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119 A ll Anthony Clemmons wanted when he came to the University of Iowa from Lansing, Michigan, was to play basketball. In four years he has gone from athlete to student- athlete to man. Clemmons' career can be described as a journey of growth. A football and basketball star at Sexton (Michigan) High School, Clemmons was blown away on his official visit to Iowa. "I could have committed as soon as I stepped into the Sheraton (Iowa City Hotel)," Clemmons said Oct. 21 at a UI Athletics Department all-staff meeting in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. "All the black and gold; I'm used to green and white. I asked myself if this was real life, going through that process and feeling so welcomed from the people and fans." One of the first adjustments for Clemmons was becoming a prompt and responsible student. at was facilitated under the watchful eyes of Troy Wulf, an academic coordinator in Student-Athlete Academic Services. "I hated that guy my freshman year," Clemmons said with a laugh. "But the thing I carry with me now is that he held me accountable. He made me realize what life outside basketball was like. Where I came from I wasn't used to studying, reading, writing papers…all the stuff you do during school. I just wanted to come play basketball, that's all I knew." Clemmons matured and became more responsible. "(Wulf ) helped me become a man and also a leader," Clemmons said. As a freshman for the Hawkeye men's basketball team, the 6-foot-2 guard started 13 of the 38 games. Clemmons averaged 4.3 points per game, made 17 3-point field goals, with 105 assists, and shot 73 percent from the free throw line. e Hawkeyes won 25 games and finished runner-up in the National Invitation Tournament. Iowa opened the 2013-14 season with 12 wins in its first 14 games. Clemmons averaged 4.7 assists during three games at Battle 4 Atlantis. en his production dipped. "I put myself in a great situation to come back and have a great sophomore year. I started out good and then it all went downhill," Clemmons said. "I don't know if I lost myself." He played 32 games, with no starts, and averaged 2.4 points per game. "I (kept) to myself and spent a lot of time praying and talking to my family," Clemmons said. Running from his problems wasn't an answer. Clemmons set his sights on important things in life — most notably, his faith — and rebounded with a comeback junior season. He started 12 of 34 games and set career highs in free throw percentage (75 percent), rebounds (1.9 per game), steals (24), and points per game (4.8). e Hawkeyes posted their third consecutive 20- win season and won their first NCAA Tournament game since 2001. "I'm not satisfied with myself (aer junior season)," Clemmons said. "To me, that was just an OK year. Everything happens for a reason and you're looking at a different Anthony Clemmons. You have only seen flashes of what I can do and I'm going to have one of the best years of my career." e Hawkeyes open the regular season Nov. 13 against Gardner-Webb inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.