Denver Nuggets rookie Julian Strawther shares shoe superstition

A Few More Minutes with Julian Strawther

Nuggets forward Julian Strawther made a splash in Denver's preseason games, and he's hoping to do the same with the regular season starting this week.

Julian Strawther of the Denver Nuggets in action against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Oct. 12 in Chicago. Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The shots were certainly falling for Strawther in against the champs' preseason opponents. But if the same isn't true in the games that count and the threes aren't splashing down for the rookie in his first few games, keep an eye on his shoes.

Denver Nuggets rookie Julian Strawther shares shoe superstition

 "Do you have any pregame superstitions?" CBS Colorado Sports anchor Romi Bean asked Strawther on Xfinity Monday Live.

"Nothing too crazy," the forward out of Gonzaga replied. "As long as I tie my right shoe before my left I'm fine."

"Do you switch up your shoes every game?" Bean asked.

"Yeah, I like to switch up my shoes as much as I can. And you'll notice if I'm not having a good half I'll switch them up at halftime for sure. Yeah, I always blame the shoes," he said.

From Gonzaga to the NBA

The shoe superstition is a carryover from Strawther's days at Gonzaga. He entered the NBA Draft following his junior year, after helping the Zags reach the Elite Eight in last season's NCAA Tournament.

Gonzaga guard Julian Strawther drives to the basket during the NCAA Division I Men's Championship Elite Eight round basketball game between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the UConn Huskies on March 25, 2023 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Shooting from beyond the arc was one of Strawther's specialties in college, but in the NBA the 3 point line is a little farther from the hoop -- 23 feet, 9 inches at the center vs. 22 feet, 1¾ inches.

"The NBA 3-point line, the college three point line, there's a couple feet difference there, but was there any adjustment for you?" Bean asked Strawther.

"Nah, growing up and throughout workouts I've always shot from way behind the line -- you know, always preparing myself for the show," he said. "That's where I wanted to be at my whole life, so I knew that's a shot I was going to have to make."

From Gonzaga to the NBA, Julian Strawther not fazed by 3-point line difference

"The adjustment's been really easy and just working on even extending my range even more so I can stretch defenses out is the main thing. But the shooting has been real good," he said.

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