By David Green and Sebastian Thomas

Junior forward Drissa Traore is in his first season with Rhode Island after transferring from St. John's. The affable big man was chosen as a team captain by his teammates and coaches, and from our point of view, it's easy to see why.

ST: I first got to know Drissa during summer workouts. The first thing that stuck out to me was his energy that he brings every single day. He is always trying to make other guys better and always making people smile. He just has a big heart.

DG: We met when he came here on his visit after last season. It was early in the summer, and I went out to dinner with him. We had a few different conversations. I liked him right away. He's a cool dude, pretty chill. He likes to joke around and laugh, and I am kind of the same way. We clicked right away.

ST: Off the court he is friends with everybody. He is liked by everyone. He's the ultimate team-first guy. Really he just wants to see others succeed, and that is what a team and a culture should be all about.

DG: The fact he was picked as a captain as a new player and a junior, it shows the character he has. Drissa is a true leader. He sets the example by doing the hard stuff that nobody want to do. He is loud when nobody wants to talk. His willingness to do all the things nobody wants to do on a daily basis it how he earned his position as a leader on the team.

ST: I know I voted for him as a captain, and after having conversations within the team, I think a lot of people voted for him. It is no surprise why. Especially with him coming in his first year and being named captain, it says so much about who he is. It shows what both the players and the coaching staff thinks of him, not just as a player, but as a man of character. He is a leader for our team. A lot of guys look up to him. I know I do.

DG: The thing that stands out about Drissa is his personality, the way he approaches the game and life in general. He is always kind to others and always trying to help others. He always puts others ahead of himself. I think that's what I admire the most about him.

ST: When he makes a play, it gives us all a significant boost. It's because of who he is and how much love he shows to all the other guys on the team. He gets fired up for us, and it's only right to return that energy for him. We want to see him do good things. We want to put him out on the floor more. He is someone who does not complain about his minutes. When he has the opportunity, he's going to take full advantage and give everything he's got. When he makes plays, you see the whole bench get up and jump. We want to show our appreciation for him, I guess you could say.

ST: Off the court, Drissa is hilarious. Most of our guys spend time in his room. We all wind up in his living room, chilling and watching games together. He cracks jokes. He's just a fun guy to be around. Every room he steps into, the energy goes up. I've never seen him have a bad day. If he does, he does a great job of not showing it. I think everyone would want to meet Drissa sometime in their life.

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