CLEVELAND -- New point guard Collin Sexton is a quick study.
The former University of Alabama point guard understands that competition against top-flight talent is the way to hone one’s skills, and Sexton embraces the opportunity to compete for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who selected him with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn Thursday night.
“Every night I go out there, I try to compete,” Sexton told WKYC in an exclusive interview after being drafted.
“And I want to compete at both ends, whether that’s going out there and scoring the ball or going out there and playing defense because now, in the NBA, you have to be able to play both sides of the ball just because of the amount of the good guards there is now that you’re going to be facing every season.”
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During his lone collegiate season, Sexton averaged 19.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists over 29.9 minutes per game for an Alabama team that went to the semifinals of the 2018 Southeastern Conference Tournament and two rounds deep in the NCAA Tournament before bowing out against the eventual National Champion Villanova Wildcats.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Sexton shot 44.7 percent from the field, 49.5 percent from inside the three-point arc and 77.8 percent at the free-throw line.
Under the tutelage of Alabama coach Avery Johnson, himself a successful former NBA player and coach, Sexton learned the importance of involving everybody on the floor while producing on both ends of the court.
“Honestly, he taught me a whole lot while I was there, especially on the court, but really, mainly off the court,” Sexton said. “He just really taught me how to run the pick and roll and certain stuff like that, and also, how to make sure my teammates were always in the flow of the game and make sure I talk to everybody different because not everyone you can talk to the same way.
“Off the court, he always told me to make sure to be responsible and make sure I’m aware of my surroundings just because you never know what’s around you. You never know what’s going on. Also, he taught me always respect, respect, respect. Respect, that was the biggest thing.”
That respect applied to the classroom too, as despite preparing for the NBA Draft, Sexton continued his studies at Alabama and maintained a 4.0 grade point average.
“Education is big with me and my family,” Sexton said. “Both of my siblings have their degrees, so I have to finish it off and get mine.”
Although the classroom is important to Sexton, he is looking to learn lessons on the basketball court at the NBA level and applying them to a team with designs on competing for and winning an NBA Championship.
“It makes me very excited just because I feel I can come in and help the team, no matter what it is,” Sexton said. “I just can’t wait. Just can’t wait.
“I can’t want to get to Cleveland, and I hope everybody is looking forward to next season.”