Karina Rodriguez | THE RIDER
Sophomore Connor Raines is a forward on the UTRGV Men’s Basketball Team. He began his collegiate athletic career during the 2019-2020 season. In his first season, Raines played in 28 games and scored his career-high 15 points in the UTRGV vs. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi game.
Q: What is your favorite aspect of your sport?
A: “I would say the atmosphere. I also just have a huge love for the game.”
Q: What made you first start playing basketball?
A: “Well, originally, I wanted to play football, but I wasn’t big enough. So, basketball kind of came into play, and I was pretty good at it. So, I just stuck with it.”
Q: Who is your sports role model?
A: “It’ll be Devin Booker. He is just different. He scores very well, you know. He’s done a lot of good things.”
Q: What do you think makes you good at your sport?
A: “My shooting ability.”
Q: What is the biggest challenge of being a student athlete and why?
A: “My biggest challenge is mostly time management. My first year it was kind of tough getting used to all that, but you eventually get the hang of it.”
Q: Do you enjoy practicing in groups or individually?
A: “I like having the team practices because we get loud. We get hyped up for each other [it’s] just a different type of view than just working out by yourself in a quiet place.”
Q: What other sport would you play besides basketball and why?
A: “I think football probably. Mainly because it’s just such a cool sport. It is really fun to play.”
Q: How do you think your sport has helped you?
A: “It has helped me a lot. Without basketball, I really wouldn’t be where I am today. Without basketball, I wasn’t going to actually go to college. You know, basketball was pretty much it. I didn’t believe, like, school was for me. If I didn’t get a scholarship, I wasn’t going to go to school. I was just going to work. So, it’s really helped me. I realized that I can do school and stuff like that.”
Q: Who has inspired you to continue playing and why?
A: “Probably my friends and my family. I play for them every single day. I always stay humble. I remember where I came from and I’ll never turn my back on them. I always have their back. If I do make it big or something, I’m going to take care of my family. I want to make sure they’re all good.”
