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With the Oregon State men's basketball team focusing its attention on the 2020-21 campaign, BeaversEdge.com Managing Editor Brenden Slaughter caught up with former Nicholls State big man Warith Alatishe to get his thoughts on joining the program, what he's heard in regards to his eligibility, and what drew him to Corvallis and head coach Wayne Tinkle.
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Q: What led you to transfer from Nicholls and ultimately choose Oregon State?
Warith Alatishe: "I loved it at Nicholls. It's a great place and I loved everyone there. But I felt it was time for me to make the jump and play at a bigger stage.
I chose Oregon State over the other schools that were recruiting me (Georgia, Georgetown, Creighton, Texas A&M, and Wichita State) because coach (Wayne) Tinkle and coach (Marlon) Stewart recruited me so hard. They genuinely wanted me to be a part of the family and told me the plan they had in store and I felt home."
Q: How aggressive were the coaches in pursuing you?
WA: "Coach Stewart called me every day, checked in on me every day, and he laid out a plan for me. With not being able to visit because of the COVID situation, he gave me everything I needed to know about the campus. He gave me virtual tours and really made me feel welcome. Coach Tinkle did his part too by checking up on me often and they were both aggressive in making me feel that this was the best place for me. I really felt wanted at Oregon State."
Q: What made coming out to the west coast and OSU an appealing option for you?
WA: "I wasn't planning on going this far from home, but Oregon State was just different. The recruiting was different and I can't emphasize enough how right this place was for me. They truly wanted me and I truly wanted Oregon State, and that's how it went down."
