Athlete Q&A: Meet Gabe Dynes, the Trojans' Big Man

Often a point of conversation on and off the court, Gabe Dyne's 7'5" frame will be stepping into Cardinal and Gold this season after racking up more than 100 blocks last season at Youngstown State. In this Q&A, Dynes gives insight into how and why he chose USC, what his goals on the court are for this season, and more.

House of Victory: What can USC fans expect from you this season? How would you describe your game?

Gabe Dynes: My best attribute is that I play hard. Although I have a thin frame, I’m very aggressive and I’m not soft. My game is blocking shots and getting rebounds and that’s what I enjoy doing. It's going to be a lot of high-energy plays. I’m not necessarily a high-energy person, but when I’m on the court I bring a lot of energy to the team and I can hopefully add rim protection, rebounding and a lob threat.

HOV: What is it about Coach Muss that made you want to play for him?

GD: In our very first meeting, Coach Muss showed me a chart breakdown of all my shots and what I needed to improve on. Normally, coaches tell you what you’re great at, and he was like, this is what you need to get better at and here’s how we’re going to get there. Right away that was really appealing to me, and obviously I knew his track record. I want a coach who’s going to get on me, and push me, and I’m never going to have to guess what he’s thinking.

HOV: What are the lessons that you learned in your first stop at Youngstown State that you can bring to USC with you this year?

GD: When I first got to college and started playing against people who I had watched on TV before, I had this idea in my head that they were all super athletic, could shoot 100 percent from three, and crazy things like that, but I realized they’re just people. There’s no reason I can’t do anything that they can do.

I think my skills on the court are very transferable. Most of what I do, it doesn’t matter who I’m playing, I’m going to get done what I need to get done. Obviously, there’s a learning curve, playing against bigger teams, but at the end of the day, it’s just basketball.

HOV: When you were looking to transfer, what were you looking for? And why did you ultimately end up picking USC?

GD: Just opportunity and development. I love Youngstown, but the development here is already making a huge impact in a short amount of time. You show up and work hard and you’re going to get better here. That was something I was really looking for. I need to improve, so I need to go somewhere that’s going to make me better. Coach Muss has a huge track record of getting people to the NBA. He can obviously develop people so why wouldn't I pick somewhere that can make me the best player I can be? I feel like USC gives me the best chance of achieving that.

HOV: Growing up in Kentucky, obviously it’s a basketball crazy state, when did you first start playing basketball and was it always a big part of your life?

GD: I started playing in elementary school, took a break to play football, and went back to basketball in seventh grade, which is when I stopped playing football. I was always the last person on the team to make it or get cut. I was a super late bloomer, and really I was not good at basketball until junior year of high school. That's when I finally started to grow a lot and finally started to get good.

HOV: What are your goals for this season and beyond at USC?

GD: My goals are just to max out the potential of our team. Our team has a pretty high ceiling, we have a lot of talent. We are a really good team and can make an impact. It’s just a matter of bringing it all together and showcasing the talents that we have on our team correctly.

HOV: What have you enjoyed about living in LA so far?

GD: I really like being outdoors, so I love the beach. I go to the beach as much as I can on off days. Laguna Beach is amazing. I’ve been to probably 10 beaches already since I moved here. I’ve gone north from campus, south from campus. And the food. I love the food. I haven’t had fast food since I’ve been here other than In-N-Out one time because there are so many good options.

Quick Hits:

• Favorite basketball player? Giannis
• What are you listening to on repeat right now? I got into house music recently. If I’m on the aux it’s just a random Drake playlist so keep it away from me.
• Favorite thing about Kentucky? The people, my family
• Any hidden talent? I used to know how to play the piano, but I also have a black belt in karate and I did that as a kid.
• What's the best advice you’ve ever received? If you’re a good person and you put in the effort, everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.