Each time Northwestern men’s basketball center Keenan Fitzmorris says yes to opportunities, things seem to come his way.

It’s how he met 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, how he came to represent his fellow Division I men’s basketball players in meetings with the NCAA and how he became friends with Siri co-founder Adam Cheyer.

“Sometimes doors can open,” Fitzmorris told students at a Wildside Q&A event in Annenberg Hall Thursday night. “My mom always tells me, ‘You already have the no. Try to get the yes.’”

Fitzmorris, a sports administration graduate student, earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stanford University and his MBA from Stony Brook University, all while commanding the basketball court with an unconventional, defensive playstyle.

Weinberg sophomore and Wildside Gameday Chair Evan Alexander moderated the conversation with Fitzmorris. He said Wildside asked Fitzmorris for a Q&A because of the energy and passion he brings to the NU fanbase.

“You can truly tell that he really likes Northwestern, he likes the people and he likes basketball,” Alexander said. “He’s a transfer here, it’s his first year, but it feels like he’s been here all six years of his career.”

Alexander said he most enjoyed learning about Fitzmorris’ pregame ritual of closing his eyes, mimicking shots and visualizing them swishing into the basket. Fitzmorris said it’s one of many ways he applies his passion for psychology to the court.

During the conversation, Fitzmorris recounted how saying yes to opportunities to engage with campus communities at the three schools he’s attended has granted him exciting experiences. In that spirit, he arrived at the event with a surprise: pizzas for the students who said ‘yes’ to attending Wildside’s event.

However, Fitzmorris said engaging in community activities can be difficult given athletes’ busy schedules.

“I just have this habit of saying yes to opportunities, which leads you to having more stuff with your time, so you have to manage it pretty well,” Fitzmorris said.

Fitzmorris’ commitment to community engagement began at Stony Brook after he was denied access to the recreation center because graduate students didn’t get free access — he would have to pay a $300 fee and get reimbursed, he explained.

He was told he could not be reimbursed because there was nobody from his department on the graduate school senate. Undeterred, Fitzmorris looked up the requirements to serve on the senate. A few months later, his fellow students elected him to represent the business school — and he finally got his $300.

“I got this big title,” he said. “I thought, ‘This is fascinating.’ Nobody else wanted it.”

Soon, he became a mentor for underclassmen student athletes, joined Stony Brook’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and later became the vice chair of the NCAA’s inaugural Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete Engagement Group.

In the latter role, Fitzmorris advised the NCAA on key issues involving student athlete initiatives. It’s also how he ended up meeting Phelps at the March Madness Final Four last year.

“I was uncomfortable, but I was like, ‘I need to go up to Michael and ask something,’” Fitzmorris said. “So I went up to him and I was like, ‘Excuse me, Mr. Phelps, so sorry to bother you, but I was just wondering, like, how much did you train? What did you do?’”

Off the court, Fitzmorris’ drive to seek new opportunities once led him to approach Cheyer on a train in San Jose, California — and the two have remained in contact since. Fitzmorris said he turned down an offer from Cheyer to become involved in a startup which eventually sold for $200 million because he was too busy playing basketball.

Fitzmorris’ enthusiasm also led him to volunteer at the Kellogg School of Management’s Alumni Reunion last weekend, where he said he learned a lot through the accomplished people he met and the lectures he attended.

“Oftentimes, the doors in front of things are not exactly locked doors,” Fitzmorris said. “You just need to do a little action on your end and then they open.”

Weinberg junior and Wildside Director of Operations Dave Arthur said he particularly appreciated Fitzmorris’ advice about trying to open doors that are seemingly closed.

“It was great to hear from Keenan, who is a legendary player and a great role model in terms of embodying Northwestern spirit,” Arthur said.

At the event, Fitzmorris also explained his admiration for his older sisters and the challenges of being tall.

At 7 feet tall, Fitzmorris said he often has trouble flying on planes, as his legs don’t fit between the seats. However, on the positive side, he said, it often serves as a conversation starter.

Once he graduates next month, Fitzmorris is considering several options, including playing professional basketball in Europe, starting a business or pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology.

In one year as a Wildcat, Fitzmorris said NU already “has a special place in (his) heart.” He said he felt “100% embraced” by NU’s fans and especially appreciated the energy of the student section.

“The student section was very energetic and passionate,” Fitzmorris said. “Especially when you’re a newcomer somewhere, especially when you’re a transfer, I was here to play, and it was a lot of fun.”

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