"I'm just going to work," Drew Fielder talks Providence

Drew Fielder burst on the scene quickly this summer. And right when things felt like they were getting started, they ended. The 6-foot-10 Fielder committed to Ed Cooley and the Providence Friars in early September.

Since then, Fielder has become the No. 110 player in the 2023 On3 Consensus and consistently posted good numbers for his Los Angeles (CA) So Cal Academy team. So Cal Academy has eight players, including Fielder, who are being recruited by or are signed by D-I programs. At the 2022 Chick Fil A Classic, the four-star averaged 11.5 points and 5.5 rebounds on 52.6 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from three.

I caught up with Drew Fielder after a live viewing at the Chick Fil A Classic.

Drew Fielder

What can the Friar fans expect from you?

Fielder: “Man, I’m just going to work my tail off. I want to be a great teammate and a great person. That is all I can promise.”

What is the next step in the development of your game?

Fielder: “Working on my perimeter defense, continuing to get lighter on my feet. Adding some muscle and keep working in all facets, jumping from the high school level to the college level, is completely different games.”

What was the Providence recruiting pitch to you?

Fielder: “Coach (Ed) Cooley was just honest with me from the start. I never felt like he was being a car salesman or ever trying to sell me anything. We just had a real relationship, and that approach is what really sold me. I’m from not a very big town, in Boise, Idaho. I’m super family-oriented, so I felt that family-oriented type of team and type of feeling with Coach Cooley and the staff. I was sold.”

What do you expect your role to be as a freshman?

Fielder: “Obviously, I want to be a start and play as much as I can, but it’s really going to be up to coach and how I perform once I get on campus. I expect a lot out of myself, though, I want to play a lot; I want to dominate.”

What are you most looking forward to about stepping foot on campus?

Fielder: “Being around the team and the staff, I’m really looking forward to everything thing. The fans. I mean, I’m not even there yet, and I’ve felt the love from them. I’m just really excited to get there.”

Do you have a message for Providence fans?

Fielder: “I’m going to work my tail off, be in the gym at all times, and be a good person.”