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Chat Reel: Shane Battier

Duke forward looks forward to a successful senior season

Shane Battier is the only player from his heralded freshman class that remained at Duke all four years. Al Bello/Allsport

A strong will and a quiet mind.

These are just two of the tools Duke senior Shane Battier optimizes on the basketball court and in the classroom.

One of college basketball's true gentlemen, Battier elected to stay in school for his senior season rather than turn pro. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has said he will call on Battier to score more this season, and during a chat with CNNSI.com users on Tuesday, Oct. 24, Battier said he hopes he is ready for that challenge.

Keep reading for a transcript of Battier's chat.

CNNSI Host: Welcome to today's college basketball chat with Shane Battier. Welcome, Shane. Thanks for spending some time with us.
Shane Battier: Great. It is my pleasure I hope there will be some good questions.

From Vern Schulte in Lincoln, Neb.: Shane, what was it about Coach Krzyzewski that brought you to Duke, and what has it meant to you to play for him?
Shane Battier: Coach K is such a dynamic personality. Through the recruiting process, I really saw that and was immediately sold on the program.

From Rob Rozehnal in Lahore, Pakistan: It's your old Asian religion professor here. Shane, you were as impressive in the classroom as you are on the court, my friend, hence my question: How do your daily experiences in the college classroom impact how you approach and play a game? I recall your attraction to Buddhism in particular, and wonder if you're playing with a "Zen mind" these days.
Shane Battier: Great question. Actually, basketball and school have many parallels. Both require a strong will and a quiet mind. If you get too high or too down over the results of either school or basketball, you will be less effective. These are Buddhist principles. It is a very Buddhist train of thought, although I am a Christian.

From John Coppola in Severna Park, Md.: I was just wondering if you could shed some light upon the progress of (freshmen) Jason (Williams) and Chris (Duhon) working against and with each other in practice. Is it already apparent that the two of them are making each other better every day?
Shane Battier: Well, thus far, Jason and Chris are trying to figure out how they can coexist. Although both of them are great talents, both are still very young. So we find flashes of brilliance mixed in with periods of "less than brilliance," but it is very encouraging to see their progress daily.

From JGDuke: Shane, does it surprise you that you are the only one from your recruiting class still left at Duke?
Shane Battier: It does somewhat surprise me. The culture of college basketball has changed, and I knew that when I came to Duke, I would probably not be graduating with the same group that came in with me.

From Ryan Moore in Thousand Oaks, Calif.: After playing at the same high school as Chris Webber, was there any pressure for you to attend Michigan? If so, how did you handle the "locals" when you chose Duke who was, at the time, a bitter rival?
Shane Battier: I really didn't have the pressure to stay "in state." I knew Michigan was a great school, and I would do well there. But in the end, I wanted to go to a new part of the country and blaze my own trail.

From CSHAW: Shane, do you have any idea what you'd like to do beyond pro basketball? I graduated from Duke last year, and there was always speculation that you'd be the next Bill Bradley.
Shane Battier: At this point of my life, I have no idea what I'm going to do next month, never mind 10 years from now. I have been flattered by the Bradley comparisons, but I will let the chips fall where they may. In the end, I will do something that I really enjoy, which is undecided right now.

From Shane: Hi Shane. Which of your former teammates do you miss playing with the most?
Shane Battier : I miss playing with Trajan Langdon the most. He was the consummate worker and teammate.

From Scott in Lawrence, Kan.: What was your take on the Roy Williams situation this summer? Did you think he was going to UNC?
Shane Battier: Truthfully, yes. Getting to know Coach Williams through recruiting, you could always see the emotions he had for Chapel Hill. But he has a great program in Kansas, and I don't blame him for staying.

From Andrew J. Nemeth in South Bend, Ind.: What teams are you most anxious to play, is there any team that you are intimidated by, or that could be better than Duke? Perhaps Arizona?
Shane Battier: Well I'm excited to play Stanford. They beat us last year, and you don't get too many opportunities to avenge losses, so it should be a great game in California this year.

From Justin McNickle in Laurinburg, N.C.: You are probably one of the most experienced players in the country, as far as big-time tournament games, along with Nate James. Arizona says that they have more experience than Duke does. Is Arizona that good or are they overrated? And also could you see yourself coaching for Duke in the future?
Shane Battier: Arizona is a very good team, a very talented team. But what I've learned in the last couple years is that talent doesn't necessarily guarantee championships. But with that said, Arizona is still one of the top teams in the country.

From finalforte: After seeing the emotional scene between Coach K and Carrawell last March, can you put in perspective, as to what it means to be part of a team, and playing as one?
Shane Battier : Well, I learned what it means to play at Duke University my freshman year. The emotion, the comraderie and the tradition is unparalleled in college basketball.

From Jimmy in Sydney, Australia: What kind of advice are you giving players like J-Will and Boozer about leaving early or staying in school? There is no doubt that they will go pro, but I hope they follow your lead and stay all four years, or at least to their junior years.
Shane Battier: My advice to all young players is to do what is best for their interests. In my case, I had people telling me what they thought I should do. But in the end, I knew what was best for me was to stay for my senior year. So my advice is not to buckle to the pressure of others' expectations.

From wyoming3: What is a normal practice like at Duke?
Shane Battier : A normal practice at Duke is very demanding, both physically and mentally. Usually, we cover the entire spectrum of basketball: half-court defense, full-court defense, half-court offense and full-court offense.

CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have today with Duke senior forward Shane Battier. Thanks again for your time, Shane. Good luck this season.
Shane Battier: Thanks, I really I appreciate it.

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