IUN News
James Beard
James Beard
Mon, Feb 1, 2010 - [Men's Basketball]

Sophomore James Beard is a point guard for the RedHawks. He adds a valuable quality to the team: speed. He's at his best when he's zig-zagging between the opposing-team's defense. We sat down to talk about his passion for basketball, his plans for the future, and his New Orleans upbringing.

Where'd you grow up?

I grew up in New Orleans. I was born and raised there and I lived there for fifteen years. I moved here after Hurricane Katrina.

 
Did you live near the damage?

Yeah, I lived in the upper Ninth Ward. The water had gotten halfway to the roof. It wasn't the worst, but there was a lot of damage.

 
Wow. Looking back on it, how do you feel?

Well, it happened. It's nothing I can change. I didn't want to leave.

 
What was it like to leave behind your old life?

For me, it was a little different. I didn't look at it like that. I was just happy that my family was all right. All that materialistic stuff didn't mean too much to me.

 
When did you start playing sports?

Since I was born. [laughs] When I was a baby, my dad had a ball in my hand. Ever since then, I've played sports: basketball , baseball, track, everything.

 
What about basketball do you like so much?

Like I said, I was raised playing basketball. It's been in my heart ever since I was born.

 
How did you end up at IUN?

When I moved up here I started going to school at West Side. I stayed here for about a year and a half. I didn't have scholarships from any other schools, so this was a pretty affordable school for me.

 
What's the men's team dynamic?

It's tough because this is a rough year for us. Last year was IUN's best year ever, and we fell off a little bit. We just try to stick together and play together. We haven't quite clicked yet.

 
What's your major?

My major is business.

 
What are you going to do after you finish college?

I want to be a lawyer. I want to be a corporate lawyer. I like math but I don't like deep math, like Calculus.

 
What do you do with friends on your free time?

We go out to eat or something like that. Probably go to a party.

 
What's your favorite dish?

I'm gonna' have to go back home now. [laughs] I like Gumbo… po'boy. I like crawfish, stuff like that.

 
What kind of music do you like?

I listen to a lot of rap… Lil' Wayne.

 
What is your advice for future RedHawks athletes?

Just because it's not an NCAA Division 1, you should still take this seriously. There are a lot of guys who came from the NAIA and went to the NBA. Not a lot of people know about that. Work hard and you can go overseas or make it to the league.