The title of Dino Gregory’s summer reading summarizes his growth the past few months perfectly: “From Ordinary to EXTRAordinary.”
The book, which is a compilation of motivational strategies by those who have experienced great success, helped transform Gregory from an underachieving forward on the Maryland basketball team to a mainstay in its starting lineup.
“I read on the Internet that I should transfer, go to Loyola or go back to Baltimore and go to Morgan State or whatever,” said Gregory, referring to a freshman season in which he averaged less than one point and two rebounds per game. “I just needed a chance. I needed to go home for a little while and get prepared for it. I know what to expect now.”
That’s because Gregory spent the offseason re-establishing his identity. As a senior at Mount St. Joseph, he was one of the state’s best players, the star on a team that went 123-19 during his career. But at Maryland, his star fizzled. For 16 straight games, which including the bulk of the conference schedule and the Terrapins’ short-lived postseason, Gregory never left his spot on the far end of the bench.
“That’s very defeating and probably very deflating,” said Pat Clatchey, who coached Gregory in high school. “It’s not what happens in life, but how you react and respond to what happens. I talked to him maybe two or three times [late last season]. I said “You’ve got two choices: Pack your bags and leave, or work your butt off and create a niche for yourself.”
And the latter is exactly what Gregory did — dedicating his offseason to becoming a player who could excel in one of college basketball’s most demanding leagues, the Atlantic Coast Conference. He spent countless hours pumping iron in the weight room with his personal trainer. Other days, he’d head from his Edgewood home to Milford Mill High School, where he’d run laps before hitting the football sled to improve his explosiveness.
And the latter is exactly what Gregory did — dedicating his offseason to becoming a player who could excel in one of college basketball’s most demanding leagues, the Atlantic Coast Conference. He spent countless hours pumping iron in the weight room with his personal trainer. Other days, he’d head from his Edgewood home to Milford Mill High School, where he’d run laps before hitting the football sled to improve his explosiveness.
The results slightly were noticeable on his 6-foot-7, 227-pound physique, but they were blatantly obvious to his psyche the moment he took the court for the Terrapins’ first practice.
“There’s a light bulb that goes off in players at some point,” Maryland coach Gary Williams said. “He knew he could play better than he did last year. I think that was his whole thing coming in, to give himself a chance. I told him not base his college career on his freshman year.
“The only thing I told Dino was, ‘Don’t hang it up yet. Give this a shot this year. I knew we needed some inside players, and Dino has certainly proven he won’t back off.”
Gregory, who leads the Terrapins with 12 blocked shots, is averaging 2.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in nearly 15 minutes per game, which is more than double the playing time he received last season.
“I could tell it was hard on him,” sophomore guard Adrian Bowie said. “Anybody who’s a basketball player, you want to be out there. You want to help the team. I could tell it was hard for him.”
But it’s not anymore.
“[College] is a new experience — you’ve got school, you’re by yourself now and you have to change your eating habits,” Gregory said. “Some freshmen learn quicker than others. I guess I was a little slower.”
