NC State Men’s Basketball released their next episode of Around Raleigh With Coach Wade on Monday. Coach Wade sat down with Guard Alyn Breed, who followed him from McNeese St.
You can read the transcript below, and watch the video underneath.
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WW: Welcome to our next episode of Around Raleigh. We’re here with Alyn Breed in the beautiful Talley Student Union here on campus. Tremendous facility here and really, really excited to be here with Alyn today.
Let’s start with kind of growing up. You grew up in the Atlanta area, outside of Atlanta, and you were a very, very good basketball player growing up. You played on some great teams, both in high school and in AAU.
Talk about getting started basketball-wise, and growing up in Atlanta, and how your career got going.
AB: I was an outside basketball player, playing outside in the neighborhood every single day. I remember I used to play basketball before the bus came, playing against my friends and stuff.
I was really just playing outside a lot, and I just loved the game. I’d say around sixth grade is where I met my AAU coach. He took me under his wing, and that was my first AAU team.
I didn’t even know they had AAU teams, and stuff like that. I ended up playing with him, and we always played on a big stage. We were sixth grade playing eighth graders and high schoolers.
It just built me as a player. It brought the toughness out of me, just playing around guys like that. The team was so good. We played against each other every day, just sharpened our tools together.
WW: Talk about your time at Providence. One thing that I love about you as a basketball player is you guys won a lot of games when you were at Providence those few years. You guys went to the NCAA tournament, and you were a part of that.
You wanted to play a bigger role than you did, but you were playing 18, 20 minutes a game and contributing, especially on the defensive end, for really, really good Providence teams and a part of winning. Talk about your experience with Coach Cooley and being at Providence.
AB: I learned a lot at Prov.
I’d say when I got there, I was more of a role player. I played a role player role in high school and AAU too, so it wasn’t too big of an issue to me, as long as we were winning. Playing there, I learned that you don’t have to just do one thing on the court to stay out there.
If it was making corner threes, catch and shoot threes, getting an easy layup, or just guarding the best player on the floor, that’s what I was going to do.
WW: Then after Providence, Coach Cooley left to go to Georgetown, and then you came with us to McNeese. Just talk about your time at McNeese, what you learned down there and how you think that’ll help you as you move forward here.
AB: I learned a lot, man. I know when we first got there, we kind of didn’t even know each other, but I felt like once you saw me on the court a little bit, you were like, ‘He’s got a little potential.’ Then you started coming up to me more, and you started talking more.
Once the season started and I was able to play during the summer, you taught me about really working hard, getting up early, having discipline and stuff like that. I really felt like that helped my game. It was a great learning experience.
Then you being a good coach and a good winning coach, I always wanted to win, so I felt like it was a perfect match for me.
WW: Talk about your experience so far here at NC State. You’ve been here all summer getting acclimated to Raleigh.
You’re very acclimated to campus here. Talk about your experience at NC State so far, and what you’re most excited about this upcoming season.
AB: I’m loving NC State so far.
It’s close to home too, so it’s probably the closest school I played at. My parents love that I’m here too. I love the area. I love the weather.
The people here are nice. It’s very big for NC State out here.
I just love the atmosphere and the energy. The food places, the parks, the trails. I take my dog everywhere. I’ve been loving it.
It’s a great transition to be here, especially to play in the ACC.
WW: Let’s talk about your dog for a minute. Not everybody knows he’s a huge dog lover.
He’s got this dog, Blue. I’m not going to butcher what type of dog it is, but it looks like a horse. If you see him walking him around town, or you see him getting on the airplane with Blue, he’s his pride and joy.
He watches him on the road on his ring doorbell to make sure everything’s going good. Talk about your love of dogs, specifically Blue, because you will see him walking his dog all over town, parks, everywhere.
AB: He’s a Cane Corso.
He just turned 2 in May. He’s a big dog. He’s a big friendly giant.
All my teammates love him. He loves all my teammates. That is my son.
I raised him. I trained him myself. Very well-mannered dog.
That’s my second go-to other than basketball and school.
WW: Talk about your mom and dad, and how they’ve helped shape you and get you here to NC State, and put you in a position to be successful.
AB: My parents are the greatest.
I’m the only child, so I’m their whole focus. I feel like my mom is a great support system for me. She’s a very nice lady.
If you meet her, you’ll understand. She’s a really nice woman.
My dad is strict. He’s a great father to me. I couldn’t ask for a better father. That’s my idol.
He’s done a lot for me. A lot. I can’t even explain.
He’s everything to me. My family is everything to me. Family is always everything to me.
They really emphasize loyalty. That’s why you always see me with the same people, sticking around the same people that was there for me. I’m always there for them.
Family is everything to me. It’s good that I’ve always had a good support system behind me.
WW: You’ve got great parents. You’ve got a great dog. You’ve got a great career ahead of you. We’re excited to have you here at NC State.
Our fans are going to love seeing him on the court. He turned into much more of a two-way player at Providence. He was much more defensive-oriented with us at McNeese.
He was playing some point guard. His offensive game was evolving and coming around. He shot it really, really well from three.
Don’t let the three-point percentages from Providence fool you. He’s a very, very good shooter. He’s been working hard on his game.
We can’t wait to see him take the court at Lenovo.
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