Pascal Fleury, UMBC's 7-foot-2 center, has grown accustomed to the stares and the questions that follow.
How tall are you? Are you a basketball player? How's the air up there?
"I tell people I don't need to comb the top of my head, because they can't see it," Fleury said. "Sometimes, I get people to jump up on top of a chair and see how differently I see the world."
Five years ago, Fleury left his native Canada for America. Although the countries are neighbors, Fleury sees a major difference between them -- how they view unusually tall people.
"I like the way they perceive you here better. You get attention, and you can use it to your advantage. You go to a club, and you meet more people. They come up to you," he said.
"People are more obnoxious about it in Canada. They see a tall man as having a handicap. Sometimes, I go to see fireworks, and I'm the main attraction instead of the fireworks. That happened back home."
Home is St. Jean Richelieu, a town in southern Quebec, where Fleury grew up with his first love -- ice hockey. From the time he learned to skate at 5 until he gave up hockey some 10 years later, Fleury also played plenty of soccer and volleyball.
Basketball was an afterthought, even though Fleury was 6-5 at age 14. When he finally listened to suggestions that he try basketball, Fleury played for two unspectacular high school seasons in Montreal.
"I was so raw that nobody [college recruiters] even talked to me," he said. "But a friend of mine told me he had a connection in the U.S., and this guy called a bunch of black colleges and Big East schools and told them about a tall shot-blocker who was willing to learn."
Georgetown coach John Thompson took a chance on Fleury in 1990.
After playing limited minutes behind future NBA stars Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo for two years, Fleury met with Thompson to discuss future playing time. Thompson told him not to expect much. When Fleury mentioned the idea of transferring, Thompson accommodated him by calling an old friend, UMBC coach Earl Hawkins.
"There was no question in my mind that I wanted him. He's 7-2," Hawkins said. "Players we've had here from foreign countries, they usually come in very focused, very mature, and they understand what they have to do. They set goals, and they go after them. No one works harder around here than Pascal."
Fleury, 24, has done his work in the classroom, where he already has earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and is working toward a degree in African-American studies. On the court, he is proof of how persistence, not to mention height, can offset inexperience.
Fleury has blocked 88 shots this season (4.2 per game, sixth-best in the country). He has altered countless more shots.
"It gets me going when I block a shot," Fleury said. "My offense is not natural yet, but I'm starting to make some moves instinctively. This year is the first time that I don't feel overwhelmed by people I play against. I was like a project at Georgetown. I still feel like a sophomore."
Said UMBC forward Marc Lay: "Pascal gives us a lot of confidence on defense. We can get out and pressure people, and if we get beat, we know he'll step in to help. He's come really far, especially his offensive skills."
Fleury, who pulls down a team-high 5.8 rebounds per game, averages only 7.9 points, fourth-best on the team (9-12). In his past nine games, though, he has averaged 11.2 points. His improved endurance and strength -- weight training has helped him bulk up to 230 pounds -- are helping his game immeasurably. He is gaining more minutes and committing fewer fouls.
He has had to overcome several injuries to get to this point. After a broken wrist and elbow before his junior season, heel and thumb injuries slowed Fleury this past fall. He started the season wearing a soft cast on his right hand, which impaired his shot. Now, he plays with a protective splint, and his offensive game is growing more dangerous by the week.
Maryland coach Gary Williams, whose Terps have beaten UMBC the past two seasons, is impressed by Fleury.
"He's a much better player than he was last year. He catches the ball better in traffic, and he has a nice touch," Williams said. "He hasn't played that much basketball, but hopefully he realizes his potential. He is going to play somewhere in the future, whether it's Europe, the CBA or the NBA. Anybody that tall with coordination will get his chance."
Fleury smiles when he thinks of what awaits him. He is considering everything from graduate school to a 9-to-5 job, but his gut is telling him to take a stab at playing professional ball. He also yearns to represent Canada in the 1996 Olympics, should that nation qualify.
"I tell people never count him out," Hawkins said. "You might as well have a 7-2 who is trying to get better. Two or three years down the road, he could develop."
Said Fleury: "It's exciting, but it's scary. I don't know if I'll be in Turkey or Peru or Los Angeles, but I would like to play pro ball. I mean, I've made all the sacrifices. I wasn't the greatest basketball player, but I got a scholarship. I've learned about a new society. I used [height] to my advantage."