Dealing with injury and redshirting a season was not what Dee Proby had in mind when he made the switch from West Virginia to Oklahoma City University in 2009. But this Super Star of the Week has grown in more ways than one since arriving on the campus of OCU.
Proby, a senior from Round Rock, Texas, plays the middle of the court for Kevin Morrissey’s Stars this season. He was sidelined last year with a Jones fracture in his foot, the same injury that has plagued NBA superstar Yao Ming.
But rather than follow in Yao’s recovery footsteps, he’s attempting to take the route of another famous baller that has dealt with and overcome a similar injury - Michael Jordan.
“I ate a lot – breakfast, lunch, dinner – just hit the weights constantly, every day,” Proby said of his redshirt season. “I had a trainer back at home to help me out with everything. Post moves, running the football fields and a lot of in the weight room.”
Proby used his time away from the court to bulk up, gaining 35 pounds of muscle to add to his 6-foot-10, 275 lb. frame.
His added strength has translated in added offense for OCU this season. Proby puts up 11.7 points sinking 44.4 percent of his shot attempts and adds 4.4 rebounds a night for the 15-8 Stars.
Proby’s not done adding to his girth, however, and spends extra time in the gym and on the court trying to improve.
“I’m in the gym an hour early just working hard on extra stuff,” Proby said. “I come in an hour, put [a heavy vest] on, do some jumping drills, some running around.
“It’s all about just working hard. I’m trying to just do the best for me and the best for my teammates. Trying to get me somewhere, trying to help them shine a little bit by passing the ball when they’re open and stuff like that. Just working hard in practice and being vocal, just like a team leader.”
The goal at hand is not only personal improvement and a chance at playing professional basketball, but a more pressing and immediate goal of bringing home conference tournament and national championship trophies to grace the halls of Abe Lemons Arena.
“Coach has made us realize it’s time to step it up,” Proby said. “Coach had told us to write a goal down and everybody put championship. He reminded us about that so we just started stepping up, realizing that. I know we can win. As long as we keep putting effort and working hard together, nothing’s going to stop us.”
And as for Proby’s individual goal of playing side-by-side with favorite athlete Carmelo Anthony, with the Big 3 in Miami or at the Staples Center each night?
“I’m just playing ball, trying to get there. Working hard and playing my own game.”
Playing his own game well - in a new and improved pro-style body.
