April 2002 MSU Basketball Skuttle-Butt

During a Monday afternoon press conference, Mississippi State sophomore basketball player Mario Austin told the media why he decided returning to MSU for his junior season instead of declaring for the NBA draft was the best thing for him. MSU Coach Rick Stansbury also answered questions about Mario's decision.

Mario Austin: "Basically, all that I want to say is by doing research I found out that it was best for me and my mom for Mario Austin to come back to Mississippi State for my junior year."

The press conference was then opened for questions from the media.

Could you expand on what you mean by research?
Mario Austin: "Just finding information on where I would go (in the draft). I didn't like the situation so I decided to come back for my junior year."

Rick Stansbury: "Let me comment on something here, too, then you can come back to Mario. I think it says a lot for a young man to be able to make decisions that he has made both ways. I want everybody in here to understand, this decision is about Mario Austin. As I told Mario, he owes Mississippi State, myself, this team and alumni nothing. His decision he needed to make was what was best for him and his mother. To his credit, after doing some research on his own, and seeing that he wasn't going (in the draft) where he was told or hoped to go, he made the decision to come back because he felt it was best for he and his family. That wasn't easy to do after what he has been through. It says a lot about him."

Mario, as much as you are comfortable talking about this, talk about how much your mom's illness factored into this decision?
Mario Austin: "It wasn't me trying to make money. My mom has always wanted me to play pro ball or just play basketball period. She has been with me my entire life. She pretty much raised me by myself in a single-parent home. My mom is very close to me and plays a major role in what I'm doing here."

How is your mother doing?
Mario Austin: "She is doing real good. She is out of the hospital."

Not just due to her illness, but how much influence did she personally have in your decision to come back to Mississippi State?
Mario Austin: "Very big. I sat down and had a talk with her about two to three days ago. I asked her to tell me from her heart what she really wanted me to do. She told me she would like to see me go to school. So, I'm here."

What will Mario have to do in the classroom since he has missed three weeks of school?
Rick Stansbury: "He is going to be fine, academically. He will have to go to summer school to make up some hours. Academically, he was in such good standing gpa-wise and amount the hours, it really didn't affect him."

Did he have to drop this semester's classes?
Rick Stansbury: "He dropped those classes and will make up what he needs in the summertime."

You still have three weeks to go before the NBA draft declaration deadline passes. How will you deal with the people who will continue to try and get you to declare?
Mario Austin: "Not receive calls (laugh). It will be tough. People will be calling my mom at home trying to get me to do things. My mom is not going to listen. She is going with whatever my decision is. Now that she knows that I have made my decision to come back to school, that is it. She will not try to make me change my mind."

04/12/02
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Capturing many of the exciting moments of Mississippi State's memorable 2001-2002 basketball season, "Tournament Champs" - a highlight video from this past season - is now available to Bulldog basketball fans.

The 35-minute highlight video centers around the Bulldogs' March wins over Florida, LSU and Alabama in Atlanta, as coach Rick Stansbury's 27-8 State squad captured the school's second SEC Tournament championship and subsequently earned an automatic berth in this year's NCAA Tournament. Also included in the video are highlights from the team's dramatic overtime home victories over SEC foes Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as scenes from MSU's home triumph over SEC Champion Alabama and the first-round NCAA Tournament win over McNeese State in Dallas.

A production of the Bulldog Sports Network, a division of Host Communications, a subsidiary of Bull Run Corporation, in conjunction with the Mississippi State University Television Center, the basketball highlight video honors the winningest basketball team in school history by featuring big plays, locker room scenes, postgame celebration moments and interview segments from Bulldog players and MSU's fourth-year head basketball coach.

Mississippi State basketball fans may order the "Tournament Champs" highlight video by calling (662) 325-3594 or by filling out an order form on the school's official athletic website - www.mstateathletics.com - with use of a major credit card. Tapes are also available over the counter by visiting the MSU Athletic Ticket Office located in the John H. Bryan Sr. Athletic Administration Building on the State campus as well as through some area retail outlets.

Reprinted with the permission of the MSU Media Relations Department