Leading up to the men's basketball regular-season opener on Nov. 6, GoStanford.com will profile all 15 student-athletes on the team and learn more about their interests, experiences and goals.
In the seventh edition of our Cardinal Capsule series, we get to know sophomore Kodye Pugh from Baltimore, Maryland.
What is something most people don't know about you?
I am a film and media studies major and one of the things I want to do besides basketball for a career is go into the field of animation. I want to make movies as a director or a producer. Maybe one day, I will walk down the red carpet and win an Oscar. I have big goals outside of basketball.
Do you have a certain animated film you really like that has inspire you?
My favorite animated movie of all time is The Lion King. I want to make movies that touch and inspire people. Directors and other movie moguls that I look up to are people like Spike Lee. He addresses certain situations in our society on a platform that reaches a lot of people.
What have you been working on in your studies that takes you down that path?
I study a lot of film. I have started to work on my own animation. I am on the board of an animation group here on campus and we have collaborated on a lot of projects.
We have heard you referred to as the "Mayor" of your dorm, is this true?
One of the things I wanted to focus on when I came here was to try and integrate myself with the entire student body. There are amazing people everywhere you go on this campus. I didn't want to stay within the confines of my room. I wanted to get out and meet people. I have been fortunate to meet a lot of great people and learn a great deal. It is also another way of getting more fans to come see us play and cheer us on.
What was your first experience on the court like last year?
It was one of the best feelings in the world to step inside those lines and play the game I love. When the spotlight is on you, there is a lot of pressure, but I live for that. I want to help support my teammates and help us win games anyway I can. It is a whole different feeling when you are on the court and I cherish every minute of it.
What did Coach Haase say to you during your first meeting?
Right after he was hired as the head coach, he flew across the country to come see me and that meant so much to me. It was big for me. Getting an idea of who he was and how well would I connect with him was important to me. We got to know each other and he set out his plan and the future of this program. I was part of that foundation of something new here.
Tell us about your roots.
I was born in Orlando and lived there for seven years, before moving up to Maryland. I went to high school in Baltimore. Most people who know me, know me as Kodye Pugh from Baltimore. I live in Fairfax, Virginia now. I have been all over place and have met a lot of great people. I still have a lot of family and friends in Orlando and enjoy visiting when I can.
Nickname?
It's KP. A lot of people know me as KP and probably don't know Kodye is my actual name.
Any significance behind the No. 5?
I was No. 10 in high school and my younger sister, Denver, was No. 5. When I got here, Michael Humphrey already had No. 10 so I had to pick a different number. I asked for No. 5 for my sister. Ironically, No. 5 was taken when my sister transferred schools, so she chose No. 10 for me.
What age did you start playing basketball?
Not until the fifth grade. Before that, I was into playing the piano. I got into music as well. Fifth grade is when I picked up a basketball and sixth grade is when I had my first dunk. Things picked up from there.
