Last year at this time, Mario Chalmers was busy performing minor miracles with the University of Kansas.  He hit a crucial three-pointer which tied his team with the Memphis Tigers, and allowed them to extend the game to overtime, where they eventually won the National Championship.  Afterwards, Chalmers was named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA tournament.

One year later, Chalmers is starting point guard of the Miami Heat averaging 10 points and four assists a game.  More importantly he is crucial member of a team that is playoff bound and vying for an even larger prize:  An NBA Championship.

After a quiet night (four points, seven assists) that saw his team handily defeat the Washington Wizards, 118-104, Chalmers talked to Hoops Addict about what the players in Final Four must be going through, why he left college early, and what its like to play with Dwyane Wade.

Rashad Mobley: I talked to you last summer when you were working out for the Wizards and you were fresh off hitting that big shot for Kansas. Now that it’s a year later, what’s been the major difference either on or off the court?
Mario Chalmers: The major difference is you got to get your rest. You know you don’t have class, you have more time to get your rest and relax. And its a lot better playing at this level, a lot more fun, too.

RM: You probably know better than anyone else here (in the locker room) would what the teams in the Final Four are going through right now. What’s that experience like?
MC: Man, it’s a good experience to do all the festivities, all the media and stuff like that, just to be there experiencing all of that is a great feeling.

RM: What goes through your mind when you’re getting ready play in the Final Four and then the Championship game?
MC: You just have to treat it like just another game, so you don’t get nervous. I think that was what Coach (Kansas Head Coach Bill Self) preached to us, was to treat it like another game, and then go out and play our game. That’s how we were able to win.

RM: At the end of the season, a lot of [college] players are going to declare for the draft whether they are freshman, juniors or whatever. You left after your junior year, what was the determining factor?
MC: Well my determining factor was we [Kansas] won the championship. We won three Big 12 championships and then we won the National Championship, so that was enough of a deciding factor for me.

RM: So what advice would you give kids who want to come out early, who don’t win a championship. What would you tell them to consider now that you’re on the other side?
MC: If they’re ready, they’re ready. They should not put themselves in a bad position in case they need to go back to college. But I’m the type of person that thinks if you can go, you should go. That’s how I feel about it, but best of luck to all the people coming out.

RM: What’s it like playing with Dwyane Wade?
MC: Man, it’s fun. He helps you out on the court, and he’s all about the team, rather than just being out there all for himself. That’s why we’re such a good team right now.

RM: And how do you balance getting your rest with still getting prepared for the playoffs?
MC: The same way you gotta get rest during an 82 game season, you gotta get your rest during the playoffs too. It’s no different.