Koprivica to teammates: Stay away from Sis!

PULLMAN -- The young Washington State Cougars head down the backstretch of the Pac-10 season with an outside shot at the school’s first men’s basketball conference championship since 1941. On Tuesday, however, WSU’s Nikola Koprivica, DeAngelo Casto and Marcus Capers found time to do what athletes like to do almost as much as win games: Talk smack about their teammates.

Q: Who’s the most likely Cougar to some day be elected mayor?

Koprivica: Abe Lodwick, because he’s the guy who always has something to say. He uses big words, words I don’t understand. Tries to be “big time” (joking). He always finds a way to get out of trouble or anything that hurts, so he’s definitely the guy that can be a politician.
Capers: Ben (Loewen). I already call Ben an old, grumpy man because sometimes he just gets mad. It’s like you’re 78 years old. Any time you talk politics, he gives you every angle possible. Him and Abe have debates all the time.
Casto: Charlie Enquist. I would say Nikola, but he’s Serbian, so he can’t be the mayor (joking).

Q: Who’s the “class clown” on the team?

Koprivica: Guys say me because, you know, foreign kid -- sometimes, they don’t understand what I say. And I always try to be goofy and make a little fun.
Capers: People might say Reggie (Moore) and me, but I feel it’s Klay (Thompson) because Klay don’t say nothin’. When he talks, it’s funny, because you wouldn’t expect him to say anything. You never know when he’s serious or when he’s playin’, because Klay is monotone.
Casto: Reggie Moore. Me and him just get along. We clown a lot.

Q: If you had a sister in college, which teammate would you like her to date?

Koprivica: None! They’re great guys, but none! My sister’s too good!
Capers: Klay. On top of Klay not really going out, I see my sister just watching movies with him, helping him with homework.
Casto: Mike Harthun. He’s the “chillest” (most relaxed), most respectful.

Q: How do you get the notoriously quiet Thompson to talk?

Koprivica: Know movies and “Family Guy” (an animated TV show) and joke. He has to be comfortable. He’s got to know you really well. When he’s kind of comfortable with you and he’s rooming with you on the road and everything, he’s just a regular guy that talks like everybody.
Capers: Video games. I’m going to say “Rock Band” or “Guitar Hero.” Right now he’s into an Army shooting game, “Call of Duty.” If you talk “Call of Duty” and talk about how many kills you’ve got, or the (NBA’s Los Angeles) Lakers. The debate is: Is Kobe Bryant better than Michael Jordan? If you really want to get him talking, say Michael Jordan is better. That’ll get him going.
Casto: Tackle him! That’s what I do! I get on top of him; he has to say SOMETHING!