Season preview: HoopsHD interviews St. Mary’s assistant coach Mickey McConnell

Posted on October 22, 2020 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators/alumni in the country. We continue our coverage with St. Mary’s assistant coach Mickey McConnell. He was named WCC tourney MVP in 2010, WCC POY in 2011, and remains top-5 in school history in career AST/3PM. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach McConnell about his athletic family and his expectations for this year.

In the 2010 WCC tourney title game as a player at St. Mary’s you were named tourney MVP after scoring 26 PTS in a win over Gonzaga, and in January of 2011 you scored 27 PTS including the game-winning shot with 1.2 seconds left in your school’s 1st win at Gonzaga since 1995 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjcPxw4w0QY): how do you explain the rivalry with the Bulldogs to someone who has never seen it in person? I am a little biased but I think it is 1 of the best rivalries in college basketball. Gonzaga kept pushing it higher and higher, which has forced us to get better. They are a top-3 team in the country and there is no love lost between our schools even though we respect each other. The atmosphere at both arenas are unbelievable: playing there was always 1 of my favorite games of the year. Many East Coast fans would be shocked at how intense the rivalry is.

In 2011 you were named WCC POY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was awesome to receive that honor because our conference is filled with a lot of great players. You do not win those awards unless you are having success as a team so it is a testament to our coaches/players who helped make me better. I am proud of that but really reflects on our entire team, which helped me get recognized.

You remain top-5 in school history in career AST/3PM: what is the key to being a good PG? We still talk about this a lot because all PGs are different. We have had scorers like Jordan Ford and passers like Emmett Naar but the key is to be a leader and make the team successful. You have a lot of responsibility on the court but just have to help your team win, as Joe Rahon did in the past by locking up the other team’s best player on defense. You need to score when the time comes and get the ball to other people when the defense is collapsing: intangibles set the great ones apart.

You played pro basketball in the G-League/Europe for several years: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? There is definitely a big difference, even from country to country. For example, in Spain there is a lot of tactical basketball with really creative offenses that move the ball a lot. The G-League is a tough comparison because some guys are just fighting to keep their careers alive and it can become more selfish. NBA coaches do a great job with their sets and trying different things, which I think parallels Europe, but the best athletes are in the US.

In 2019 you became an assistant at your alma mater: why did you take the job, and how do you like working for your college coach (Randy Bennett)? I knew that I wanted to get into coaching after I was done playing. I might have been able to play 5 more years but I talked to Coach Bennett every summer and now that I have 2 young kids it was the right time to come back and start my coaching career. The chance to return to my alma mater and work with my former coach who I have a lot of respect for was a great opportunity to get my feet wet. It was hard to stop playing but it is also hard to get a D-1 assistant job: it was great to get my foot in the door so it has been a good transition.

You were a career 46.3% 3-PT shooter during your career at St. Mary’s and last year your team was #5 in the nation at 38.7 3P%: what is the secret to making shots from behind the arc? A lot of repetition. For me it was also about shot selection, which was stressed to me by my dad while I was a kid. An open shot is always better than a contested 3. The player has to want to become a great shooter: work on their craft diligently, get up extra shots, shoot it the right way, etc. We do not want to shoot the tough step-back 3…even though Jordan made a lot of them last year. We stress to our freshmen that if they want to get onto the court they need to play defense and shoot open threes.

Last March you lost to Gonzaga in the 2020 WCC tourney title game, then a few days later learned that the NCAA tourney was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? We had just gotten back to campus from our conference tourney, and after the NBA canceled some games it just snowballed from there. We were shocked early-on but did not know enough about it. We would have loved to play and I felt really bad for all the teams but I am good with any decision to keep people as safe as possible. Our seniors had put in so much time/work so I really felt bad for them, but we just took it 1 day at a time.

Your roster includes players from Australia/Estonia/New Zealand: how does recruiting internationally compare to recruiting domestically? I am pretty new to the recruiting stuff after taking the job in July of last year. It was a very unique 1st year due to COVID. The international guys are not seen as much as the US guys so you have to teach them a little bit about the landscape since they have not grown up around it. I played over there and understand the culture a little bit: we want to create a family atmosphere where they feel comfortable right away. I want them to understand what they are getting into academically and athletically: you do not want to trick a guy into coming. We give them as much information as we can so that it is the right decision for both parties. It is a huge life decision so it is important to have the right fit.

Your father Rick won a 1976 college baseball title at Arizona, your brother Matt played minor league baseball for the Phillies, and your grandfather Dick has the most wins in Arizona high school basketball history: who is the best athlete in the family, and who is the best coach? That is a tough 1. I think my grandfather is the most accomplished coach in the family, and was a great athlete as well. His record was later broken by Coach Gary Ernst. I did not get to see my grandfather play minor league baseball but he is probably at the top, even though it is pretty close. 

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? We lost a lot of key players/scoring from last year but we feel good about our group. Our goals/expectations are the same: take it 1 day at a time, try to win the league, and make the NCAA tourney. We have a lot of work to do but I am happy with our hard-working/unselfish guys. It will be a different team but they want to keep pushing the program as high as they can even though the previous guys set the bar really high.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Baylor JR F NaLyssa Smith

Posted on October 21, 2020 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators/alumni in the country. We continue our coverage with Baylor JR F NaLyssa Smith. She won a gold medal in 2018, an NCAA title in 2019, and was named an All-American in 2020. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with NaLyssa about beating UConn 2 years in a row and her expectations for this year.

In 2018 you were named a McDonald’s All-American: which of your fellow teammates on the West team impressed you the most (Charli Collier/Queen Egbo/Christyn Williams/other)? I would say Christyn: she had a big game. It was also the 1st time that I got to see my future teammates as we all played together.

You played for team USA at the 2018 FIBA World Championships: what did it mean to you to win a gold medal, and how frustrating was it to be selected to the 2019 Women’s U19 National Team and then have to withdraw due to an injury? It was a good feeling to compete for my country and win a gold medal: I love playing basketball. It was very frustrating to not compete in 2019 but I knew that I would have other opportunities in the future.

You play for Hall of Fame coach Kim Mulkey: what makes her such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? Just her passion for the game: she hates to lose just as much as I do. She has a great personality and makes you really want to compete for her. She has taught me to take every game seriously because you never know when something like COVID will end your season early.

As a freshman at Baylor you played in all 38 games and were named conference 6th Woman of Year: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? It had a lot to do with my passion for the game: I did not want to sit behind someone on the bench and my parents taught me to do whatever it takes to get onto the court. I found my role and then stuck with it.

In the 2019 NCAA title game you scored 14 PTS including 4 straight baskets after Lauren Cox got injured in the 3rd quarter to help clinch a 1-PT win over Notre Dame: were you worried that Lauren’s injury was going to cost you a championship, and what did it mean to you to win a title? I was very upset that LC got hurt but I was not really worried because I knew that we would win the game for her. Everyone did what they had to do and made sure that we played hard for her. I had never won something that big in my life so to win a championship as a freshman was amazing!

In each of the past 2 years you have beaten a #1-ranked UConn team: what is it like to be part of a Hall of Fame chess match between Mulkey and Geno Auriemma? It is pretty fun. UConn has always been the big name in the sport so it shows a lot about how Kim prepared us by showing us a lot of film.

Last year you were named an All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was a blessing but I was honorable mention so I was not really satisfied: I want to get on the 1st-team this year.

You were preparing to play in the Big 12 tourney last March when you learned that the entire postseason was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? I was really devastated: not just for myself but for our seniors who had so much left in the tank. It was a life lesson: you should play every game to the best of your ability because you never know when your season will end. It was probably the right move to cancel everything due to safety reasons.

What is it like to be an African-American woman in 2020? It is a blessing in disguise. We are the most hated women in America and have a lot to prove to everyone, but I would not want to be another race because I am proud to be a Black woman.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? Of course I want to win a national championship. It is in my hometown of San Antonio next spring so I want to play in front of my family and friends. I would like to lead my team in scoring/rebounding/everything.

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The Hoops HD Report: October Session

Posted on October 20, 2020 by David Griggs

Welcome to the first ever (and hopefully last) Hoops HD Report October Session Podcast!  Normally at this time we are in to our preseason coverage and not doing the monthly offseason podcasts, but with everything being pushed back we are having yet another (and hopefully final) offseason podcast.  Chad and the panel discuss what they think college basketball will look like this year with such a limited and uncertain out of conference schedule.  We discuss Gregg Marshall’s bizarre and outrageous antics and what that might mean for Wichita State, the NCAA’s decision that all players will get an extra year of eligibility, the difficulties the selection committee will likely have selecting the field, and more.

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show….

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Kenn Johnson about 1952 Olympic gold medalist John Keller

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have won 15 gold medals in the 18 tournaments they have participated in during the past 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We continue our coverage by chatting with Dr. Kenn Johnson, KU alum and author of multiple books about KU basketball, about John Keller winning an NCAA title and gold medal in 1952.

  (photo credit: Dr. Kenn Johnson)

John was born/raised in Page City, KS: how did growing up in such a small town (where trains did not even slow down when they passed) impact him either on or off the court? When John was in high school Page City was so small that there were only eight boys in the entire high school. Since they played only small schools in an isolated rural area, Keller did not get noticed much by college recruiters. Page City is now a ghost town. As best I can determine it was not much even back in the early 1950s, so it is likely that John was anxious to leave to go on to bigger and better things.

What made him choose Garden City CC to begin his college career? Coming from such a small place, Keller was an unknown to most colleges when he graduated from high school. Garden City CC was not too far away from Page City and his brother was a teacher/coach there who helped arrange for him to get a basketball scholarship. It was likely the only school that made him an offer.

He was a junior college All-American: what did it mean to him to receive such an outstanding honor? Known as “Long John”, Keller was an outstanding playmaker, co-captain, and NJCAA All-Tournament selection/MVP after helping his team finish third in the nation. As a serious threat on defense due to his ball-stealing ability, he gained the notoriety necessary to receive such a nomination.

Why did he eventually transfer to Kansas? First of all, KU was usually the first choice for every young Kansan basketball player. The notoriety he achieved in the NJCAA tournament caught the eye of Jayhawk coaches Phog Allen/Dick Harp.

What sort of relationship did he have with Allen? Keller often described Coach Allen as a “great motivator”. Keller was known as a great defender with quick hands. He wanted to take more shots but Phog told him “John, just get the ball to Clyde [Lovellette]. I do not need you to shoot.”

In the 1952 NCAA title game he scored 2 PTS in a win over St. John’s: what did it mean to him to win a title? Phog reportedly told all of his recruits from 1948-1950 that they would win the national championship in 1952, so Keller and all of his teammates were extremely pleased that they were able to help Phog keep his word. Winning the championship also gave John the opportunity to represent his country in the Olympics: the pinnacle of success for all basketball players. They did not have NCAA championship rings in those days but decades later KU basketball made rings for the 1952 team: John proudly displayed it in his office.

He played for team USA at the 1952 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? Winning the gold medal was exciting but he said that it was exciting to just be at the Olympics. He obtained tickets to several other events and watched soccer/water polo/track & field/equestrian events. He also watched Floyd Patterson box: “Those things I remember as much as actually playing.” He was proud to represent his country and proud that they did so well. John told his son that in one Olympic game they were trailing Brazil. Assistant coach Allen told head coach Warren Womble, “Put my boys from KU in”…and they won the game.

He was known for his ability to steal the ball: what made him such a good defender? He had quick/strong hands. When his son Kurt was in high school John would do basketball drills with him. Kurt said, “His ability to bat the ball away was incredible.”

He later became a teacher/coach in his hometown of Great Bend: how did he like it? After graduating from KU he returned to Garden City to coach high school basketball for six years before moving to Harrison Junior High to coach/teach. After that, he left coaching and taught ninth grade science and driver’s education at Roosevelt Junior High. All in all, he loved coaching and teaching in Great Bend and stayed there for the rest of his life.

He passed away in 2000: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? He was humble and did not brag about his basketball accomplishments, but the KU title was a big deal even though Great Bend was more of a K-State town. “That guy has an Olympic gold medal” was often heard around the town.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Iowa FR PG Caitlin Clark

Posted on October 16, 2020 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators/alumni in the country. We continue our coverage with Iowa FR PG Caitlin Clark. She won a pair of gold medals, scored 60 PTS in a game last year, and is ready to begin her college career this fall. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Caitlin about her ultra-athletic family and her expectations for this year.

You played for team USA at the 2017 U-16 FIBA Americas Tournament and 2019 U-19 FIBA World Cup Tournament: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and what did it mean to you to win a pair of gold medals? Getting to represent your country is something very few people get to do. Having the opportunity to be selected to two different USA national teams is a great honor/blessing. Traveling with USA Basketball was about more than just basketball. I got to explore the world in countries such as Japan/Thailand/Argentina, all while playing the game I love and representing the United States of America. It was a huge honor and learning opportunity for me.

In February 2019 you set a 5A state record by scoring 60 PTS/13-17 3PM in a win at Mason City: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? It was for sure an “in the zone” type of night. It was a high-scoring close game so it was not just me running up the score. We were actually losing in the fourth quarter but ended up winning 90-80: not much defense was played! It was one of the most fun, fast-paced games that I have ever played in. I only attempted 28 shots that night, which was actually on the lower side for me in a high school game.

In addition to basketball you were an all-state soccer player in high school: which sport were you best at, and which sport did you enjoy the most? I grew up playing many sports but by middle school I was just playing basketball and soccer. Soccer was the first sport I played when I was a kid. Growing up I liked them equally but around fifth grade I started to enjoy basketball more and had more of a passion for it. I continued to play soccer through my sophomore year of high school then decided to give it up during my junior year solely because it was a spring sport and conflicted with AAU basketball too much. It was a very hard decision giving up something that I loved and have played my whole life, but it allowed me to focus on basketball and spend more time improving my game.

What made you choose Iowa for college? The main reasons I choose Iowa were the opportunity to create something here that has not been accomplished in a while, my relationship with the coaching staff, and how close it is to my hometown (which is only 1 hour and 40 minutes from Iowa City).

You play for Coach Lisa Bluder, who is the all-time winningest coach in school history: what makes her such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? I think what makes Coach Bluder so great is her ability to adjust to her players and implement a game plan that will be successful depending on who she has on her team. It is the reason that she has coached for so long. She ran a different offense for Megan Gustafson than we run now because that is what suited that team better and made them so successful. She is a player’s coach and continues to bring out the best in every team that she coaches. While I have learned so much from her in my short time here already, it is hard to choose just one thing. She teaches you more than basketball. She truly cares about you as a person and she takes that part of her job as a coach very seriously: that is what every player wants in a coach.

You are a 6’ PG: how much of an advantage is your size on the court? I think it is a big advantage. It allows me to pass easier, get off my shot easier, and allows me take advantage of a smaller guard that may be guarding me because I am playing the point guard spot and they will have to match up with me.

In June the team held its 1st first voluntary workout since the NCAA tourney was canceled last March: what did it feel like to finally join your new team as they stepped onto the court? I have been waiting since February when my season ended to get here so it was very exciting when we were able to do so. It felt really good getting out there and playing/bonding with my new teammates and starting to build that chemistry together.

The Hawkeyes lost 3 senior starters from last year including Big 10 POY Kathleen Doyle: how much pressure is there on you to come in and contribute right from the start? Obviously there is a huge gap to fill: not only in the point guard role that Kathleen played so well but also in the roles that Makenzie Meyer and Amanda Ollinger played. I think the team is very aware of the areas that we have to fill and that has created a lot of great competition in workouts/practices. Personally, I just come to practice every day and work as hard as I can to help make this team better so that we can be very successful during this season. I do not worry about the outside noise or pressure that people place on me. As long as I do my role and compete, that is what will be best for this team.

It seems like your entire family plays/played college sports: who is the best athlete in the family, and who will your brother Blake (who plays football at Iowa State) cheer for when you play the Cyclones?! Yes: a lot of my family plays or played college sports…which makes family events very, very competitive. I think that everyone in the family has a different opinion on who the best athlete is. My brother and I are each other’s biggest fans so even when we play Iowa State he will be cheering for me…just probably not wearing black and gold! The same goes for me when I am supporting him. We are both so happy that we get to see each other live out our dreams of playing college sports.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? I always have high expectation for myself and the team I am a part of. I think any athlete who has a real competitive drive would say the same. Taking this program somewhere that it has not been in a really long time is a goal. We have a lot of great pieces on this team and great coaches. Coming in and working every day to put it all together will create a lot of special moments in the future.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Wake Forest assistant coach Randolph Childress

Posted on October 15, 2020 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators/alumni in the country. We continue our coverage with Wake Forest assistant coach Randolph Childress. He remains 1 of the best 3-PT shooters in ACC history, 1 of the best scorers in Demon Deacon history, and part of 1 of the best father/son duos in NCAA history. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Childress about his new boss and his expectations for this year.

In 1994 as a player at Wake Forest you led the ACC with 36.8 3P% and your 329 career 3PM remains top-10 in ACC history: what is the key to making shots from behind the arc? Just taking good shots and having confidence: you also need to be fundamentally sound.

In the 1995 ACC tourney you delivered 1 of the most outstanding performances of all time by averaging 35.7 PPG including a floater with 4 seconds left in OT to beat UNC in the title game (www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa2v8V7TaQ8): how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? Practice/repetition. Whenever you get fatigued during the season you need to have good habits and be prepared to make shots when the clock is ticking down. Some people are comfortable in that position and some are not: we practiced those late-game situations over and over.

You averaged 18.4 PPG during your career at Wake Forest and your 2208 career PTS remain #2 in school history: what is the secret to being a great scorer? For me it was about having the ability to score: it was something that I could always do at every level. The coaches I played for helped me learn how to run a team and Coach Dave Odom gave me the freedom to shoot the ball.

You were a 2-time All-American, 1995 ACC Male Athlete of the Year, and in 2002 you were named 1 of the 50 greatest players in ACC history: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I felt incredibly blessed to have had that type of career. I have given so much time/energy to the game so to be rewarded like that is unbelievable. When I came to Wake I had no idea what my 4 years would be like but I knew that I would give it my all: I will never forget how we turned it into a winning program.

In the summer of 1995 you were drafted 19th overall by Detroit (2 spots ahead of Michael Finley) and then traded to Portland: what did it mean to you to get drafted? It was a lifelong dream to get drafted. Going to school is more about academics and just dreaming about playing in the NBA. To be a 1-and-done player back then you needed to be a unique player (like Kevin Garnett) so I relished the opportunity to finally make it to the pros.

You later played pro basketball overseas for almost 15 years: what was the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball in other countries? People do not understand the physicality of the NBA even now…but especially back in the 1990s. You see the foreign influence on big men with 7-footers like Garnett/Kevin Durant playing like guards. The global way of playing basketball has become a part of the NBA: there are less centers around the rim today.

You currently work as assistant coach for Steve Forbes, who was hired in April to replace Danny Manning: what is Steve like, and how is it going so far? Steve is fun to be around and a joy to spend time with at practice every day. We are implementing some changes and the guys are excited to get started. The whole staff is great and just adjusting to a new system/terminology.

Your son Brandon finished his college career in Winston-Salem last spring as you 2 become the highest scoring father/son duo in ACC history with 3623 combined PTS: how proud are you of all his success, and how are you going to replace him on the court? I miss him, to be honest, and have struggled with it a little bit: not just coaching him but spending time with him at the university. When you lose anyone with experience who is battle-tested it is hard to replace them, but I expect Jahcobi Neath to be the 1st guy on deck. It is next man up, just as it was for us last year.

What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? It is not much different than it has been in the past but the biggest difference is that everyone is more conscious of what they did not know before. There are people of all kinds of nationalities who are loving/caring. It has been brought to the forefront and caught some people off-guard but now you are starting to see more things that can help us: I hope we continue to move forward and understand what is going on. I fear people hijacking the narrative of “Black Lives Matter”. It does not matter what political party you belong to or how you feel about voting: Black lives should matter to everyone and there should be a heightened level of concern for our families and for each other. It is better now than it was for my grandparents but we still need to do a better job. It is not the easiest thing in the world but people are tired of being told to accept certain things. We are trying to move forward as a country but also as a race.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? You do not concede anything: if we do the little things first then we will have a chance to win. We know that we will play hard and the guys are buying into that: we are trying to get our guys to play to their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. There are no moral victories so we just want to get better on a daily basis. The goal is to win every game and make the NCAA tourney: even when you lose guys like Brandon/Olivier Sarr/Chaundee Brown it is just next man up.

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