Korie Lucious discusses time at Michigan State, admits smoking weed got him kicked off team

Feb 20, 2013; Waco, TX, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Korie Lucious (13) dribbles against Baylor Bears guard Pierre Jackson (55) during the game at the Ferrell Center. Iowa State won 87-82. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Last year’s Iowa State men’s basketball team gave fans a memorable experience that has us eager for the upcoming season. One of the many names we won’t forget is Korie Lucious, was continued to improve at the point guard position throughout his lone season with the Cyclones.

As another one of head coach Fred Hoiberg’s touted transfers, he had some issues that got him kicked off of the Michigan State basketball squad. He admits in an interview that smoking weed caused him to get kicked off the team, and he didn’t feel that playing with the Spartans was a right fit.

Lucious spoke to Travis Singleton of the Black Athlete Sports Network. Among saying that most of his motivation came from his mom and growing up always wanting to play basketball, he gave us a look into his past with Michigan State, both why he was kicked off the team and how it was like to play under head coach Tom Izzo.

(Note: Quotes are all [sic])

"I was smoking I don’t want to tell a lot of people that but I was smoking a lot of weed at Michigan State. Thats the real reason I got kicked off the team and I let my mom, family and friends down. To be honest Michigan State was a great program I’m not taking anything from Coach Izzo or the team but that wasn’t the place for me to be. Coach Izzo playing for him it wasn’t the yelling or anything it was the fact he just didn’t respect my game. Coach Izzo used to always call me an “And-1″ player like even if I dribbled in between my legs and he would just yell at me and say “this isn’t And-1 Streetball”. I mean it was to the point I couldn’t shoot floaters or do nothing there man and he just put me in the position only to be a 3 point shooter and didn’t let me showcase my true talent."

Despite not being able to finish his college career with the Spartans, he was glad to get a second chance with Iowa State.

"I was young and made mistakes but I got a second chance with Iowa State and I had the chance to clear my name and make the best of another opportunity. It was good and bad but I was blessed to have another chance to show people I was a good kid and try to show them what I was made of when I got to Iowa State."

He certainly did that, helping the Cyclones to get within a basket of making it to the “Sweet 16” in the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. We wish Lucious the best of luck in Poland and wherever his basketball future takes him.