Davaaragchaa Damdinsuren, a Class of 2029 undergraduate at Duke Kunshan University studying Data Science, is a power forward on the DKU Men’s Basketball Team. Originally from Mongolia, he began playing basketball in his first year of high school after previously playing football. Before coming to DKU, he mainly played center; at DKU, he transitioned to power forward, a position that gives him more freedom on the court.
Davaaragchaa handles the ball during a game at the Sino-Foreign University Cup
Q: Could you tell us about your basketball journey? When did you start playing, and what was your path before DKU?
I started playing basketball in my first year of high school. Before that, I played football. Then I tried basketball and really liked it.
I wasn’t very good at first, but I loved playing. Basketball helped me clear my mind and just enjoy the moment, so I kept going to practice and slowly got better.
Later, I joined Modun Wolves and played there for three years. During that time, we won the National Championship and the Junior Club League. That was when I started taking basketball more seriously
Davaaragchaa in his Modun Wolves uniform during his time in Mongolia
Q: You played for Modun Wolves in Mongolia. What surprised you most about playing basketball at DKU compared with your experience in Mongolia?
I think the biggest difference was communication.
In Mongolia, I played with the same teammates for a long time. At Modun Wolves, we knew each other really well. We knew how everyone played and what they liked to do on the court, so we understood each other naturally.
At DKU, the team is much more diverse. We have players with different basketball backgrounds from China, the U.S., and Mongolia, and our coach is Serbian. Everyone has a different style and way of playing.
We also communicate in English, so it took some time to get used to. But I like it because I get to experience different styles of basketball and learn from everyone.
Q: You play power forward for the team. Have you always played this position, or did you move into it later? What do you enjoy most about it?
Before I came to DKU, I mostly played center. At DKU, I started playing power forward.
I like this position because I have more freedom on the court. When I played center, my role was pretty clear, and I knew what I needed to do. As a power forward, I can do more. I can move around the court, handle the ball, make decisions, and be more involved in the game. Playing this position also made me realize that I can play different roles and don’t have to be limited to just one position.
Davaaragchaa in action for the DKU Men’s Basketball Team
Q: Looking back, is there a DKU game or moment that still sticks with you? What do you remember most?
One game I still remember is our game against UNNC at the NYU Shanghai leg of the Sino-Foreign University Cup.
We lost that game, but what I remember most is the way we played. We didn’t have our usual energy, and we played below what we were capable of.
After the game, everyone knew that we didn’t want to play like that again. It wasn’t a good game for us, but I think we learned a lot from it as a team.
DKU Men’s Basketball players gather on the court during a game at the SinoForeign University Cup
Q: Is there something about you as a basketball player that people might not notice just by watching you play?
I don’t think too much when I’m playing. Once the game starts, I just play.
I feel like thinking too much during a game makes everything harder, so I trust myself and try to play naturally. After the game, it’s different. I watch almost every game I play, even the small games. I don’t watch them just once either. Sometimes I go back and watch the same game again a few days later. I look at what I did well, what I did wrong, and what I can improve.
During the game, I just play. After the game, I do the thinking.
DKU Men’s Basketball players gather with the coaching staff during a timeout
Q: If you could go back to your Iirst year at DKU, what would you tell yourself about basketball?
I would probably tell myself to manage my sleep and time better.
Sometimes when I had a lot of schoolwork, I would stay up all night studying. Then the next day, I would be late to practice or sometimes miss it. At the time, I was focused on finishing my schoolwork, but later I realized that it also affected my teammates and my coach. I would tell myself to be more organized and Gind a better balance between school, basketball, and rest.
Being part of a team also means respecting everyone else’s time and effort.
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