Dwayne Gibson is a senior biology major with minors in spanish and exercise science. Originally from Indiana, Gibson came to NSU as a freshman and has played for the Sharks ever since. Last season, Gibson started in 25 of the Sharks 27 games and was once named the SSC Defensive Player of the Week. In the recent victory against Rollins, Gibson helped the Sharks with nine points, five rebounds and a game high of seven assists.
Tell me the story of how you got into playing basketball?
“As long as I can remember I’ve been playing basketball. I played other sports but basketball was really the sport that I enjoyed and was the most fun for me. I got serious [with the sport] at a young age. In middle school I traveled a lot and Indiana is a really big basketball state so it was a popular thing to do.”
What is your favorite thing about basketball?
“There is so many different ways that guys can impact the game. There are guys that can shoot the ball, guys who are really smart and strong. There are different types of players as opposed to football where it’s like who’s the fastest or the strongest [players]. Basketball is a different dynamic where the guys are more cerebral, that’s why I really like it.”
Why did you come to NSU?
“My middle school coach ended up at NSU, Coach Toole was the assistant coach. He reached out [to me] and I didn’t have any offers at the time so it came out of nowhere. He invited me to come down and that’s how it happened. It was a spur of the moment thing but it ended up being the best decision for me.”
Being a senior, how have you grown as a person since coming to NSU?
“It’s kind of come around full circle. As a upperclassmen, there are a couple of the guys on the team now that I help out. I’m giving them advice as I remember how [other upperclassmen gave me advice]. Having the impact to tell [my teammates] what classes to take and what to expect and how to balance life on and off the court, it’s cool to see how close we have gotten. Being a big brother figure, I want to make sure everyone is on the same page.”
What is your favorite thing to do before and after a game?
“Right before the game I like to play video games or watch TV shows like, All-American on the CW. I’d either watch a show like that or play 2K or Xbox. After the game, it depends. If it was a really tough game, I usually take a shower, relax and try to recuperate. If it is an easy win or a good game, I’ll catch a movie with girlfriend or go shopping and just relax for a bit.”
Is there a connection between Biology and Basketball for you that made you want to choose that as you major?
“I was six-foot in sixth grade so I was a pretty big kid early on, which gave me some knee problems. Growing up with that, I ended up having a knee specialist and talking with him kind of made me fall in love with the sports medicine career. Ultimately, that’s what I want to do, I want to be a knee surgeon. I never really thought of anything else. There are some kids out of high school that know exactly want to do but I was kind of up in the air. Then I took an anatomy class in my senior year of high school and it restarted my love for medicine and the body and all that stuff. I’m the guy on his phone watching [medical videos and surgeries] and that stuff always interested me.”
What has basketball taught you in your life so far?
“The time you put into [something] is exactly what you will get back from it. A mantra that my dad has instilled from me since a young age was “proper preparation prevents poor performance”. Never to expect something that you didn’t work hard for. A lot of time you hear and see these success stories but you never see the time and the effort people but into [their craft]. The time you put into it, it will come back full force.”
What are some of your goals as an athlete?
“Here at NSU, I definitely want to win a conference championship first and foremost. If we get to that point for a national championship, I feel that would be great way to end my senior year. We’ve done so many great things and we’ve changed the culture a lot for NSU’s men’s basketball and I think that a championship is the next step.”
What’s next for you after graduation?
“I’m keeping my options open. I hope to play basketball overseas, that’s definitely something I want to do. Use my spanish skills a little bit maybe in South America, that would be cool. I like change. I went from Indiana to Florida and drastic shifts force me out of my comfort zone. If that doesn’t work out, I’m probably going to take a gap year before medical school and relax and refocus. Growing up with basketball, I never had that much vacations so [I could take this chance to travel].”
