By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com PublisherFollow Chris on Twitter @ChrisMWilliams
If you listen closely, you’ll consistently hear him barking out orders in the background of a Cyclone Radio Network game broadcast. Heck, you can probably hear him from the top row of Hilton Coliseum. Two or three times during Iowa State’s 77-71 win over Texas, I couldn’t help but pay attention to his yelling from the bench over a raucous Cyclone crowd.
Tyrus McGee is one chatty fellow.
“He doesn’t stop talking. Ever," joked teammate Chris Babb. "No matter where you’re at, you can always hear him talking somewhere."
McGee, a junior and Iowa State’s ace sixth-man, wasn’t always this loud on the basketball court.
"In high school, I didn’t really communicate," said McGee.
When the 6-foot-2 guard arrived to Cowley Community College, things changed.
“When I got to junior college, our coach forced us (to talk). I didn’t have a choice," said McGee, who is currently averaging 9.6 points per game for the Cyclones. "Ever since then, I’ve carried it on with me. I see from doing it that it really works. If you don’t communicate, you’re not going to win the game. Somebody needs to be out there doing it.”
McGee isn’t always just communicating with teammates. If the Big 12 Conference gave out an award for trash talk, there’s a good chance that McGee would bring home the hardware at the end of the season.
“Yeah I do. I talk a lot of trash," boasted McGee before Thursday’s practice."I’m not going to lie to you. It doesn’t matter who it is. I don’t care if it is Kevin Durant. I’m going to try to throw you off of your game. At the free throw line, I’m talking to them. Everything. I like to win. I don’t like to lose.”
McGee said that at a young age, his brother gave him advice attempt to throw opponents off of their game. I’m sure that Tyrus’ brother is a proud man.
McGee’s teammates love the energy that he brings to not only games, but practice as well.
"He is a great asset to our team in that aspect," said Babb. "His communication level and his leadership from the bench. He keeps the bench involved, which is very important to have a bench like that. He is an important player for our team.”
So keep listening Cyclone Nation. It’s hard telling what Tyrus McGee is going to say next.
