Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey

Posted on October 2, 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 in the country. We continue our coverage with Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey. He played at Wyoming/Xavier, made his 1st NCAA tourney as head coach in 2017, and is the defending Big South tourney champ. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Kelsey about winning 14 games in a row last season and his expectations for this year.

You began your college career at Wyoming before transferring to Xavier: how good a player were you back in the day, and how did you get into coaching? 1 way to gauge if a player is good is to see whether he scored 1000 career PTS: I missed it by about 906! I was born/raised in Cincinnati and my dad played at Xavier so when Coach Skip Prosser got the job there I had the opportunity to come back. I started as a walk-on and ended up earning a scholarship and becoming a captain. Skip hired me to work for him at Wake Forest after my playing career was over. My value was in my work ethic/leadership: I took pride in owning the locker room and making sure that we were a buttoned-up team.

In 2012 you were hired as head coach at Winthrop, where you have become 1 of the winningest coaches in Big South Conference history (top-10 all-time): how have you been able to have so much success over such a long period of time? The history of our program precedes me by a long shot: it is 1 of the most decorated mid-major programs in the country. I think that former coach Gregg Marshall will end up on the Mount Rushmore of college coaches: he built Winthrop into 1 of the premier programs in the country. That level of excellence is the norm here, which is a big responsibility, and our players accept that. It drives us every single day.

Take me though the 2017 postseason:
In the Big South tourney title game you had a win over Campbell: where does that rank among the biggest wins of your career? That was our 1st NCAA tourney trip during my tenure. It was a special team with a pair of special players in Keon Johnson/Xavier Cooks. We had more true road wins that year than any other team in the country. I will always remember the court-storming and cutting down the nets with my son after beating Campbell: it was epic. We had a game at Illinois earlier that season (a 4-PT OT win) where Keon scored 38 PTS despite cramping up a few times: we were just pouring Gatorade down his throat. It was 1 of the most impressive performances that I have ever seen.

In the NCAA tourney you had a loss to Butler: what is your lasting memory of your 1st NCAA tourney appearance as a coach? Coach Chris Holtmann (then at Butler) is a friend of mine so it was a bit ironic. I had lunch with him earlier that year and we picked each other’s brain about X’s and O’s. The part I remember the most was just coming out onto the practice floor during the open practice: to have my son out there with me was unbelievable.

Later that month you were hired as head coach at UMass but returned to Winthrop 2 days later citing personal reasons: did you have any regrets back then, and do you have any regrets 3 years later? I am unbelievably blessed to be a coach at Winthrop and I thank God every day for this opportunity at a world-class institution. To walk into the Coliseum and look up into the rafters and see all of those banners is amazing: I love it here and as am excited today as I was at my introductory press conference.

Last year you started 4-7, then won 14 in a row (including a 3-OT win over Gardner Webb), then lost 3 of your final 6 regular season games in February: was it as much of a rollercoaster in reality as it sounds like on paper? Every team faces adversity at some point: even when we were on that 14-game roll we knew that we could not get too high or low because it is a marathon not a sprint. I give our guys credit for rebounding/adjusting in March and then playing our best basketball of the year. We played terrific in the conference tourney and thought that we would have a chance to make some noise in the NCAA tourney after hitting a speed bump in February.

In the 2020 Big South tourney title game you had a win over Hampton, then a few days later you 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? The most disappointing thing was that our seniors did not get to experience the most exciting spectacle in American sports. I do not think there is any question that it was correct to cancel it: there was so much uncertainty about how dangerous/severe the virus could be. It was 1000% the right decision but I was still very disappointed. The underclassmen/coaches will get another chance this year but those seniors will not. The immediate question was how would we respond because every other team was going through it as well: would it make us better or become a hindrance? I am proud of how our guys responded during tough circumstances.

SO PF DJ Burns transferred from Tennessee and was named 2020 conference ROY: how did you get a guy who was the #3 South Carolina high school prospect in 2018 (behind Zion Williamson/Ja Morant), and do you think that he is just going to dominate the conference for the next 3 years? We have a very good conference with terrific coaches: I think that our league is underrated nationally. It will not be a cakewalk and everyone will try to stop DJ by throwing the kitchen sink at him but he is a talented young man. He was a 4-star recruit who started at Tennessee, but the allure of playing close to home in Rock Hill played a big part in it. He is just 1 part of this: I am as excited about this year’s team as any that I have had here. We have a good senior class and some of the toughest kids who I have ever coached. Our veterans lead the way but we also have terrific depth. We were nip and tuck with Duke last year and only lost 2 guys from last year’s team. DJ’s hands/feet are as good as any post player that I have ever coached. He knows that he is not a finished product but his future is really bright.

Your team’s 63.4 FT% last year was bottom-25 in the nation but your 54.1 FG% from 2-PT range was top-25 in the country: is there a secret to improving your FT shooting or is it as simple as getting the guys into the gym to practice their FTs as much as possible? My mentor Skip Prosser said that if you want better FT shooting then you should recruit better FT shooters! The key is repetition: 500 makes/day will make you a better shooter. Many of our best producers last year were not our best FT shooters. Chandler Vaudrin is 1 of our best players and has really improved his shooting: 1 of his weaknesses is his efficiency at the FT line but I expect him to be among the nation’s leaders in AST this year as a 6’7″ PG. We have been 1 of the best 3-PT shooting teams in America during the last several years because we play with pace and spread the floor.

You have 2 Australians and 1 Italian on your roster: what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? We have another Australian coming in next year as well who I think will become 1 of the best shooters in the history of our program. It all started with Xavier Cooks, who is arguably the best player in school history and then returned to his home country of Australia to play pro basketball. It opened up doors over there because the people at the highest levels of the sport saw that they could trust us to take care of their kids. We invest in international recruiting as well.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? It is a boring answer but our goal is to go out here in 75 minutes and then have the best 90-minute workout that we have ever had! We have a hungry group that just gets it: it is a luxury to have a veteran group that buys into the daily process of being great because if you take your eye off that then you will stub your toe. If the stars align properly and keep getting better then we could have 1 of the best teams in school history this year.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Iowa State JR SG/SF Ashley Joens

Posted on October 1, 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 in the country. We continue our coverage with Iowa State JR SG/SF Ashley Joens. She won a gold medal in 2018, made the Big 12 All-Freshman team in 2019, and was named an All-American in 2020. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Ashley about making a FT to beat Baylor and her expectations for this year.

You were captain of team USA at the FIBA Americas U18 Women’s Championship: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and what did it mean to you to win a gold medal? It was a great honor just to make the team, but to be named captain and take a leadership role meant a lot. To win a gold medal was great as well: just competing at the highest level and coming out on top.

You were born/raised in Iowa: what made you choose Iowa State? The team/coaches/family atmosphere as well as the fans/community. There is a ton of support here and everyone wants the best for you both on and off the court. To be a part of “Hilton Magic” is a great feeling and I am really glad to be part of the Iowa State family.

You started all 35 games as a freshman and were named to the Big 12 All-Freshman team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just competed and played as hard as I could every time that I stepped onto the court. Even if I did not know exactly what I was doing I just hustled and got after it no matter what and gave everything I had.

Last December you scored a career-high 41 PTS against Wright State: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? A little bit…but a lot of it was due to my teammates getting me the ball when I had an open shot. They put me in a great position to do that.

You became the 1st player in school history to record a 30/20 game (against Texas Southern last November) and were the only player in nation to average 20+ PPG/10+ RPG: how do you balance your scoring with your rebounding? I just compete on both ends of the court: it is not a 1-sided game. I go after rebounds on offense and defense and attack on offense.

Last March you made a FT in the final second of a 1-PT win over Baylor to clinch your school’s 1st win over a top-2 team since 2004: did you think that you were going to make it, and where does that rank among the highlights of your career? That is probably the biggest highlight of my career. We shoot FTs every day in practice so I told myself that it was just another FT, which helped me relax. I have done it 100 times before and if I make a mistake then it is okay.

You finished the season by being named an All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was great just to be considered an All-American: we have such a high level of players throughout the country.

In the 2020 Big 12 tourney you were scheduled to play Kansas State before learning 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? When I 1st heard the news I really could not believe that our season was over. Looking back on it I wish we could have kept going but it was good to end on a high note with the win over Baylor to finish our regular season.

1 of your new teammates is your sister Aubrey: what is the best part of having her on the team? It is nice having her on the team after we played together for 2 years in high school and to represent our family at a high level is a lot of fun. We get along really well and I get to pick on her occasionally(!) but we both help each other out because we know how we play. To wear the same uniform as her again is great.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? The goals for this year are the same as last year: keep working/improving. We cannot simply be happy with ending the season well last year and hopefully we will have an even better season this year.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Duquesne Director of Player Development Ashton Gibbs

Posted on September 30, 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 in the country. We continue our coverage with Duquesne Director of Player Development Ashton Gibbs. He won a gold medal in 2009, was an All-American in 2011, and then played pro basketball for several years. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Ashton about his ultra-athletic family and his expectations for this year.

You played for team USA at the 2009 U-19 World Championship: what did it mean to you to win a gold medal, and which of your teammates impressed you the most (Gordon Hayward/Klay Thompson/other)? It meant a lot. I was an underrated recruit at Pitt so to go from that to being the 6th or 7th man on the best college team in the country and then making the U-19 team was tremendous. We had a lot of great players on that team but Gordon/Klay impressed me the most. Klay was a great shooter (especially for his height) and Gordon could do a little of everything.

In 2011 as a player at Pitt you were top-10 in the nation with 102 3PM/49 3P%: what is the secret to making shots from behind the arc? A lot of reps, especially game reps. I watched a lot of film to see exactly where I would be taking shots from, then attacked it every single day. It was a simple process but a lot of hard work.

That year you were also named an All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot after all of the hard work that I had put into it. I just wanted to be the most consistent player in the country, which is what I prided myself on. Every day I would come in early to get up shots/work on my ballhandling/get in the weight room, then keep working hard after practice. It was a tremendous honor.

In your NCAA tourney career you had a 2-PT loss to Villanova in 2009/3-PT loss to Xavier in 2010/1-PT loss to Butler in 2011: what is the key to games in March that come down to the final possession? Mental toughness, which goes unsaid a lot of the time. Teams must be able to withstand runs and there were times when our opponents just executed a little bit better than us toward the end of those games. You need the right approach in practice because it will translate to games. You also need to shoot well: we were up and down a bit but Coach Jamie Dixon helped us make the right decisions on offense. We lost because of some great players on other teams who could put the ball in the hole.

After graduating you played pro basketball overseas for several years: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US v. basketball in other countries? They are very detailed overseas and pay a lot of attention to skill work as opposed to people in the US who care about athleticism. You see that now in players who come from overseas and are able to have a lot of success in the NBA. Foreign players have a high IQ and really think the game through and make the right decisions, especially on offense. There are a lot more foreign academies for younger players so they build kids up in a way that allows them to be ready to play at the pro level.

You currently work as director of player development for Coach Keith Dambrot at Duquesne: how do you like working for Keith, and what do you hope to do in the future? I love working for Keith because I learn something new every day. He is a perfectionist and demands a lot but he is a Hall of Fame coach and the best is still yet to come. I ultimately want to become a head coach and just help our guys with whatever they need to do to further their own careers.

You lost Baylee Steele to graduation but bring back your entire starting lineup from a team that was 15-2 through your 1st 17 games last season: how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success this year? It is going to be big and I have seen it already during our group workouts. We have tremendous leaders and our young guys are doing really well at picking things up, which is huge. Building a solid culture is everything and our veteran guys help out with that both on and off the court. As long as we stay healthy then we should be good.

Your father Temple played football at Temple, your brother Sterling played basketball at Texas/Seton Hall/UConn, your brother TJ played basketball at Notre Dame, and your cousin Ashton Miller just transferred from Duquesne to Wagner last spring: who is the best athlete in the family? I am always going to go with myself! What made each of us successful is our self-confidence. TJ/Sterling were tremendous college players and now Sterling is having a great pro career. All 4 of us have carved out a niche due to the work that we put in every single day.

What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? You have to be mentally strong right now because you are being tested. We have to come together as people and it is a great time to be a leader and teach others about our culture. Anytime I can educate my counterparts I try to do that because you do not know what you do not know. The great part of being in America is that everyone comes from different backgrounds, but the better perspective you have then the better we can all be.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? To win the A-10 for sure, get into the NCAA tourney, and then win some games once we get there. To be honest our goal is to make the Final 4: it might sound a little unrealistic but that is how good we can be if we are all locked in and stay healthy. We have enough veteran leadership and great coaching so we have no choice but to have high standards.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Tennessee SR SG/SF Rennia Davis

Posted on September 29, 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 in the country. We continue our coverage with Tennessee SR SG/SF Rennia Davis. She was a McDonald’s All-American in 2017, made a game-winner in the SEC tourney in 2018, and led the conference in FT% in 2019. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Rennia about graduating last May and her expectations for this year.

In 2017 you were named a McDonald’s All-American: what made you choose Tennessee, and what was it like to have so many of your fellow honorees become your future teammates (Anastasia Hayes/Kasiyahna Kushkituah/Evina Westbrook)? I chose Tennessee for several reasons but the main reason was the legacy that exists here. I wanted to play where other great players had played before me so that I could measure myself against them and hold myself to a higher standard. You cannot win any kind of title by yourself, especially in the SEC, so joining 3 other All-Americans was a good way to try to do that.

You play for head coach Kellie Harper/assistant coach Jon Harper: what is it like to play for a married couple? It is definitely different: I had never been coached by a married couple before but it is refreshing/humorous. They have different personalities and it is nice when they bring their kids to practice.

You scored 12 PPG as a freshman and started 32 of 33 games: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I just wanted to play my game. I was able to get my feet in the water and was just playing without thinking about it too much. As a freshman you just want to get onto the court so I decided to take advantage.

In the 2018 SEC tourney you scored 16 PTS including a 3-PT shot off the glass with 0.5 seconds left to clinch a 3-PT win over Auburn: did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the highlights of your career? That was my 2nd big moment in a Tennessee jersey: my 1st moment was in our 1st exhibition game when I just walked out there for the 1st time. To have the poise/confidence necessary for my teammates to get the ball to me in the final seconds and then see me make the shot has just carried over ever since then. That shot is definitely up there: I hit another big shot recently but that is 1 of my favorite moments because it was my 1st game-winner.

In 2019 you led the SEC with 85.6 FT%: what is the secret to making FTs? Focus: you just step up to the line and shoot it like you have done so before. There were times as a freshman where I was worried about making them but eventually it became an easier process.

You were named an All-American during each of the past 2 years: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I guess I should be thankful but to be honest my goal is to make 1st-team (not just honorable mention) so I still have some work to do.

In the 2020 SEC tourney you lost to Kentucky, then a week later you 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? I was kind of shaken because our last game did not go how we envisioned it: we did not want to end our season on that note but it has given me added motivation this year. I feel that it was the right decision to cancel: I did not expect COVID to last this long but it has.

You graduated last May with a degree in hotel/restaurant/tourism management: how weird was it to graduate online rather than in-person, and when are we going to see you open up your own restaurant?! It was pretty weird: they shipped my cap/gown to Florida and my mom really wanted to attend the ceremony in person but just knowing that I got my degree in 3 years means a lot. I want to play basketball for as long as possible and then have a restaurant in the far-future.

Last January you lost to UConn on the road and this January you will be hosting them in Knoxville: how do you explain the rivalry to someone who has never seen it in person, and what will you have to do differently this year to beat them? Last year was my 1st experience with the rivalry. You feel the energy from everyone else around you: it is big for both schools’ fans and was created by 2 of the greatest coaches of all-time (Pat Summitt/Geno Auriemma). This year we just have to finish: I feel like we were a bit depleted after halftime and had some mishaps and turned the ball over too many times. If we finish this January then I think we will be fine.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? I just want us to get 1% better every single day. Even if we start at zero I want us to reach our maximum potential and get it rolling. I typically do not share my personal goals but I want to go to the WNBA after this season is over.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Memphis assistant coach Cody Toppert

Posted on September 28, 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 in the country. We continue our coverage with Memphis assistant coach Cody Toppert. He became 1 of the best 3-PT shooters in Ivy League history at Cornell, won a D-League title in Albuquerque, and is now an assistant at Memphis. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Toppert about his time with the Phoenix Suns and his expectations for this year.

Your father Bob/mother Linda/brother Chad all played basketball at New Mexico: how did you end up 3000 miles away for college at Cornell? I had some good grades and did well at some basketball camps so I started to get recruited by Ivy League schools back east. Once Coach Steve Donahue was hired at Cornell I became a high-priority guy for them and I ended up going where I was wanted.

What makes Donahue such a good coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? He really sees the game from an offensive perspective at the highest level: I call it a chess match. A lot of the concepts he runs are similar to those run by a lot of NBA teams: he has a high basketball IQ.

Your 237 3PM remains among the most in Ivy League history: what is the secret to making shots from behind the arc? When your coach has confidence in you that is always a big boost. If you understand that you will not make them all then you can let go of the misses and simply hunt for your next shot.

You won the 2006 D-League title as a player for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds and then played several years of pro basketball in Europe: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? Anytime you can win a title in anything it takes something special: you need to fill your role and your reward for sacrificing what you wanted is that everyone can win. At that point in time the game in the US was heavily-focused on isolation basketball, while the European game was predicated on ball movement. Now we have seen a blend between the 2: the US game is still played at a fast pace but there is more of an European influence with quick screens and players learning how to make reads rather than just run plays.

You spent a year as Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development for the Phoenix Suns: do you think that Devin Booker is on his way to becoming the best player in franchise history, and why on earth did they trade away TJ Warren for cash in 2019?! Booker is well on his way: he is a tremendous professional who is serious about his craft. He dives into everything and is locked in so he will be a perennial All-Star…but the bar was set pretty high by 2-time MVP Steve Nash. The funny thing is that TJ shot over 40% from behind the arc despite having some injuries but he proved that he could be an efficient 19 PPG scorer, and guys like that are not very common.

On June 26th you were named head coach of Eberlein Drive in the TBT…and then 9 days later your team was disqualified after 1 of your players tested positive for coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the bad news, and what would you have done with your share of the $1 million prize money if your team had won it all? We were shocked to say the least. We had some great practices and I thought that we had a roster that could have won it. I am also an assistant with the Haitian national team and we have a non-profit that tries to build courts and fund basketball-related activities so I was planning to donate any prize money toward that cause.

You work for Coach Penny Hardaway: how does working for a “regular” coach compare to working for a 4-time NBA All-Star who earned more than $120 million during his pro career? It is different on so many different levels. He lives 1 life as our coach but has another life as “Penny Hardaway”. He means so much to this city and continues to do so much for this community that he is pulled in many directions: that alone could be a full-time job! Our players are getting a cheat-sheet not only on what it takes to get to the NBA but the consistency it takes to stay there. It is super-exciting to see how much he pours into caring about our team at the ultimate level. Since he does not need the money/status he is free from that burden and can really help our guys chase the process of development rather than chase wins. I think we will see a sustainable program that can withstand the test of time that is successful for many years to come.

You had an amazing roster last year but lost James Wiseman to suspension, Precious Achiuwa to the draft, Tyler Harris to transfer, and Isaiah Maurice to graduation: how are you going to try to replace all of that talent? We had the very youngest team in the entire nation so that was also a battle. We have added some new guys via transfer including Landers Nolley II, who is immediately eligible.

Landers transferred in from Virginia Tech: how does he look so far? He has proven that he can score/play in 1 of the best conferences in the country (ACC) and he wants to continue to develop his versatility and show that his skill set can transfer to the highest level. I know that he can make shots and I am confident that he can make plays for us as well.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? We set the bar high by finishing 1st in the country in FG% defense. It was remarkable to hold opposing teams to 36.1 FG% on average and that needs to remain a staple for us. On the flip side, we had an incredibly high # of turnovers and lost a lot of games by 4 PTS or less, which means that a couple of turnovers cost us a couple of possessions in those close games. Instead of swinging for the fences we need to hit singles, hold onto the ball, and make some FTs. If we can do that then we will have the opportunity to be pretty darn good.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Dr. Kenn Johnson about 1960 Olympic gold medalist Al Kelley

Posted on September 28, 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 Al Kelley winning an NCAA title in 1952 and a gold medal in 1960.

(photo credit: kansascity.com)

Al was born in Dearing and went to high school in McCune: what made him choose Kansas for college? He chose KU because he had been a Jayhawk fan all of his life and his older brother Dean had previously been recruited by Coach Phog Allen: for Al it was an easy choice. Later in life he often said, “I am a Kansan by birth…but a Jayhawk by the Grace of God!”

What kind of relationship did he have with Coach Allen? Al was an easy choice for Phog: not only because he was Dean’s younger brother but because he was an excellent high school player who helped his McCune teams win 3 conference championships, 4 district titles, and a 2nd-place finish in the state tourney during his senior year. Phog had a great relationship with almost all of his players. In the offseason he would write letters to all of them, keeping them informed of what was happening at KU. He loved the Kelley brothers and kept in touch with them for many years.

In the 1952 NCAA title game he scored 4 PTS in a win over St. John’s and in the 1953 NCAA title game he scored 20 PTS in a 1-PT loss to Indiana: what did it mean to him to win a title, and what did it mean to him to lose a title? Al was a sophomore: back then players were not allowed to be on the varsity during their freshman year. Phog had a tendency to mostly play his five best players so Al did not get much playing time that year. However, it is always a thrill to win a national championship and he was very proud of his brother, who was KU’s starting PG. In 1953 Al has become the starting PG and was the 2nd-leading scorer in the championship game. It was an exciting game and KU was tied with Indiana late in the game but the Hoosiers made a free throw with 27 seconds left and held on to win the game. It was most disappointing for Al and the Jayhawks, particularly because the game was played in Kansas City in front of a mostly Jayhawk-friendly crowd.

In 1954 he finished 2nd in the nation with 86.2 FT%: what made him such a great FT shooter? After making only 70% of his FTs in 1953 he spent the summer working primarily on improving his shot…and it worked. From the start of the 1954 season he was focused and productive from the foul line, helping KU bounce back after losing the 1953 national championship game to Indiana.

That spring he was drafted 56th overall by Milwaukee but instead chose to join the Peoria Caterpillars where he won multiple AAU national championships: was it a difficult decision to turn down the NBA, and how did he like having his brother Dean as 1 of his teammates? Back then the AAU was competitive with the NBA. The salaries were about the same: he was offered only $5,000 by the Milwaukee Bucks but the AAU offered players the additional opportunity to gain business employment experience while also playing basketball. In his first season with the Caterpillars (again joining his brother) Al helped lead the team to the AAU national title and the 1954 World Basketball Championship in Brazil. Then in 1960 the Caterpillars won their league title and were selected to play in the Olympics. He retired in 1999 after a 45-year career with Caterpillar so all-in-all his choice of the AAU over the NBA was a great one.

He spent 2 years in the Air Force: what impact did his service have on him either on or off the court? After two years at Caterpillar, Al served in the US Air Force for two years in 1956/1957 and starred on their basketball team, helping them to win the AAU National Championship in 1957. The experience helped him maintain his basketball skills, such that the next year after returning to Caterpillar he helped the team win the AAU championship again and qualify for the Olympics.

He played for team USA at the 1960 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? Serving as the backup PG to Oscar Robertson/Jerry West, Kelley was proud of the 1960 team and said, “We were voted the best amateur team in Olympic history.” After being named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010, Al remembered beaming with pride as the national anthem played during the gold medal ceremony.

His older brother Dean won a gold medal with team USA in 1952: was there a sibling rivalry involving who won a gold medal 1st or were they just happy to be the only brothers to ever win an Olympic gold medal in basketball? I do not recall ever reading anything about a sibling rivalry: only about respect for each other. After playing with 1 another at McCune and KU, they again played together with the Caterpillars and reportedly were very proud of each other’s contributions both on and off the court.

In 2010 his Olympic team (featuring 10 future NBA players) was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of his career? He said, “It was a real thrill for me to go to the Olympics. It was an honor for me to have a front-row seat.” His gold medal is prominently displayed in the Booth Family Hall of Athletics at KU.

He passed away in 2016: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? KUSports.com columnist Tom Keegan said of Kelley the fact that “his warm smile and friendly manner will be missed by many would be an understatement akin to calling Allen Fieldhouse a pretty nice place to watch a basketball game.” The Lawrence Journal-World obituary said it best: “Al will be fondly remembered by family and friends in many ways: As a loving and devoted husband to Barb, and as an inspiring and adoring patriarch to his children and grandchildren. As an admired and loyal friend. As a proud patriot and Air Force Veteran. As a gold medal Olympian and a member of the 1952 KU champion basketball team. As a shining example of the benefits of hard work and perseverance. His character framed his accomplishments beautifully.” After Kelley retired from the Caterpillars he and his wife moved back to Lawrence and frequently attended many KU sports events. Coach Bill Self said, “Al Kelley is Kansas basketball. He was always a pleasure when he would come to the office or a practice and was a fixture at home games.”

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