Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 12 No. 3 | January 2020

inside.hokiesports.com 29 GETTING TO KNOW … WABISSA BEDE Q: What is your dream vacation? WB: I don’t know. Probably one of those random islands in Europe that people go to. Q: If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why? WB: I don’t want to be anybody else, but probably Kobe [Bryant] during his prime playing days. Kobe is the GOAT [greatest of all time] to me. There is just something about him, the focus he has. I just wish I could be a little fly and be behind the walls and see what he did the day before a game or see a workout. Anyone else who is working out, you can kind of find him on YouTube if you search hard enough—but him, nothing. There’s nothing you can find about that man. You just hear stories. You see glimpses of him dribbling for like 10 seconds, but there’s no video. I get mad every time—no trainer who worked him out. You hear about them, but you never get a video, and I’m always mad about that. Eventually, if I get the opportunity to meet him, I’m going to pick apart his brain. It’s going to be annoying for three hours. I’m going to get every answer I need.” Q: Who is your celebrity crush? WB: I don’t know. I have a lot. I’ll pass on that. Q: Do you have any interesting passions or hobbies? WB: I was always into pictures when I was young. I just never had the money to buy a camera. Pictures really tell the story. I always look at pictures, and I’m like, ‘Ah, remember that exact moment and what happened?’ It’s just pretty cool, and capturing moments is a big thing for me. I take some of my team. If someone wears a nice outfit, I’ll take a picture, or if someone is working out, I’ll take a picture. I haven’t done anything recently. During the season, I don’t really take pictures. It’s just during the offseason. Q: What is your favorite thing about being a Virginia Tech athlete? WB: Probably playing in front of the Cassell fans and the people. Just being able to put on a show for the people and just seeing smiles on their faces. In early December, he scored 12 points, handed out five assists and grabbed four rebounds in the Hokies’ 77-63 loss to then-No. 10 Duke. After the game, Duke’s Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski praised Bede. “He’s good,” Krzyzewski said. “Bottom line … When he took over for Justin, they didn’t miss a beat. He’s been a great, great leader for them. You talk about composed. He’s composed, too.” Bede certainly respects Krzyzewski’s opinions, but he doesn’t obsess over them or those of anyone else. He also only cares little for his stats. Actually, he only cares about one number these days—victories. For someone who eventually wants to be a college coach, he has the perfect mindset. “I just try to get the ‘W’ as much as I can because that’s what really matters the most to me,” he said. Bede may have spent a lot of time in the middle of nowhere, but rest assured, with that attitude, he is going somewhere—and given his positive experience at Virginia Tech, he’ll, for sure, never forget where he’s been. men’s basketball spotlight wabissa bede