Rapid-fire with Reader

PINEHURST, N.C. — Who’s got the best shoe collection on the Clemson football team? Which instrument did D.J. Reader pick up in the sixth grade?

Reader answered a series of rapid-fire questions from TheClemsonInsider’s Hale McGranahan at the ACC Kickoff on Monday afternoon.

Q: You have the Jordan’s on. Who’s got the best shoe collection on the team?

Reader: Charone Peake has the best shoe collection on the team?

Q: What’s his best one?

Reader: Charone’s got everything. I don’t know shoes that Charone doesn’t have. Charone has, by far, the best shoe collection on the team. He doesn’t bring them out all the time, but Peake’s got the best shoes.

Q: Best dresser?

Reader: Best dresser, (Germone Hopper). G-Hop has to be the best dresser on the team. He’s a smaller guy, so he has all the nice clothes. G-Hop’s the best dresser.

Q: Is it difficult for a big man like yourself to dress well?

Reader: You know, you can have your own swag. It’s a little big man swag, but you can’t do too much. (Hopper) can do whatever. He’s small. You can put whatever on him. You can’t be drawing too much attention to yourself as a big dresser.

Q: Does anybody have a goofy style?

Reader: Goofy style, Jayron (Kearse) has a little different style, being a taller, lankier guy. He’s got a little different swag that you wouldn’t expect him to have.

Q: Is it a south Florida kind of deal?

Reader: It’s a mix between a south Florida and a New York kind of style. He’s got a lot of bright colors about him, but he’s got nice fitting clothes, so he’s got an interesting style.

Q: Is there somebody on the team that’s a good freestyle rapper?

Reader: Martin Aiken. Martin Aiken is a good freestyler. He’s my roomeate. He raps all the time. Martin Aiken.

Q: Can anybody do beats?

Reader: I don’t know if I know anybody that can do beats. We go straight off the head. We might put on a little instrumental or something, but I’m not sure. Now that Martin Jenkins left, I don’t know if anybody else can do beats.

Q: What about musicians?

Reader: Collins Mauldin plays the guitar. His quote, when we were doing a get-to-know-you activity, his favorite thing to do was play the guitar outside. That’s Collins for you. He’s pretty good at guitar. That’s about it for all I know. I play a little bit of trumpet. I’m nowhere near good, but alright. Not good.

Q: How long have you been doing that?

Reader: Since the sixth grade, off and on a little bit.

Q: Did you get made fun of for being a band kid or were you too big for that?

Reader: A little bit, but everybody had to choose one, band, chorus, art or orchestra, so I just chose band. I didn’t get picked on that much.

Q: Best singer?

Reader: It was Chad Richardson. But, right now, it’s Zach Giella. Zach Giella is the best singer on the team right now.

Q: G-Hop is the best dancer, but how would you rate your dance skills?

Reader: I would rank myself in the fourth or fifth-spot. I’m not No. 1 or 2, but fourth or fifth, I definitely hold it down pretty good.

Q: Do you play golf?

Reader: Nah. That baseball swing messes me up. Golf, it’s still, I can’t do it. I don’t know what it is. I just want to bring my hands, but I can’t do it. It’s no good for me.

Q: You’ve got put a starting (basketball) five together. Who do you have?

Reader: Starting five, I’ve got Charone (Peake). I’ve got Mike (Williams). I’ve got Shadell Bell, he’s a sleeper. I’ve got Carlos Watkins. We’ll go T.J. Green,  T.J. Green in my starting five. Can I get a sixth-man?

Q: Is that you? Or are you just coaching?

Reader: I’m coaching. I can play, but I don’t want to step out there with those guys. I’m more of a streaky shooter. But I’m going to throw in Korrin Wiggins as my sixth-man and backup point guard, to provide a little scoring off the bench.

Q: When y’all are on the sticks — playing video games — pick the game, what game are you trying to play?

Reader: If I’m at my house, we’re playing either (NBA) 2K or Fifa. Mostly Fifa, because I know I’m going to win. My house is really good, super competitive at my house. It’s me, Martin, Carlos, T.J. Burrell and Rod Byers. Really competitive. Everybody wants to come over and be at our house at 7:30. Everybody wants to come beat us, but nobody can in all the games. We’ve got Martin, me and Carlos are good at Madden. Martin and Carlos are the Call of Duty kings. I’m holding Fifa down. Carlos and me and Rod holding 2k down, so anybody wants to come see us in any video game, we’ll talk about it.