Gabe Wiznitzer earned his first start for Ohio on Sunday against Alabama State. Wiznitzer, who is traditionally a strong presence off the bench, switched things up to contribute right away.
The South Carolina native is the tallest Bobcat at 6-foot-11. He’s a strong all-around player and makes an impact in the rotation. The Post caught up with Wiznitzer before practice to chat about country music, boating and more.
TP: I was trying to learn more about you before I got here today, and I saw that you know how to water ski?
Wiznitzer: Oh yeah, I used to be a big water skier.
TP: Do you live near a lake?
Wiznitzer: Yeah, so where I live in South Carolina, the city’s called Salem, and I’m right by a lake. As a kid, I used to water ski and just be on the water a lot. That’s something me and my brothers would always do in the summer, just get up and water ski.
TP: Do you do any other water sports at all?
Wizniter: No, it was more for fun. I’m honestly too big to do it now (chuckles), but I used to enjoy it back when I was not as tall and my feet were smaller.
TP: I have never ever water skied. I live by a lake up near Dayton, but my balance is just not good enough for it.
Wiznitzer: It’s like riding a bike. Once you learn how to do it, it’s like second nature.
TP: Yeah, so do you go boating often?
Wiznitzer: Yeah, at home. My family, we enjoy going out on the lake and hanging out as a family out there for sure.
TP: What three songs are your must-haves when you’re boating?
Wiznitzer: Definitely like country music. I like Luke Combs “When It Rains, It Pours.” Who else can I throw in there? I like the song “Talladega” by I think that’s Eric Church. I don’t know, you could play any country song for me and I’m good on the lake.
TP: Are you a big country music fan?
Wiznitzer: Yeah! I listen to it probably more on my own time (rap music plays in the background) because obviously… but I know B-rod (Ben Roderick) likes country music.
TP: Who’s your dream country artist to see in concert?
Wiznitzer: Riley Greene, he’s probably my dream. He’s my favorite. So probably Riley Greene.
TP: Riley Greene is really cool. I’m also a big country music fan so I totally get it. What’s your favorite song by him?
Wiznitzer: I don’t want to be generic. I don’t know, I don’t think I can pick one song. I like a lot of his stuff.
TP: So there’s a bunch of subgenres of country, are you a Texas country, or red dirt country fan at all?
Wiznitzer: Eh, not really. I like the 2000s, older Jason Aldean and Blake Shelton. Then I like a lot of newer country artists, too. I’d say I appreciate it, except the old stuff, I don’t really listen to that.
TP: You don’t listen to old country?
Wiznitzer: No.
TP: Oh that hurts my heart…but if you were a country artist, where would be one place you’d like to play?
Wiznitzer: One city or something? I feel like Birmingham, (Alabama), would be cool. I don’t want to say Nashville, (Tennessee), everybody says that. I’m going to go with Birmingham.
TP: Birmingham, OK. Have you ever been to Nashville?
Wiznitzer: Yeah I have.
TP: What’s it like there? I’ve never been.
Wiznitzer: We played Belmont our first game of the year. It was very, I don’t know, isn’t modern. I feel like everybody there dresses like they want to be a country music star, like big boots and everybody has these hats on. All the girls and guys wear these big hats. It was cool. It was fun to go there.
TP: Last question, do you own a pair of boots
Wiznitzer: Uhhh, sorry.
