously. I try to think of thoughts that are more on the positive side. I try to clear everything out of my head. I try to erase my entire memory from anything negative that may have happened in the game — a missed shot, a turnover … and I focus on seeing the things that I want to come to pass. I start to try to speak the things I want to come to pass, and I try to see it while I’m on the court while literally locking in. And those are two different mindsets. That’s my mindset now, compared to my mindset when I came into the NBA.
Q: Your mindset now is what?
A: Being able to control my thoughts on the court.
Q: How did you master that?
A: A lot of meditation. I’ve been meditating since high school. I started studying the mind more in high school, and it was a technique of meditation that I used to use before every game where I would get to a state of mind where I focus in on my breathing, and I take about 10, 15 minutes to clear my mind from any thoughts, and then I just close my eyes and I just focus on what I want to see in the game. Didn’t know if it was working at first, come to find out it was working ’cause I was playing better. I was more confident, more efficient. I try to go back to that place when I’m on the court and I’m about to tap into anger, to an emotion that I don’t want to express to the public. As well as prayer — prayer has helped me out a lot.
Q: Is there one particular scripture?
A: It’s honestly a lot. I try not to overwhelm myself with ’em, but I keep like four, five scriptures on my mindset just in case I do start getting discouraged, I do start losing confidence. I will think of a scripture like, “The Lord is my helper, I shall not fear.” I’ll think of a scripture like “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall not fear no evil.” I try to think of all positive things. I try to just go back to pretty much what I lean on in times of anxiety, in times of fear. Because when you’re out there on the court, those thoughts do come up as players. But the greatest players are able to control those thoughts, and pretty much think of thoughts that they want to think of, and that’s not an easy skill to do.
Q: So you do that now during a game?
A: At the same time, I’m always locked into the game. I’m thinking of all of this, and this is without wandering off from the game. I’m consciously doing the best that I can to control my thoughts from drifting to, “What if I miss three shots? What if I miss four shots in a row? What if I turn the ball over?” These thoughts come up because it’s a fast game.
Q: Do you meditate prior to the game in the locker room?
A: I do at times. A lot of times I don’t get enough peace because there’s so much going on. But a lot of times I will put my headphones in and I will close my eyes and I will meditate. The Charlotte game [career-high 42 points March 26] was one game when I really meditated heavily on. This is a perfect example — I was 2-for-9 against Charlotte, I think, 2-for-8, and it wasn’t looking good, I wasn’t shooting well. And I had a decision to make: Continue to dwell on the thoughts that got me to this point — which is uncertainty, hesitation — or speak over the situation and dismiss the thoughts that led you to this situation. And I just started speaking over the game, “I’m gonna take over the game to help this team win.” Just started speaking affirmations, and I started controlling my thoughts that game. The whole game literally turned all the way around. Unfortunately we lost down the wire, but just the whole game turned around because my mindset.
Q: Did you ever sit with a sports psychologist?
A: No. I would like to though.
Q: If you could test your skills against anybody in history one-on-one, who would it be?
A: Joe Dumars. I’m really tight friends with his son, J.D., and we always talked smack, talked trash about who would win on the court between me and him. So if it was one person, it would be his dad, because I know he’s gonna bring it. He’s gonna make me play.
Q: Why was Allen Iverson your boyhood idol?
A: Just the tenacity he played with every single night being his size [6-foot], the way he dominated the game. It was just that it factor that he had. When you saw him, you saw greatness … growing up in the inner city, that was a guy that you looked at as a role model and a figure to follow behind when it came to the game of basketball.
Q: Have you met him?
A: A lot of times you don’t [get] starstruck, but that was one time when I was like starstruck … being around a guy you watched dominate the league that you always wanted to play in, like I said, at his size.
Q: If you could pick the brain of any point guard in history other than A.I. …
A: Steve Nash. In his prime, he looked like he was two steps faster than everyone on the court. He was out there playing chess pretty much. You could just tell by the flow and the pace that he played with and how efficient he was in those years.
Q: Who are athletes in other sports you admire?
A: Usain Bolt. … I ran track when I was younger. I see greatness in him when I see him. … Michael Phelps … Tiger Woods … Antonio Brown … Tom Brady — I watched his documentary. I try to pick up on all the greats as well, try to pick up on some little things that they do, and I try to implement it into what I do.
Q: Do you like the big, bright New York stage?
A: I do. I can see why a lot of people wouldn’t like it, because it is a lot of pressure. Every single day you are evaluated on a large level. For some people, it’s what they want. And I think some people are made for it, some people aren’t. But I do love this stage. I’m glad to be a part of an organization like the Knicks.
Q: Describe Knicks fans.
A: Passionate, harsh, blunt, loving, caring and resilient.
Q: What was it like playing in the G-League?
A: That was humbling. That was very humbling, ’cause I knew I belonged in the league, but I knew it was gonna be a process to get back to where I wanted to be. And through that process I learned a lot about myself — how to persevere, how to be resilient through all situations — and it’s made me a stronger player and person today.
Q: So this is not a mirage? Or is the best yet to come?
A: No, the best is yet to come. I’m a hard worker, man. Like I said, having fun again. I’m in a good space. I believe the best is yet to come.
Q: What was the emotional low point of your NBA career?
A: I think last year in Washington. A lot of people will say this summer when I wasn’t picked up. When I started getting DNPs in Utah [in 2015-16] I could handle it. It was something new to me, but I could handle it. When it happened again in Washington [last season], it was like, OK, is there something that I’m not doing right? Maybe I gotta re-evaluate some things, and I did.
Q: Did you think of packing it in at all?
A: No, no, I never thought about that. I did start losing love for the game, which was scary, because it never really happened. That’s when I gave myself some time away from the game as well, gave myself about two weeks away from it, and I worked harder than I ever worked in my life last summer. And it feels good to be reaping some of the results right now. That’s how I know the best is yet to come, ’cause I plan on having another summer as great as last one.
Q: What did you do during those two weeks?
A: Nothing basketball-related. I didn’t watch no basketball, I didn’t touch a basketball. I just let my body, more importantly my mind, have a rest and a break from it. And I started wanting to pick it back up again. If you love something that you’ve been doing your whole life, you give yourself a little bit of time away from it, you’re gonna want to play it again. I attacked it. I attacked my routine and my workout regimen last summer, once I gave myself some time away from it.
Q: What were your feelings when Utah drafted Dante Exum in 2014 after your All-Rookie season there?
A: I did not trust that they wanted to continue to develop me. It felt like they gave up on me, and I kind of lost confidence from it.
Q: And what happened in Washington?
A: It got to a point where John Wall, playing close to 38 minutes a game last season, I was playing in a short, short window, and I didn’t play well in them short windows. I believed I should have been playing more, but that wasn’t the case. And after that, I did a lot of re-evaluating, and I got to a situation where I will have the opportunity to play a lot more.
Q: Describe growing up in inner city Columbus, Ohio.
A: I didn’t come from a lot of money, I came from a low-income household. There was times where it was challenging for us to eat. There was times where I do remember being young and I couldn’t eat at night. I was fortunate enough to have a mother and a father though — I thank God for that, that they’re still together. I’m grateful to be able to come from those situations ’cause it allows me to get through a situation like having to go to the G-League as a lottery pick and then having to recreate your brand. All of those things grew me into being to survive those type of things.
Q: What drives you?
A: My family, easily. God and my family are the two things that drive me to reach my potential. Those are the things that I think about going forward when I don’t feel like getting up at 5 in the mornings in the summertime to go to my first workout. Those are the things that I think about that help me get through and push through to be a better player. And being great, that drives me. I want to be great. I want to reach the potential. I want to reach the point where most people thought I could reach when I came into the league.
Q: What made Michigan coach John Beilein a great leader?
A: His ability to develop his players, to make them a much better player going out than they were coming in.
Q: Describe your 3-year-old son T.J.
A: He is outgoing, man, outgoing as can be. His personality is enthusiastic. He’s always running around, he says hi to everybody — just a pure, innocent child that reminds me of myself. Seeing him, those are the things that motivate me to strive for more and to get all of my goals and my desires so I can motivate him to be something great in life as well.
Q: You got married last summer.
A: Just having a wife [De’Monique] that I could trust, I’ve been with her since high school … just that whole family structure has allowed me to be humbled, man, and come to place where I can handle business on the court like the way I want to.
Q: What are your favorite New York City things?
A: The New York City pizza, the New York City skyline and New York City bright lights.
Q: What are your thoughts on Clyde Frazier’s wardrobe?
A: Extravagant (smile), flashy.
Q: Would you ever borrow one of his outfits?
A: I would. If I wanted to step on a red carpet, and I wanted everybody to look at me, I’m wearing one of his (smile).
Q: Two dinner guests?
A: Michael Jackson, Myles Munroe.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “The Sandlot.”
Q: Favorite actor.
A: Denzel [Washington].
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Spaghetti.
Q: Message to Knicks fans?
A: Hold on, hang in there, we’ll be where want to be next season, I truly believe that. I truly believe we have a lot of guys here that want to win, and I believe going into next season, the hopes should be high.
Q: It’s good to be Trey Burke again, isn’t it?
A: It is. Yes it is (smile).
https://nypost.com/2018/04/08/trey-burke-talks-career-rebirth-meditation-and-life-with-knicks/
Worth reading. Encouraging and motivating. Trey is a good kid, may Allah bless him more each day. A journey to find your self in yourself! I wish him nothing but success both off and on the court! Stay humble, AI 2.0!
