Horizon League Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 9, 2025 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

HORIZON LEAGUE MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL

  1. Milwaukee
  2. Oakland
  3. Youngstown State
  4. Robert Morris
  5. Purdue Fort Wayne
  6. Northern Kentucky
  7. Wright State
  8. Cleveland State
  9. Detroit Mercy
  10. IU Indy
  11. Green Bay

MEDIA DAY PRESEAOSN ALL-HL 1ST TEAM:

-Orlando Lovejoy – Detroit Mercy
-Marcus Hall – Green Bay
-Amar Augillard – Milwaukee
-Tuburu Naivalurua – Oakland
-Cris Carroll – Youngstown State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-HL 2ND TEAM:

-Faizon Fields – Milwaukee
-Seth Hubbard – Milwaukee
-Dan Gherezgher – Northern Kentucky
-Corey Hadnot II – Purdue Fort Wayne
-DeSean Goode – Robert Morris

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Milwaukee finished with 21 wins a year ago, which was their third straight year of 20 wins or more. Expectations are high again this year despite just having one starter back. They do add some really strong players out of the portal, including Amar Augillard from Fresno State and Seth Hubbard from Western Michigan, so the cupboard is not completely bare. They also add several non-D-1 transfers who appear to have some promise.

-Oakland is coming off a losing season, but expectations are high once again for Greg Kampe’s team. They add several non-D-1 transfers, and Tuburu Naivalurua returns, who is one of the best frontcourt players in the conference. Several guys will have to step into bigger roles, but this is a well-coached team that no one should ever overlook.

-PENGUIN FEVER!!! IT LIVES!!! Despite having just one starter returning from a 21-win team a year ago, expectations are high for Youngstown State. They are trying to win 20+ games for the fourth straight year, which a short time ago would have seemed totally impossible. Jason Nelson and Cris Carroll both saw significant minutes last year and should be able to step into bigger roles this year. Vlad Salaridze is a solid player from UT Martin, and Bryson Dawkins was able to put up points at Houston Christian, so they do have guys that are solidly proven D-1 players. I think the Penguins will once again be a contender in this league, and it would not shock me at all to see them win it.

-Robert Morris went for the double last year finishing in 1st place and then winning the HL Tournament. Unfortunately for them not a single starter is back from that 26-win team. They are looking to some standout players from JUCO and D-2 to help rebuild the roster this year.

-Purdue Fort Wayne adds DeAndre Craig (Denver) and Mikale Stevenson (Grambling) to the roster, both of whom were double-digit scorers a year ago. That, and with two other players who saw significant minutes last year, PFW should be able to compete for the top half of the league again this season.

-Darrin Horn is a good coach, but like a lot of programs Northern Kentucky just cannot seem to get any traction and has difficulty retaining key players from year to year. Only three players are back from last year’s team, so they were tasked with having to rebuild the roster. Donovan Oday was a solid player for Cal State Fullerton last year, but most other transfers are from the lower divisions. It may turn out to be a long year for the Norse.

-Clint Sargent had a tough first year as Wright State’s head coach last year, and may be in for another tough year this year. They were an underwhelming 8-12 in conference play and Brandon Noel, who was hands down their best player, transferred to Ohio State. They do return some key guys from their rotation a year ago, but they will have to step into bigger roles if the Raiders are going to win more games this year.

-Cleveland State has won 20+ games for the last four seasons and been one of the better programs in the HL, so it is kind of strange seeing them picked this low. Part of the reason is all five starters, along with their head coach from last year, are gone. Rob Summers takes over as coach and much of their roster is lacking in players who are proven D-1 contributors, so the Vikings may be in a bit of a rebuild mode now.

-Detroit Mercy won just 8 games last year, which is not good, but they won just one game two years ago. So, they are getting better. I do not think the Titans will contend for the league title, but I do think they will do better than where they have been picked. Four starters are back, and that experience should result in at least being somewhat improved.

-It has been a long time since IU Indy has won more than ten games, and there is a good chance it will not happen this year. They have a new coach in Ben Howlett, and he is tasked with replacing all five starters. He is bringing some key players with him from West Liberty, who was a solid D-2 team last year. It will be interesting to see if they can play at this level.

-Green Bay made the decision to hire Doug Gottlieb, which was remarkable. They then made the decision to retain Doug Gottlieb after he won just four games in his first season, which was even more remarkable. The expectations this season are very low. Marcus Hall is a solid player, but he will need some help from his teammates if the Phoenix are going to climb out of the league’s cellar.

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SWAC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 9, 2025 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

SWAC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Bethune-Cookman
  2. Southern
  3. Jackson State
  4. Alabama State
  5. Texas Southern
  6. Alabama A&M
  7. Grambling
  8. Florida A&M
  9. Prairie View A&M
  10. Alcorn State
  11. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
  12. Mississippi Valley State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SWAC 1ST TEAM:

-Michael Jacobs – Southern
-Daniel Rouzan – Bethune-Cookman
-Daeshun Ruffin – Jackson State (Preseason Player of the Year)
-Kintavious Dozier – Alabama A&M
-Doctor Bradley – Bethune-Cookman

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SWAC 2ND TEAM:

-Zaire Hayes – Texas Southern
-Dorian McMillian – Jackson State
-Jordan Chatman – Florida A&M
-Seneca Willoughby – Bethune-Cookman
-Micah Simpson – Alabama State

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Bethune-Cookman was one of the hottest teams in the SWAC in the home stretch of the season last year winning six straight before losing in the conference tournament. With three key starters back from that team, and the addition of Doctor Bradley, who averaged nearly 20ppg at Arkansas-Pine Bluff a year ago, Cookman is this year’s favorite to win the SWAC.

-Southern was last year’s 1st place team, but they were surprised in the conference tournament and their season suddenly ended. Just one starter returns from that team, and like a lot of teams in the conference they are having to rebuild their roster. They have some pretty solid JUCO transfers mixed in with some promising freshmen, so the expectations within the conference are high as usual.

-I like this Jackson State team. I think they are good enough to win the league. Three starters are back from a team that won ten out of eleven down the stretch last year before losing a close on to Alabama State in the SWAC Championship Game. Daeshun Ruffin is perhaps the best player in the conference, and he is joined by Dorian McMillan who also earned preseason all-conference honors.

-Alabama State had a phenomenal season last year where they won 20 games after only managing to win more than 10 once in the previous four years. They went on to win the SWAC Tournament and then won one of the most exciting games of the entire NCAA Tournament when they beat Saint Francis at the buzzer (www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBm8i7frBPg). Unfortunately they are now in a rebuild mode as just one starter is back. They do have six guys transferring in with D-1 experience, including Trey Miller who averaged double figures at UTRGV, so the cupboard is not entirely bare.

-Texas Southern is having to rebuild after losing four starters, but Zaire Hayes returns after averaging double figures a year ago and is someone they will be relying on this year. They do have several experienced upperclassmen on their roster, but they do not have a whole lot of guys who appear to be standout players at the D-1 level, so guys will have to step up if they are going to be successful.

-Alabama A&M had a rough season last year, and they are completely starting over this year as none of their starters are returning. Kintavious Dozier, who averaged double-figures for Grambling a year ago, earned preseason honors and appears to be one of their top players. Sami Pissis, who was a standout player for New Hampshire, also joins the roster, so AAMU does have some pieces. They should be better this year, and I think they can finish in the top half of the standings.

-Grambling is another team that is faced with replacing their entire starting lineup. After two 20+ win seasons in a row, they won just 12 games last year. Having said that, it does appear that they have some talent coming in. Derrius Ward averaged double figures at Coppin State last year and was a good outside shooter, Paul McMillan IV averaged 20ppg at Canisius (UPDATE: https://x.com/ThePortalReport/status/1975667083179659320), and they should get some help from guys that are transferring in from non-D-1 schools.

-Florida A&M has struggled in recent years, but did show signs of improvement last year winning 14 total games and managing a winning record in SWAC play. The problem is that just one starter is back, so it will be hard for them to build on that momentum. Charlie Ward takes over as head coach, and he will be relying on guys who are non-D-1 transfers to make contributions.

-Times were tough at Prairie View last year, and times do not look like they will get a whole lot better. They won just five total games a year ago, and only one scholarship player is back. They do not appear to have a whole lot of players with solid D-1 experience, so it will likely be a struggle.

-Alcorn State was a modest 11-7 in SWAC play last year, but like so many other teams not a single starter is returning and they will have to rely players with limited and unproven D-1 experience to fill out the roster. It could be a long year for the Braves.

-Arkansas-Pine Bluff was one of the worst teams in all of D-1 last year. No starters are back, and perhaps a roster overhaul is what they needed, but the expectations are not high. Like a lot of other teams that are picked to finish near the bottom, their roster is lacking in proven D-1 experience.

-Simply put, Mississippi Valley State is one of the worst D-1 programs in existence. In looking at their NET, they have finished 355th or worse for the last four years, and chances are they will be among the worst teams in the country again this year.

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MEAC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 9, 2025 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

MEAC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Norfolk State
  2. Howard
  3. South Carolina State
  4. Morgan State
  5. Delaware State (tied 5th)
  6. NC Central (tied 5th)
  7. UMES
  8. Coppin State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MEAC 1ST TEAM:

-Chris Flippin – UMES
-Bryce Harris – Howard
-Khali Horton – Coppin State
-Ponce James – Delaware State
-Jayden Johnson – South Carolina State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MEAC 2ND TEAM:

-Zion Bethea – Delaware State
-Cam Gillus – Howard
-Dionte Johnson – NC Central
-Camian Shell – Delaware State
-Taj Thweatt – Coppin State

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-MEAC 3RD TEAM:

-Keyontae Lewis – Norfolk State
-Anthony McComb III – Norfolk State
-Walter Peggs Jr. – Morgan State
-Cedric Taylor III – Howard
-Michael Teal – UMES

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Simply put, this league is terrible. I believe it is the weakest conference in all D-1 this year and I would be surprised if the winner avoids the First Four this March.

-Norfolk State has been the MEAC’s frontrunner for the last several seasons and is expected to win it again this year despite losing all their starters. Anthony McComb III is the only player who averaged double-figures at the D-1 level a year ago, so part of me is wondering if the 1st-place pick has more to do with their reputation than it does with how good they will actually be this year.

-Howard is also having to replace all their starters, and similar to a lot of teams at this level it is lacking in guys with solid D-1 experience. Players will have to step into new and bigger roles in order for them to be successful.

-South Carolina State tied for 1st place last year and won 11 straight games before losing by just a point to Norfolk State in the conference championship game. They did lose some key players, but they have two starters back including Jayden Johnson who earned 1st team preseason honors. Chris Parker is a JUCO transfer who averaged over 21ppg and should give them a spark this year as well. I like this team, and think they can finish atop the standings.

-Like seemingly everyone else in the conference, Morgan State lost most of their starters. Rob Lawson is the only returning starters. Walter Peggs Jr. transfers in from a D-2 school where he averaged an incredible 26ppg, so he should be able to contribute to their success this year. They do have some pieces, and should be able to finish in the top half of the standings.

-Delaware State, like most other teams, is having to replace their starting lineup and will have to do it with guys who have limited D-1 experience. They have shown consistent improvement in recent years, and managed to finish 3rd in the league last year. They do have two guys that received preseason all-conference honors in Ponce James and Camian Shell, so they may have what it takes to finish in the top half.

-NC Central has just one starter back and will look to transfers to become contributing players this year. Like a lot of teams, they are limited in terms of overall D-1 experience, so a lot of guys will have to step into bigger roles.

-UMES was among the worst teams in all of D-1 last year, and while they may be a little better this year, it will not be by much. They finished dead last a season ago and are in danger of doing so again.

-I do not think Coppin State will be good at all, and I do not expect them to finish in the top half of the league, but I do not think they will be dead last either. They do have two starters back, and they also add a few transfers who look like they may be able to contribute.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews St. Francis G Chris Moncrief

Posted on October 8, 2025 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

We are less than 4 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with St. Francis G Chris Moncrief, who talked about making the NCAA tourney last March and his expectations for this season.

You began your college career at Evansville: why did you decide to transfer, and what made you choose St. Francis? I was talking to my coaches/family/God and felt that hitting the transfer portal was the best opportunity for my career. Coach Rob Krimmel and his staff were very welcoming and made it feel like home: they trusted me and I trusted them.

Last February you scored a career-high 25 PTS/9-11 FG in a 5-PT OT win at Le Moyne: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I was hot that game, able to get to my spots, and knocked down my shots. You could say that I was feeling it.

Your FG shooting increased from 41.1% as a sophomore to 52% as a junior: how were you able to improve so much in just 1 year? Just some extra reps and the time I put in working on my game. I gained a lot more confidence so I trusted my ability and my teammates: now I know where I can score from.

Take me through the 2025 postseason:
In the NEC tourney title game you scored 5 PTS in a 3-PT win at Central Connecticut State: what did it mean to you to win a title? It was the biggest achievement of my basketball career. It meant everything to the team due to all our hard work. We stuck with it, played for each other, and kept locked in.

In the 1st 4 you scored 7 PTS in a 2-PT loss to Alabama State: how close did you come to surviving and advancing? We were 1 defensive stop and 1 score away. It was heartbreaking/devastating for us: we were winning the entire game and doing all the little things correctly but just fell apart in the final minutes.

You played for Coach Rob Krimmel: what made him such a good coach, and what was your reaction when he announced that he was retiring last March? His ability to make everyone on the team buy in: players/coaches/managers/everybody. We competed for 1 goal because he put his stamp on our locker room: we played for 1 another. It was sad to see him go but now he can spend more time with his family so I know that he is doing well.

You have a new coach this season in Luke McConnell: how has the transition been going so far? It is going very well. He has harped on how we respond to adversity: we do not make any excuses and just move on to the next play. I think we will do great things this season.

Last spring you put your name in the transfer portal: why did you decide to stay? The best thing for me was to stay close to home with a coaching staff that trusts me. I believe in the new guys coming in and what Coach Luke has planned for us.

Next summer the school will be reclassifying to D-3: how is everyone handling the situation? Everyone is handling it differently. The transition affected a lot of our student-athletes and their future career opportunities. It was not “traumatizing” but was a dramatic change. I feel hurt for some of my friends who had to look for new opportunities, but we will try to make the best out of it.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We want to win another NEC title, go back to the NCAA tourney, and then go even farther than we did last year.

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ACC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 8, 2025 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE For All of our Preseason Coverage, Including Interviews, Podcasts, and Conference Previews

ACC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

  1. Duke
  2. Louisville
  3. NC State
  4. North Carolina
  5. Virginia
  6. Miami FL
  7. SMU
  8. Notre Dame
  9. Clemson
  10. Syracuase
  11. Virginia Tech
  12. Wake Forest
  13. Pittsburgh
  14. Georgia Tech
  15. Florida State
  16. California
  17. Stanford
  18. Boston College

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-ACC 1ST TEAM:

-Darrion Williams – SR, F – NC State
-Cameron Boozer – FR, F – Duke
-Markus Burton – JR, G – Notre Dame
-Mikel Brown Jr. – FR, G – Louisville
-Ryan Conwell – SR, G – Louisville

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-ACC 2ND TEAM:

-Malik Reneau – SR, F – Miami FL
-Henri Veesaar – JR, C – North Carolina
-Caleb Wilson – FR, F – North Carolina
-Isaiah Evans – SO, G – Duke
-Seth Trimble – SR, G – North Carolina

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-Duke won an incredible 35 games a year ago and advanced to the Final Four. While none of those starters are back for this year’s team, they have completely reloaded on talent and are once again expected to be among the best teams in the country and competing for a national championship. Cameron Boozer is one of the top freshmen in the country, and with Isaiah Evans returning after seeing some quality minute off the bench last year, Duke is not short on talent. It is hard for me to say a whole lot about a team when I have not actually seen most of their current players play, but I will trust the experts on this. They have got a super-talented incoming class.

-Louisville had one of the biggest turnarounds in all of college basketball a year ago. They went from Stallings Award-level to a top-25-caliber program under Coach Pat Kelsey last year. With four starters back, expectations are super-high for the Cardinals this year. They do lose two key players from last year’s rotation, but they went deep into their bench and they have the combination of both talent, experience, and cohesiveness that most teams just do not have. Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell make up an extremely talented backcourt, and they have got a solid frontcourt as well. It is hard to not like this Cardinals team. I like their coach, I like their style of play, and I like that how in a very transfer-heavy era they retained a lot of their players.

-The Will Wade era at NC State officially begins this year! And while they were hugely disappointing last year with just 12 overall wins, the expectations are super-high for them this year. Darrion Williams transfers in from Texas Tech, who is probably better than anyone NC State had a year ago. Terrance Arceneaux comes in from Houston, Tre Holloman from Michigan State, and two standout players from a very good McNeese State team (Quadir Copeland and Alyn Breed) are also coming with him. Will Wade can quickly build a roster, and that appears to be what he has done at NC State. Now, let’s see if it can play.

-North Carolina made the NCAA Tournament last year as one of the last teams selected, and sent the bracketology community into a complete frenzy. Just one starter is back, and they will be relying on a lot of young players to step into key roles. I do not know much about their roster, but I know that North Carolina has never had trouble attracting high levels of talent to their school, and I expect that they will reload and be as good as (or even better than) they were a year ago.

-Virginia = OOOF! This is one of the most storied programs in the ACC (at least in the 21st century), and they failed to finish with a winning record last year. With zero starters back, they are in a rebuilding mode. The Hoos do have some incredibly talented transfers in Sam Lewis (Toledo), Jacari White (North Dakota State), and Devin Tillis (UC Irvine). I know the ACC is a higher caliber than the conferences those guys came from, but make no mistake about it. Those are high-caliber players. If this group can mesh, then I think we will see quite a bit of improvement this year.

-Miami FL was my sleeper team last year! And…they basically stayed asleep for the entire season winning just 7 total games. Their trip to the Final Four was just two years ago, but it seems like it was a century ago. Jai Lucas takes over as head coach and he is tasked with rebuilding a roster that, quite frankly, needed rebuilding. Tre Donaldson comes in from Michigan and Malik Reneau from Indiana, so they do have some guys with P4 experience, but other players will need to step up if they are going to compete in the ACC.

-SMU won 24 games a year ago, which was a good season for a program that appears to be up-and-coming with 20+ wins in three of their last four years. Andy Enfield did a really nice job in his first year, and he has got three key starters back this year. BJ Edwards and Boopie Miller form a pretty solid backcourt, and the Mustangs will likely be good enough to make some noise this year.

-Micah Shrewsberry’s first two seasons at Notre Dame have been a disappointment. He is just 28-38 in that time, and one has to wonder if the Irish are becoming impatient. This has the feel of a pivotal year for the program. Markus Burton is one of the best guards in the ACC, and they will be heavily reliant on him, but he cannot do it all by himself. They do have an impressive looking freshmen class…but will it be good enough right away to compete in the ACC?

-Clemson has had two really strong seasons in a row, and finished last year with 27 total wins before going out in the first round. They may have to rebuild this year with just one starter back. Like a lot of programs, they went into the portal and they were able to get several players with solid D-1 experience. They are always tough defensively and seem to be in the habit of exceeding expectations, so do not count out the Tigers!

-For three of the last four years, Syracuse has been…well…not great. And, there does not seem to be a whole lot to be excited about this year. They won just 14 games a year ago. Two key starters are back in JJ Starling and Donnie Freeman, and Naithan George also joined the roster after being a solid player at Georgia Tech a year ago, so we may see some improvement, but chances are they will once again be watching the NCAA Tournament on TV.

-Virginia Tech had an unspectacular year last year, which was probably the worst since Mike Young arrived. They do have three starters back, and that experience could translate into a little more success this year. They also add Jailen Bedford from UNLV and Amani Hansberry from West Virginia, so I think the Hokies will be an improved team this year.

-Wake Forest had a solid year last year, but missed the NCAA Tournament despite a 21-win season. Like a lot of teams, they are having to rebuild this year. Just one starer is back. Also, like a lot of teams, they have turned to the transfer portal. Nate Calmese was a huge get from Washington State and Mekhi Mason was a very solid player at Washington last year, so the Deacs do have some pieces.

-Pittsburgh is looking to rebuild from a rather underwhelming season a year ago. Just one starter is back (Cameron Corhen, who is a solid center), and it is hard to say just how good they will be with so many new players on the roster.

-Georgia Tech finished .500 last year, both overall and in the conference, and is obviously wanting to improve on that this year, but it will not be easy. While they looked better down the stretch last year, just one starter is back, so they are kind of starting over. They do have an impressive-looking group of young players, but they do not have that much experience at the D-1 level.

-Florida State has been somewhat underwhelming in recent years, and is once again expected to finish closer to the bottom than to the top. No starters are back from a year ago, so first-year head coach Luke Loucks has his work cut out for him. They did go into the portal and got a few guys who had been key players at Under the Radar schools, but it remains to be seen if they can collectively compete in the ACC.

-It has been a while since California has had a winning season, and playing in the ACC is not making things any easier. John Camden joins the roster, who was a key player at Delaware a year ago, but some other guys are going to have to step up for the Bears to be successful.

-Kyle Smith had a modestly successful season in his first year as Stanford head coach last year. They went 21-14 overall and managed a winning record in ACC play. They do have some rebuilding to do this year, and they seem to be turning to some lower-division transfers to make that happen. I do not think the Cardinal will finish atop the standings, but I am a little surprised they were picked to finish this low.

-Boston College…let’s see…what is something good to say?? Earl Grant is a good coach, but turning BC into a consistent winner, or for that matter even an occasional winner, just seems like a very tough task. Just one starter returns from last year’s team, and the expectations are not great.

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Nate the Great from Utah State: HoopsHD interviews Utah State legend Nate Williams

Posted on October 8, 2025 by Jon Teitel

The NBA has seen a lot of great Nates: Hall of Fame big man Nate Thurmond, Hall of Fame PG Nate Archibald, and 3-time slam dunk champ Nate Robinson. 1 you might have overlooked is Nate Williams, who played for 8 years in the 1970s while averaging 1+ SPG and shooting over 80% at the FT line. His genes were not too shabby either, as his daughter Natalie became the 1st woman to be named an All-American in basketball and volleyball during the same year and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. Yesterday HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Nate about making the 1970 Elite 8 and guarding some of the most legendary players in NBA history.

You are 1 of several McClymonds High School alumni who became pro athletes: which of the others were you closest to (Bill Russell/Paul Silas/Frank Robinson/other)? All of them were much older than I am so I was never teammates with any of them, but after I made it to the pros I got to play a little golf with Russell/Silas.

What made you choose Utah State for college? Assistant coach Dale Brown came to visit me when I was a sophomore: he thought that I was a senior because I made the all-tourney team! Another player named Phil Chenier made the all-tourney team as a sophomore.

As a sophomore you were named All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was kind of new to me because I never thought that I would go to college. When I started getting scholarship offers it was interesting because I thought that I could play college basketball for free…but they would only give you $15/month.

In 1 game against New Mexico State you scored 21 straight points for the Aggies: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? 1 of our guards (Jeff Tebbs) got hurt because New Mexico State was playing dirty. I told Coach Ladell Andersen to give me the ball every time we came down the court, and I just kept scoring.

In the 1970 NCAA tourney you made the Elite 8 and had 14 PTS/11 REB in a loss to eventual champion UCLA: what was it like to face John Wooden with a spot in the Final 4 on the line? The night before we played the Bruins I twisted my ankle badly and stayed up all night putting heat packs/ice on it just so I could walk. A lot of people said that if I was healthy then we probably could have won that game. We wanted to play a home-and-home series with UCLA but they refused to come to Utah.

In the fall of 1971 you were selected 1st overall in the NBA Hardship Draft: what did it mean to you to get drafted? It meant everything to me because I would finally get more than $15/month! 1 of the guys selected a few picks behind me was Phil Chenier: we played against each other during our high school days in northern California.

In 1974 (the 1st year that STL were tracked as a stat) your 149 STL was #12 in the league: what is the secret to being a great defender? I just tried to play hard and every now and then I would take the ball from the guy in front of me. I was usually able to get 1-2 SPG…but the following season I was traded to New Orleans.

During your 8 years as a pro you averaged more than 80 games/year (including an incredible 85 games in 1975): how crucial was your endurance to your success? I was in good shape. Whenever I came into the game I had to guard the best small forward or 2-guard on the other team: I defended some of the best players in the league like Oscar Robertson/Jerry West/Earl Monroe. My last year with Golden State I was the 3rd-leading scorer on the team but they cut me so they could get rid of my salary because I was an 8-year veteran making 6 figures.

In 2007 you were inducted into the Utah State Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? I loved it! Some of my former coaches/teammates returned to campus for my induction, and all of my family were in attendance: it was such a pleasure.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? When I came into the league I would score 18-19 PPG…and then they started calling me “Instant Offense”!

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