Channing Frye entered the arena on Monday wearing a suit, but rather than ditching the suit for a uniform, he kept his evening outfit on.
And instead of picking up a basketball, he put on an earpiece microphone to emcee the 2019 CATSYS at McKale Center, an award show for student-athletes at 蜜柚直播.
Frye just wrapped up his final NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and retired after a 13-year pro career. After being drafted eighth overall by the New York Knicks in 2005, the former Wildcat and Phoenix native spent his career with the Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers.
Frye helped the Cavaliers overcome a 3-1 deficit in the 2016 NBA Finals to beat the Golden State Warriors and win a championship.
Now Frye is enjoying his own sleep and workout schedule along with being a personality and analyst on NBA TV and ESPN. He also hosts 鈥淭he Roadtrippin鈥 Podcast鈥 with ex-Wildcat Richard Jefferson, which features some of the biggest names in the NBA.
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Frye spoke to the media before the CATSYS about retirement, his best memories at the UA and the opportunity to fly out to 蜜柚直播 and eat authentic Mexican food:
What鈥檚 it like returning to your old stomping grounds?
A: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a wild couple of days here. I have a lot to catch up on. Everything has changed. Everything, just the dynamics, diversity, how many new buildings (there are), the advancements and everything. It鈥檚 been amazing, I think the city of 蜜柚直播 is flourishing.
鈥淎nd it鈥檚 awesome. We were eating at (Frog and Firkin) and we鈥檙e just like, 鈥楳an could you imagine having a little train or a trolley that took you from this side to that side?鈥 You had to find somebody who wasn鈥檛 drinking to get you a ride to that side. 鈥 It鈥檚 been amazing being around and seeing the school grow and where it is now.鈥
What is your favorite memory of playing at McKale Center?
A: 鈥淎t the end of my freshman year, we won against UCLA, we were down 23 I think. We came back and rushed the court. I think that was the only time they rushed the court. 鈥 That UCLA team was stacked.鈥
How is retirement from basketball?
A: 鈥淚t鈥檚 great. I鈥檓 chilling. My body is rested. No expectations on needing to be in shape all the time.
鈥淗ad me a nice couple of wings this afternoon. I thought about getting on a bike and I said, 鈥榃hat for?鈥
鈥淔or me it鈥檚 just embracing it. Somebody says, 鈥榃hat are you gonna do?鈥 I said anything. For the last 20-something years, somebody said when to wake up, how to eat, how to work out, no more seeing how to get better.
鈥淣ow it鈥檚 more like what do I need and what am I going to be happy doing next? So it鈥檚 been pretty awesome.鈥
How are you dealing with the freedom?
A: 鈥淭he freedom is scary at first until you schedule it out. For me I鈥檓 just trying everything out. I鈥檝e done NBA TV, Twitter stuff, I鈥檒l go back and do stuff with ESPN. I鈥檒l follow some coaches and see if I want to do that. For me to have the time and figure out what I love is great.鈥
What was your final NBA game like?
A: 鈥淚t was bittersweet. I love my teammates and I鈥檓 very committed to the city of Cleveland and that organization. When you win a championship or you鈥檙e good, you have an attachment to the city because you couldn鈥檛 win without their support and energy. I鈥檒l do anything for 蜜柚直播, whatever they need.
鈥淎nd the guys that were here that won and were good, have the same kind of attitude.鈥
Was that story true on The Roadtrippin鈥 Podcast about your 蜜柚直播 teammate Gilbert Arenas storming out of a classroom at the UA and shutting off the lights?
A: 鈥淭hat was super legit and absolutely horrible. The dude cussed a teacher out, turned off the lights.
鈥淭here was a bunch of stories that didn鈥檛 make it, but he was a handful. An amazing, crazy, talented, psycho human, but he鈥檚 a good dude.
You have that one brother or cousin that鈥檚 crazy but you always want to see what they鈥檒l do next? That鈥檚 Gilbert.鈥
