Buzz Williams was the main factor in Kevin Marfo choosing Texas A&M

Key notes from Kevin Marfo interview

• The most important thing is trying to stay safe. Getting back home and social distancing. It was a different process than what I'm used to, but I knew what to do. I went through all of the schools and saw what made sense and what didn't. I wanted to align myself with the right people, and that's how I landed on Texas A&M.
   
• I was motivated more than anything else this year. My ultimate goal was to lead the nation in rebounds. I was taking advantage of the opportunities in front of me. I didn't play as well as I wanted to the year before. I wanted to show the world what I could do. Mentally, I had to keep myself locked in and focused on doing what I wanted to do.
   
• Rebounding is something I could always do well. It was something I did well in high school, and it's a skill that never left me. I think it came from the opportunity to play more minutes. I think I could have lead the nation in rebounds as a freshman in college, but I didn't play the minutes.
   
• It was a different recruiting process because it was higher-level schools. Also, it's just one year, so that was much different. This decision had to be a little more comfortable. I knew I had to make the right decision because there is no going back from here. I wasn't the most highly-touted kid coming out of high school, but it was a great experience. It built me up and put that chip on my shoulder.
   
• One of the things I'm good at is judging a good sense of character and loyalty. That's one of the things I felt from Buzz Williams. He's my type of guy. From what I hear from everyone in college basketball, he's the most loyal coach in the game. I didn't want to put myself in a tough position. I put myself in a situation that thinks like me because I just want to play. It made the most sense.
   
• I'm an East Coast kid. I didn't know if I wanted to go that far from home. But then I realized that if I want to grow and play professional basketball, I'm going to have to challenge myself. I realized I needed to put myself in an uncomfortable situation by going all the way to Texas and giving myself a chance to play against the best competition.
   
• I believe that I can be great at rebounding against anybody. It's all about how you use your body and positioning. At the end of the day, it's about how much you want it. If you're determined, anybody can get double-digit rebounds in a game.
   
• My mentality is that I should have had 20 rebounds. I had a game this season with eight rebounds, and that still bothers me to this day. I should've had 10+ rebounds in that game. That's my job. That's what I'm here to do. I want to get my job done. I should've had 20 rebounds against Iona. That's just how I think about the game. But if I had reached 20, I would think that I should've gotten 22.
   
• I'll be 23 this May. I'm going to be myself in the locker room. I'm not going to try and go in there and create an image that's not real. I understand that being authentic is what keeps you alive in college basketball. I'm going to go in and work. When people see me work, they're going to want to be around me. I work hard, and guys want to be around my energy. I lead by action. I'm not a yeller. If I'm not working hard enough, I know I've got a coach in Buzz Williams that is going to motivate me.
   
• I'm just a basketball player. A lot of people only see the rebounds, but if you watch the games, I try and fill the stat sheet. I have an excellent feel for the game. I hope that people see a basketball player who can do it all. Plug me in, and I can go from there.
   
• I haven't talked to Donovan Mitchell recently because this coronavirus thing has been tough for him and his family. He's one of the best people I've ever met. He's a man of character. He gave me confidence and told me to believe in myself to be what I want to be in this basketball world. I'm very grateful to have gotten to play with him.
   
• I'm a clown. I'm a goofy kid. I enjoy life. I have no shame, and I try to live life the right way. I try to do my best in everything I do.
   
• I don't know my graduate focus yet. I'm still trying to figure it out. Academics are important, and my parents have always pushed that on me. That's why Texas A&M is so important. Getting away from home and getting to a new place, it'll be great to build those relationships.