Mark Dewar/Sun photo GOOD SIGN ... KU fan Bill Crow of Prairie Village gets a friendly push from James Browne Saturday and meets KU standout Russell Robinson.

Q. So just where is the craziest place someone ever hit you with the signature “New York … New York!” that accompanied your every introduction into KU home games in Lawrence?

A. (Turning to Barnstormers teammate Brad Witherspoon) Where is that we were where they did it really good? Ottawa. Ottawa did ‘New York, New York’ real good. I kind of got a little chill. Just a little chill.

Q. How much of basketball defensive prowess is “want-to” versus actual skill if you were to attach a percentage to it?

A. I’d say 30 percent of it is your technique, 70 percent of it is your heart. The pride. When that stuff kicks in, that takes me to another level defensively.

Q. How critical has your ability to play good defense proven in achieving the things you have in basketball?

A. It’s critical because it adds to my game. For me it creates offense and it also takes pressure off my other teammates. They don’t have to worry about having to guard the best player because they know Russell’s got it. It helps the team in a lot of different ways.

Q. Can you share one specific defensive tip for the young masses out there? For one thing, you and Mario are blessed with such great anticipation. Can that be learned at all?

A. At this level that’s kind of natural. You kind of know it. But my thing is, you just work hard and give a lot of effort, and that will make up for a lot of your deficiencies defensively. Just work hard. Go as hard as you can every play and that will make up for a lot of things.

Q. Sitting a couple of seats down from you at this table is Travis Releford, a KU signee and The Sun’s two-time Player of the Year. As the senior veteran, what advice would you pass along to Travis to make his own transition to the Jayhawks program easier?

A. Travis is good. He’s going to be in a great situation because we’re losing a lot of seniors and it’s going to be wide open for him as far as plenty of playing time. The more important thing, he’s been up to all the games. He’s been in the locker room. He’s familiar with the guys. The adjustment is not going to be as much for him as somebody else.

Q. Your court vision is outstanding. Where do you fix your eyes in order to play your very best defense?

A. You read eyes. That’s the way you anticipate the easiest. Their body movement, the ball sometimes. But the main thing is, keep the guy in front of you and good things will happen from there.

Q. How about an update on you, Russell?

A. I graduate (with a degree in communication studies) next Sunday. I walk. I’ll be done with school. That’s just as important as winning the national championship. Probably more important for me and my family. Then I’m off to try to make the NBA.

Q. We see all these kids walking around here decked out in their Russell Robinson gear today. When you were growing up, did you have that poster on the wall, that guy you idolized and wanted to emulate?

A. At a young age it was, of course, Michael Jordan. As I got older, guys like Ben Gordon, New York area guys I always looked up to. But unlike these (fans), I never got a chance to meet those guys and hang out with them like I got to hang out with these guys.

Q. Finally, you have posed for a lot of pictures today where either you or the fan or both of you are holding up the No. 1 gesture with index fingers. It was a long time coming. How does it feel to finally be able to throw that No. 1 up in the air?

A. (Laughing) It’s great. And every once in a while it hits us, like, ‘Wow, we won the whole national championship.’ You know, I guess we’ve been used to seeing everybody else win it and seeing other teams have their success. Here’s our moment. So we’re going to live it up to the fullest and hopefully bring another one home soon.