Cooking with Curry: HoopsHD interviews Ace Custis about Virginia Tech legend Dell Curry

Posted on October 2, 2024 by Jon Teitel

Most young people know Dell Curry as “Steph’s father” or “Hornets’ TV color commentator” but the older generation knows how great a player he was back in the day. In 1986 Dell was named conference POY/All-American as a senior, then was drafted 15th overall that spring, and retired 16 years later as 1 of the best 3-PT shooters in NBA history. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with fellow Virginia Tech star Ace Custis about Dell being a great scorer and a famous father.

Dell was born/raised in Virginia, where he led his Fort Defiance High School teams to state championships in both baseball/basketball and was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 1982 MLB draft and the Orioles in the 1985 MLB draft: which sport was he best at, and which sport did he enjoy the most? I only know Dell from a basketball background, but he certainly looked the part on the baseball field.

What made him choose Virginia Tech? I am not 100% sure but once he arrived on campus I am sure that the university/community sold itself because we have a family atmosphere here.

As a senior in 1986 he averaged 24.1 PPG/2.6 SPG: how did he balance his offense with his defense? He was a complete player who played both ends of the court. His highlight was his long-range shooting, but he could score from anywhere.

He was named conference POY/All-American: what did it mean to him to receive such outstanding honors? He was 1 of those guys who really stuffed the stat sheet but was also a team player. He was deserving of all those honors and he left his mark here: just check out the record book!

He was selected 15th overall by Utah in the 1986 NBA Draft: did he see that as a validation of his college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? It was a milestone that was 1 of his goals in life. Most young kids dream of making it to the NBA…and his dream finally came true.

In 1999 he led the NBA with 47.6 3P% and he retired in 2002 ranked 9th all-time with 40.2 3P%: what was his secret to being a great 3-PT shooter? He was an exceptional shooter…and his son is an even better shooter! I remember him speaking at a basketball camp 1 year when someone asked him what his range was. He started out under the basket, then kept making shots and moving back and back until he reached midcourt: nothing but net!

Despite Dell and his ex-wife Sonya both going to Virginia Tech, their alma mater famously did not offer their son Stephen a scholarship but rather a preferred walk-on spot: how did Steph feel about it, and how did Dell feel about it? Whenever the Curry name comes up in Blacksburg, it reminds us that it was a missed opportunity for us, but also a great opportunity for Steph. Instead of backing up 1st-team All-ACC player Malcolm Delaney, he got to have the ball in his hands at Davidson.

In 1998 he founded the Dell Curry Foundation, which builds learning centers to educate youth in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area via skill-based programs/community service projects: how much importance does he place on helping others? When you are an icon in the community you try to give back to your community. It was not an obligation but rather something he took pride in and he succeeded with it.

He currently works for the Charlotte Hornets as a TV color commentator: are you surprised that he ended up in the media, and how does he like it? When you are a high-level athlete you want to stay around the game for as long as you can. He has a great voice and is doing an exceptional job. I love tuning into the games to hear his voice or see him when I attend games in-person.

In 1996 he was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame and later became the 1st Hokie basketball player to have his jersey retired: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? He really gave his all every time that he stepped onto the court. He wore the Virginia Tech jersey with pride, and everybody loved him not just for his accomplishments but for the person he is.

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Name, Image, and Lots of money: HoopsHD interviews Mike Pittman of the Hoop And Holler Houston NIL Micro-Collective

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Jon Teitel

The marketplace for college athletes to engage in Name/Image/Likeness (NIL) deals was created in 2021 after the NCAA v. Alston case and now it seems like every college is ready to start spreading the wealth. There are already more than 100 “collectives” either in operation or being formed. They allow alumni/fans/whoever to donate money to assist a specific school in creating opportunities for student-athletes to make some money off of their celebrity. We have reached out to many collectives and will try to interview representatives from as many of them as possible to see how each of them operates. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with Mike Pittman of the Hoop And Holler Houston NIL Micro-Collective, who discussed what his group is about and what it has accomplished so far.

You are the Operations Manager at Star Pizza: how did you get into the business, and how do you like it? I got into the business literally at the ground level: Delivery Driver. I am dedicated to what I do and learned a little bit of everything. It is not like a job: it is like school every day, so you must keep learning. Once you think you know it all: you have failed. The industry is always a challenge, more than ever since the pandemic. People’s habits changed: how/when/what they eat changed. You cannot count on the things you used to anymore. Prices are all over the place, which makes it harder to ride the wave: you cannot increase prices every time a cost goes up. You must learn to ride the wave, keep your menu affordable, and keep your customer base happy.

You and your wife Jennifer are the founders of an NIL micro-collective called “Hoop & Holler Houston”: how does a micro-collective differ from a regular collective? We started our UH support group as the first NIL Collective at UH (an LLC) to go public but quickly realized that we were never going to have time to run another full-time business managing other people’s money as we already put 125% of our time into Star Pizza. The decision was made to keep our group very small, family-based, and put our support where we could/when we could. Star Pizza’s social media gives us a large platform to work from. This resulted in our ability to keep costs at almost zero and put any money out there 100% to the student-athletes. We never charged anything for our services no matter who we were working with from J-Bar-M BBQ to Tacos A Go Go or anyone else. We choose who we work with instead of just taking anyone’s money who wants to throw it at UH Sports: some things are simply not a good fit.

In addition to men’s basketball your collective works with football/women’s basketball: why did you decide to focus on those sports? Women’s hoops was a no-brainer because it is underserved and so deserving. We met a couple of UH WBB players, mainly Laila Blair (who became the 1st player in school history to be named All-Conference 1st-Team in 2023): we have a good relationship with her and her family. She is also a Film Production graduate and is working on shooting some NIL clips for us: it kind of comes full circle. Football was a fluke: D’Anthony Jones made a fun post online asking, “Where the NIL deals at?”, so we had no choice but to reach out. One thing led to another working with him: we got a great Star Pizza commercial and worked with the defensive line for a few years (and still do with Zion Taylor). Now we have a 2nd-year NIL deal with almost the entire Kick Squad.

Some of the deals you have created include social media endorsements, meet-and-greets, and digital content: which 1 of them has received the best response? The best response is social media engagement and endorsements. Houston is a BIG city, so it is hard to get anyone to come out in person to do much.

What kind of connection does your group have with Coach Kelvin Sampson? Coach Sampson’s family has been integral in a lot of what we do. I cannot say that we laid the groundwork, but we are told that 1 of our first NIL deals with Tramon Mark/Marcus Sasser was used as the “framework” for how the Men’s Basketball team wanted deals to look/feel: very personal. Kelvin’s daughter Lauren has been a big supporter and always makes sure to let us know how much they appreciate all the support we have shown, which means the world to us.

Your school hired Eddie Nunez last August to be your new Athletic Director: what do you know about him so far? I can say I have seen Eddie at every turn of every event we have attended from recent basketball “50/50 Club” support group socials to tailgates to off-campus charity events. He is everywhere and working hard to change our UH Culture for the better. It is going to be a rough go, but he seems like the guy for the job.

The Big 12 has undergone some major changes over the past few years: any thoughts on conference realignment? We really like the current state of the Big 12. I am not so sure I dig the whole SEC/Big 10 takeover in terms of football…but what can we do? The conference powers in football and basketball are so different anyway so it does not matter that much.

People are obviously free to do whatever they want with their hard-earned money…but do you ever have any second thoughts about whether you should be encouraging your donors to do something else like fight cancer/reduce homelessness? There is a lot of room for charity out there. The Men’s Basketball team is playing Texas A&M in a charity exhibition game next month with proceeds going to support Hurricane Beryl Disaster relief. Locally it will be a big help: the game is almost already a sell-out. This is also why we stayed a private or “Micro-Collective”: we do not openly solicit donors to give to any students in a UH NIL. If someone comes to us with the intent to donate to a particular student-athlete or team via NIL, then their mind is made up and they know what they want/need.

In recent years we have seen a basketball team’s season suspended (New Mexico State), a football team’s coach fired (Northwestern), and a swim team’s season suspended (Notre Dame) due to gambling/hazing: how concerned are you about entering contractual relationships with teenagers who might end up behaving badly? Young adults are who they are, many experiencing the “away from home” status for the first time, but we are very selective about who we work with. For one thing, Coach Sampson recruits whole families, so his group is already vetted, so you pretty much know the guys you get are good kids who will not/do not act wrong. The new Culture surrounding the UH Football team is great, but sports gambling has gone wild. The toothpaste is out of the tube, and I am not sure you can get it back in. You are just going to have to deal with it.

The Cougars have won at least 32 games for 3 years in a row: what are your expectations for this season? That is a loaded question!! The team is returning a few fantastic starters: some of the kids who played a little last year are returning with a great group around them. Now that our conference schedule has been released there are for sure some gauntlets in there, but that is what makes this team tick. Nothing is taken for granted: that is the CULTURE. One game at a time, one play at a time. We just want to go 1-0 in our next game. These guys play for each other, they are tough, and as always, we are looking to hang that banner.

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SWAC Media Day Recap and Response

Posted on October 1, 2024 by David Griggs

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SWAC MEDIA DAY PRESEASON POLL:

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

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SWAC 1ST TEAM

-Kintavious Dozier – Grambling State (Offensive Player of the Year)
-TJ Madlock – Alabama State
-Tidjiane Dioumassi – Southern
-Shannon Grant – Jackson State
-Chad Moodie – Alabama A&M

MEDIA DAY PRESEASON ALL-SWAC 2ND TEAM

-Grayson Carter – Texas Southern
-CJ Hines – Alabama State
-Kenny Hunter – Texas Southern (Defensive Player of the Year)
-Ubong Okon – Alabama State
-Lorenzo Downey – Alabama A&M

COMMENTS FROM DAVID GRIGGS:

-Grambling State went for the double last year with their 1st place finish in the regular season and then winning the conference tournament to secure the Automatic Bid. They went on to win their First Four game against Montana State before falling to National Runner-Up Purdue in the Round of 64. Expectations are high again this year with two starters who averaged double figures last year returning to the lineup in Kintavious Dozier and Antwan Burnett. Chilaydrien Newton also returns to the lineup after missing all of last year with injuries and is expected to contribute this year as well. They appear to be balanced, and if they can develop some depth they should once again be at or near the top of the SWAC.

-Texas Southern is another team to watch as Coach Johnny Jones’s team finished last year on an 8-1 run before losing to Grambling in the SWAC Championship game. They are looking to replace PJ Henry, who was arguably their best player a year ago. They do appear to be in a bit of a rebuilding period, but they have some experience returning in the frontcourt with Grayson Carter, and should have a fair amount of depth once they get their rotation set.

-Southern was red-hot in the first half of conference play, but struggled down the stretch losing five of their last seven games. With only five players back from last year’s team, there seem to be more questions than answers. DaMariee Jones was a standout player in NAIA last year averaging close to 16ppg/8rpg, so he should be able to contribute right away. Michael Jacobs had a big year last year in JUCO and is another newcomer to watch.

-Jackson State appears to be starting over. All five starters from last year’s team are gone. They have added some standout JUCO players and will be looking at them to contribute this year.

-Alcorn State is another team that lost its entire starting lineup from a year ago. They were strong in the second half of conference play last year with a 2nd place finish, but will now need to rebuild. Like a lot of teams, they will be relying heavily on transfers to rebuild their roster.

-Alabama State is a bit of an oddity in the sense that they are returning four of their top players from a year ago. The problem is that this team really was not all that good a year ago, and while you never want to overlook experience, you wonder if a team that lost 9 of its last 11 will benefit much from it. Having said that, they have two really good players in TJ Madlock/CJ Hines, and appear to be adding some transfers that could really contribute. We could see the Hornets take a big step forward this year.

-Prairie View A&M ended last season with a 7-game losing streak. They do not return a whole lot from that team, and that may be a good thing. Bryon Smith has had some good years as head coach and there is reason to think he can build up success again, but with so many new players it is hard to know what to make of them.

-Coach Reggie Theus has increased Bethune-Cookman’s win total in each of the three years he has been there, but with just one starter back from last season continuing that improvement will be a huge challenge. The addition of grad transfer Gianni Hunt from Cal State Northridge should be big for them, and Reggie Ward returns after averaging just under 10ppg a year ago, but Cookman does appear to be in rebuild mode this season.

-Alabama A&M had a nice postseason run to the CIT semifinals a year ago. They also return Chad Moodie, who appears to be one of the up-and-coming stars in the conference and gives AAMU a lot of strength in the post. This is a transfer-heavy roster, and I think it is a team that could exceed expectations. I do not think they will win the league, but I could see them doing much better than 9th and could end up surprising some people.

-Arkansas Pine Bluff is another team that has to replace its entire roster. It could be a long year for the Golden Lions.

-Florida A&M first year Coach Patrick Crarey II has his work cut out for him. He is also tasked with rebuilding the roster as just one starter returns. It could be a very long season for the Rattlers.

-Mississippi Valley State, with their 1-30 record, won the HoopsHD Centenary Award last year. ..and it was well deserved. While they may not repeat as the worst team in nation again this year, I still think they will be much closer to the bottom than the top. George Ivory was 6-57 as head coach so wins will be few and far between.

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Scarlet & gold: HoopsHD interviews Mark Peterson about Hall of Famer Sue Wicks

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Jon Teitel

They are running out of Halls of Fame in which to induct Sue Wicks. She is already in the Suffolk County/Nassau County/New York state high school/Rutgers/New Jersey/New York City Halls of Fame, and in 2013 she was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She was 1988 national POY at Rutgers, a WNBA All-Star in 2000, and made 4 WNBA Finals during her 6 years with the Liberty. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with fellow Rutgers star Mark Peterson about Sue winning a gold medal at the Pan Am Games and being 1 of the best athletes in Scarlet Knights history.

In 1987 Sue played for Team USA at the Pan American Games: what did it mean to her to represent her country, and what did it mean to her to win a gold medal? I assume it meant a lot to her. She prided herself on how her accomplishments benefited her team’s success, so I think it meant the world to her.

She was a 3-time All-American/3-time conference POY at Rutgers and in 1988 she was named national POY: what did it mean to her to receive such outstanding honors? Sue was never about individual honors. I am sure she appreciated the recognition but was prouder to play at that high a level and make the NCAA tourney every year.

She still holds several school records including 2655 PTS/1357 REB/293 BLK: did you realize at the time how prolific a player she was? I absolutely knew that she was a special talent. If we were playing a men’s pickup game in the gym and she wanted to play then she would get picked as high as anyone else. She was like a female Bernard King!

After graduating she spent several years playing professionally overseas: what was the situation like back then for female college stars before the WNBA was created in 1997? I had the opportunity to play abroad as well, and I soon realized that all the top women’s players were overseas. She was a legend in Europe where women’s basketball was on a much larger stage so she would always be mentioned in the foreign sports magazines.

In Game 2 of the 1999 WNBA Finals as a player for New York, Tina Thompson made a jumper to give Houston a 2-PT lead with 2.4 seconds left, then Teresa Weatherspoon took an inbounds pass from Kym Hampton and made a 50-footer off the backboard to win the game: where does that rank among the most amazing shots that you have ever seen (www.facebook.com/watch/?v=986188338618491)? That was a very tough shot, and considering that it occurred in the Finals it is definitely 1 of the top-10 shots that I have ever seen. Sue was 1 of the 1st people to run over and congratulate T-Spoon.

In 2000 she received the WNBA’s Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: how much importance did she place on sportsmanship? It goes right along with the type of person she is. The fact that we remain close friends to this day is because she is a down-to-earth/good person despite winning all those awards. She always deflected the attention to her teammates because that is the type of player she was.

She made the WNBA Finals 4 times in 6 years but went 0-4 vs. Houston/Los Angeles: do you consider her playoff runs a success (since she kept making the Finals), or a failure (due to never getting a ring), or other? She was just glad to be a key contributor on a team that was a true perennial contender. She gave everything on the court and did her best, which is nonetheless an amazing accomplishment.

In 2002 she went public with her sexual orientation: how big a deal was it at the time, and how did you feel a few years later when she said that being a lesbian was an “overwhelming liability” in getting hired as a basketball coach? Sue never hid who she was and never shied away from it. Sometimes it caused her to miss out on opportunities…but she would not slight herself just to get a job. If they did not accept her then she would not take the job or feel like she missed out on anything.

After getting out of coaching she became CEO of Fight 2B Fit, a youth fitness program that works with kids in New York: what has she been able to accomplish so far? I am more familiar with her oyster farming! She is the top oyster producer in Long Island, which came out of a family business that she added her own touch to.

In 2013 she was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: when people look back on her career, how do you think that she should be remembered the most? As an unstoppable player, great teammate, and wonderful person.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Kansas State PG Serena Sundell

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Jon Teitel

We are still about 5 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 Kansas State PG Serena Sundell, who talked about being a great PG and her expectations for this season.

You were born/raised in Missouri: what made you choose Kansas State? I was not looking for distance to be a factor: most of my offers were from mid-majors but Kansas State ended up as my only Power-5 offer. I wanted to see if I could play at the highest level, and I liked how Manhattan is a great college town that is all about the university. It was an easy decision for me because the coaching staff believed in me: they made me feel welcome and said that I could be an impact player.

In 2022 you led the team with 32.2 minutes/game and were named to the conference all-freshman team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I will never forget my 1st summer here adjusting to the speed/physicality of the game. I was not expecting to be a PG, but they needed someone to step up and ultimately I won that spot. I was thrown to the wolves a little bit, but it was good. I was skinny/weak when I look back at myself…but I have grown at lot.

Last year you were named to the all-conference 1st-team: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? That was a special moment. This conference is so competitive and has so many great players, so I was proud of myself and am excited for this year.

You led the conference with 5.7 APG last year and your 549 career AST is #4 in school history: what is the secret to being a great PG? I have made my fair share of mistakes but have learned a lot. Coach Jeff Mittie gets a lot of credit for teaching me a lot about why certain people are cutting/rolling in certain directions. You must be super smart/aware of where your teammates are and know what each of their strengths are. I enjoy the learning part of the game and it is a lot of fun.

Your FG% has improved each year, and your 3P% went way up last year, but your FT% has gone down each year: how on earth did that happen? The honest answer is that it is a mental thing. I was in my head at the FT line and was a mental head case and had never struggled like that before. I tried so many different techniques (including singing a song!) but I am confident that I can get it back up this year. Making them in practice is important but it is impossible to replicate a game situation.

In the 2024 NCAA tourney you scored 16 PTS/3-4 3PM in a win over Portland and 11 PTS in a loss to Colorado: what did you learn from your postseason run that you think will help you this season? Those games were very fun: we got to see our fans come together in a sold-out Bramlage Coliseum. We just had too many breakdowns against Colorado and lost our focus and let them hit us 1st. You must stay the course: there were moments when we were trying to make a hero play (me included). You need to trust what you have been practicing since October and believe that it will carry over into March.

Your father Bob did college basketball/track, your mother Korena played college basketball, and your brother Jalen was an offensive lineman at North Dakota State: who is the best athlete in the family? My brother just made the 53-man roster for the Seahawks so he might win it with that stat, but my dad made the Olympic trials in the high jump so he might have the edge.

You graduated last May with a degree in organizational management and are working on your MBA: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? A Masters is different than undergrad: I must be very intentional with my time, so I have deleted TikTok and have tried to limit my screen time on my phone. Yesterday my day included practice/homework/meals/etc.: it was busy, but it was good. I like my classes and am learning a lot but there is not a lot of free time, which is the beauty of being a student-athlete.

Your conference has seen a lot of additions/subtractions from last year: any thoughts on conference realignment? I am excited: I had the perfect situation of playing teams like Texas/Oklahoma who have left, then I got to play some new teams last year, and will get 4 more new teams this year. I like visiting new places and will get to spend a week in Utah when we have back-to-back games against BYU/Utah.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We are not shying away from anything: we want to win a Big 12 title. The rankings do not matter right now so we just block it out. We have a lot of experience/talent, so it is up to us as to what we want to do with it. We are continuing to push each other: when Ayoka Lee decided to return that is what she texted all of us. It would be great to host a game in March Madness or make the Final 4 so we will set our goals high. I do not have any specific personal goals but will just try to make the right plays/reads. I want to limit my turnovers and make more free throws but mostly just win as a unit.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews BYU women’s assistant coach Lee Cummard

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Jon Teitel

We are still about 5 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 BYU women’s assistant coach Lee Cummard, who talked about conference realignment and his expectations for this season.

In 2004 you led your Mesa High School team to a state title and were named Arizona high school POY: what did it mean to you to win a title? At the time it was the peak of everything that was important to me in my life. Most of my teammates were locals who had all played together with me. We had been knocking on the door for a couple of years so it was great to finally win it. It was a family event because my cousin was 1 of my teammates: it is a fond memory for sure.

You were recruited by several great schools including Gonzaga/Miami/San Diego State: what made you choose BYU? I was being recruited by a few schools early on and then I blew up on the scene later in my career. I knew that I wanted to stay out west and grew up watching ASU/UofA. I kind of kept BYU at a distance to start but they did a great job recruiting me. Dave Rose was an assistant coach at the time and he and the rest of the staff just stayed the course: I was buying what they were selling. It came down to ASU vs. BYU until I took a visit to each school. BYU was the blandest experience you could imagine…and ASU was the complete opposite! Ultimately it came down to what would be best for me as a person and the academic experience. I am completely biased now that I made the best choice: 100%. 1 of the biggest blessings of my decision is that I needed to get away, which I realized after the fact.

You played for Coach Rose: what made him such a good coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? My 1st year was his 1st year so we kind of climbed the mountain together. I also coached for him for 3 years after I retired as a player. I got 2 of my old teams together earlier this month to reminisce about those good times. He was great at getting us out of our comfort zone: at 1st he was pushing us so hard that it seemed like nobody was making a shot! There are a lot of big egos/aspirations in the locker room but when I coached for him he got us to believe that we could achieve even more than we thought if we played as a team. I also learned how much time/energy/concern he put into his guys, which really impressed me.

In 2008 you were named conference co-POY/AP All-America Honorable Mention: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It was like my high school experience. The Cougars only won 9 games the year before I arrived, but we took a big step during my 1st year by winning 20. After my freshman year my whole perspective changed: everything I wanted to achieve could happen if I put the team 1st, and that has been my MO since then. You must decide how you can help the team win, and then let the talent go out there and compete. It was a tremendous honor to win those awards…but the main goal was to win a championship.

You finished your career with 53.5 FG%/43.1 3P%/84.2 FT%: what is the secret to being a great shooter? Shot selection is key! I always wanted to wait until my rhythm was right. I put the work in for sure…but was also lucky at times. If you are choosier with your shot selection, then your percentages can increase 3-5%. You should wait until you get a good pass and are going to the rim.

After going undrafted in 2009 you ended up playing pro basketball for 7 years in Belgium/France/Japan: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball overseas? The American game has historically been a few years behind Europe. Some of the current concepts/spacing in the US originated in European basketball: perhaps due to athleticism, but more about a focus on fighting for the best shot. Corner threes, catch-and-shoot threes, and the analytic side are big now, but I never recall hearing anything about that when I was in high school/college. It changes the outcome when you have a lot of data points. The shot-making ability in the NBA/WNBA is other-worldly, especially in the playoffs.

After retiring as a player, you spent a few years at your alma mater as a grad assistant/assistant coach for the men’s team: what is the biggest difference between coaching men vs. coaching women? The conversations are a little bit different. On the men’s side every single player thinks they will go to the NBA and get 3 contracts, which leads to a desire to constantly be in the gym. The women want to be professionals as well but some of them have other aspirations: they are slightly more focused on their academics, which comes at the cost of putting in the extra work in the gym. However, this is the 1st year where our roster always wants to be in the gym and improve on their craft. You are not drawing up alley-oop plays but the preparation is identical. There is less entitlement/ego at BYU: I get to work with phenomenal student-athletes.

Your team lost its top-2 scorers from last year (Lauren Gustin/Kailey Woolston): how will you try to replace all that offense/leadership? We also lost a huge piece in Kaylee Smiler, who is now playing pro ball in New Zealand. Gustin was all-conference and led the country in RPG so we will have to get that done by committee, including some guards. We have some transfers who can really score and a couple of freshmen playmakers, so we feel very good about our group. Kailey was as good as you can ask for as a freshman to come in and score/shoot. Sneakily, Smiler might not have shown up as much in the box score but that is a hole we will have to fill as well.

Your conference has seen a lot of additions/subtractions from last year: any thoughts on conference realignment? It is going to be interesting: as an Arizona guy I am happy to have 2 trips back home. All 4 of the former Pac-12 schools are great additions and are historically good programs. Coach Adia Barnes has done a great job at Arizona and beat us a few years ago so we owe them. Utah was as good as anyone we saw last year and has some good pieces coming back: they were a legit Final 4 team last year until Gianna Kneepkens got hurt. Iowa State is great, TCU has reloaded, and West Virginia has everyone back: it is a tough league. We also no longer need to worry about the size/athleticism of Texas & Oklahoma. We learned a lot in year 1 and hope to do even better this year.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? With Gustin leaving it will change how we play: you will see more of the modern game (spacing the floor, letting playmakers create, etc.). Offensively we will try to create an advantage and defensively we will use our versatility. Most teams in our league have monster in the middle who can score so we will try to change up defenses and maybe use some press/zone depending on the opponent. We will play a little smaller than in the past, have more ball-screen action to spread the floor, and hopefully shoot it well.

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