Being seven feet tall presents some unique challenges, such as legroom on airplanes, buying clothes that fit or responding to some rather goofy questions.
Dawson Carper has learned over his 22 years that it’s all part of the territory.
“Pretty much everywhere I go I’ll get asked about three to five times a day, ‘How tall are you? Do you play basketball?’” Carper said. “Or, ‘I want to take a picture with you.’ Stuff like that.”
Missouri State’s senior big man, who’s missed most of this season due to a knee injury, officially is listed as 6-foot-11. But when you’re that close to being in the 7-foot club, you seek out the exit row on airplanes and have to purchase pants and shoes online.
Questions helped Carper mature, become more outgoing
While some of the curiosity about his height bothered Carper when he was younger, he’s learned to roll with it. In fact, Carper said it’s even helped him mature and become more outgoing.
“When I was younger I wasn’t really an outgoing person, so I didn’t really like all the comments and stuff,” Carper said. “But it was on me to become more outgoing and to use my social skills. I figure that will help me in whatever career I choose.”
With a degree in political science and public administration, Carper is pursuing a Master’s in sports management. He’s eager to get healthy and squeeze in more basketball before he begins a career, perhaps in sports management or commercial real estate.
”I thought about being a coach someday, but seeing how much work coaches put in and how stressful it is, I don’t know,” Carper said. “It’s a tough job.”
Carper plans to apply for a medical redshirt and return to the Bears for a sixth season. It hasn’t been an easy road since transferring to Missouri State in 2020-21, with a stress fracture in an ankle plus a concussion before this season’s knee ailment limiting him to 36 games over three seasons.
Carper's knee required medical procedure
He was off to a promising start this season, starting two of seven games prior to a painful, fluid-filled cyst in his patellar tendon sending him to the sidelines. He’s been going through most basketball activities recently while helping the Bears in a behind-the-scenes role.
“Dawson is a great locker room guy. He’s got to be the best teammate,” Bears coach Dana Ford said. “Just a fantastic locker room guy and just an all-around great kid.
“He was playing early in the season and in certain games against certain opponents, he was playing well. We definitely could have used him, especially during the stretch we were trying to find someone physical and aggressive around the rim.”
Carper averaged 4.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 10 against UNC-Wilmington in the Bahamas, hopeful that was a sign of things to come.
But as Carper tried to play through pain, it kept getting worse and he had no choice but to shut it down for a medical procedure on the knee.
“It’s frustrating, but I wasn’t helping the team playing hurt and it wasn’t good for my body either,” Carper said. “It got to the point where I couldn’t jump off that leg and I wasn’t playing as effectively as I could.”
Injured Bears take on new roles
That’s when he and Matthew Lee, a senior transfer guard, began new roles to help the team. Lee suffered a season-ending knee injury in the season’s second game.
“In practice, me and Matt Lee, we both have a lot of experience and we try to give as many tips as we can,” Carper said. “During huddles in-game, we talk to the younger guys and tell them what we’re seeing on the sideline.
“I try to be a good guy in the locker room and when things get upset in there, try to calm it down. Just try to pick everyone up and be a good teammate. That’s what I’ve tried to do. It’s been frustrating. I’d like to be out there playing, but I guess you find positives in every situation and I’ll be more grateful when I am out there playing.”
Which Carper hopes is during offseason workouts and into the 2023-24 season. Like Lee, because he’s played in fewer than 30 percent of the team’s games and his injury occurred in the first half of the season, his medical redshirt would seem likely for approval.
The three-time Missouri State athletic director’s academic honor roll member sees it as a win-win if he’s able to play another year while finishing up his Master’s.
“I don’t mind having another year. I’m young for my grade,” Carper said. “I’m 22 now as a fifth-year guy, so I’m the same age as some guys who have two or three years left. I don’t see that as a negative.
“I just want to get healthy and go from there.”
Supporting his teammates at MVC Tournament
Carper will be trying to help the Bears in a supporting role at this week’s Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The sixth-seeded Bears (16-14) face No. 11 seed Illinois-Chicago (12-19) at 8:30 p.m. Thursday in St. Louis. The winner moves on to play No. 3 seed Southern Illinois in the quarterfinals at 8:30 p.m. Friday.
“It’s crazy how fast the season’s gone,” Carper said. “ I think we can make a run. If we move the ball and are unselfish on offense, we’ll do well. Our defense is pretty good all the time. It just comes down to moving the ball and playing for each other.”
Meanwhile, you might see Carper on a local golf course during the offseason. Fitted with some longer clubs than most, of course. He generally shoots in the low 90s.
“I feel that it helps my mental game on the court,” Carper said. “Golf’s really a tough mental sport. It’s helped my composure. On the basketball court, if you miss a couple of shots … golf helps you realize that if you miss a couple of shots you can’t freak out or else it’ll mess your game up. You can’t let it get in your head.”
Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Schedule
At Enterprise Center, St. Louis
Thursday’s opening round (Bally Sports Midwest TV)
Noon — No. 8 Northern Iowa vs. No. 9 Illinois State
2:30 p.m. — No. 5 Indiana State vs. No. 12 Evansville
6 p.m. — No. 7 Murray State vs. No. 10 Valparaiso
8:30 p.m. — No. 6 Missouri State vs. No. 11 Illinois-Chicago
Friday’s quarterfinals (Bally Sports Midwest TV)
Noon — No. 1 Bradley vs. UNI/Illinois St. winner
2:30 p.m. — No. 5 Belmont vs. Indiana St./Evansville winner
6 p.m. — No. 2 Drake vs. Murray St./Valparaiso winner
8:30 p.m. — No. 3 Southern Illinois vs. MSU/Illinois-Chicago winner
Saturday’s semifinals (CBS Sports Network)
2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Sunday’s championship (CBS)
1 p.m.
