The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Paul Loeffler and Randy Rosenbloom about 2016 Olympic gold medalist Paul George

Posted on September 23, 2024 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 now won 17 gold medals in the 20 tournaments they have participated in during the past 88 years, while the women have won 10 gold medals in the 12 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 48 years. While we have to wait 4 years until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will fill the void by interviewing as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible. We continue our coverage by chatting with Fresno State play-by-play guys Paul Loeffler and Randy Rosenbloom about Paul George joining a new team last summer and winning a gold medal.

After Paul’s junior year of high school he verbally committed to Santa Clara (the 1st school that offered him a scholarship) but later decommitted because his high school coach thought he should keep his options open, then committed to Pepperdine but decommitted after Coach Vance Walberg (now the coach at Fresno State) resigned, and ultimately chose Fresno State because it was closer to home and he liked the campus: what was the reaction when he 1st arrived after this rollercoaster of a recruiting process? Paul Loeffler: Nobody really knew who he was. Steve Cleveland was the coach at the time and had a very good NIT team and a player named Dom McGuire who left early for the NBA. Paul was a skinny 6’7” FR who was all limbs. Early on you could see his skill: he had a laborious release on perimeter shots…but he made them. His coming-out moment was during 1 of those season-kickoff games that tipped off at 11 PM PT on national TV. In 1 halfcourt set against St. Mary’s he got into the paint and hammered home a dunk (www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uXmDwm8UJY): everyone in the gym had their jaws drop. He was injured as a sophomore (which cost him all-conference honors) but still finished the year strong. When he declared for the draft some people were unsure if he was ready but Pacers president Larry Bird saw something in him. Randy Rosenbloom: It is different for me because I got to see him play in a high school all-star game called “The Battle of the Valley” where he is from. That is where I 1st saw him and he was far and away the most talented player on the floor even though he was a little raw. After the game I had a nice chat with his mom/dad. I did not want to influence kids but I had heard that he was considering a few schools including Fresno State/Pepperdine. I told his parents that I felt he would fit in well with Pepperdine’s transition game and I was friends with their coach (Tom Asbury). I did not realize at that time that he would become an NBA superstar.

In 2009 he was 1 of the top-15 freshman scorers in the nation: how was he able to make such a smooth transition from high school to college? PL: He was 1 of those guys who believed in himself more than other people did. His parents moved to a small town 30 minutes outside of Fresno called Kingsburg, so they were able to attend all his games. Since there was not a lot of talent on the team that year he got a lot of playing time on the wing and was hitting 3s and was a much better defender than anyone realized. There was nothing he could not do and as he put on weight and gained more confidence he got better and better. RR: He was just more athletic than everyone around him. There was 1 game I remember against St. Mary’s that tipped off at midnight during an ESPN season-opening marathon game: Paul told me that he was yawning during the layup line! He made a dunk over Mickey McConnell that is still on YouTube.

In 2010 he set a school record with 90.9 FT%: what was his secret for making FTs? PL: Just dedication and work ethic: that is why he is 1 of the best players on the planet. He was not as good a FT shooter as a freshman but worked hard on his shooting. The old adages of muscle memory/repetition: he just became automatic that year. There was 1 home game vs. Boise State where he scored 29 PTS and became the leader of this team, which is a game that I think he would always remember. RR: 1 thing about Paul is that he had some holes in his game but he was trying to do a lot of different things. There was 1 game at Louisiana Tech where he had to play the point and helped them win down the stretch, which really impressed me. He had a streak of about 30 straight during that season that is still among the best in school history. I do not know if there is any secret to it: I think it was just a case of his hard work paying off. He missed a few games with a sprained ankle and I recall his 1st game back at Hawaii just lathering up before the game: I realized then and there that he was going to be great. He is a streaky player but when he goes off…he goes OFF! He scored 15 PTS in the 1st 4 minutes vs. Pepperdine and then did the exact same thing at Montana. Those 2 games showed his explosiveness, especially those 4-minute windows: we were looking at a Kobe/LeBron-type player.

In the spring of 2010 he was selected 10th overall by Indiana in the 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? PL: I think it was big-time validation because a lot of people questioned him when he decided to leave early…but he knew. He made a strong impression during his workouts and improved on everything: his foul-shooting, his 3-PT shooting, etc. He shored up every potential weakness in his game and scouts saw that he could guard anyone 1-5. My colleague Randy and I had a trip to Oregon State during his sophomore year and were trying to come up with a good nickname for him. He would often swoop right to the rim and Randy came up with the nickname “Swoop Dog”, which we used the rest of the year and which Paul liked. I still remember several of his dunks. RR: I do not think that it was unexpected by him. They got eliminated that March at the WAC tourney and I heard that he told the media that he was coming back the following year…but then he came on our postgame show and told us that he was jumping to the NBA. He had holes in his game and was inconsistent but certainly had his moments. He knew that he was explosive enough so I am not surprised that he went 10th overall. I knew a San Antonio scout named David Fehte who was hoping that he would drop to 16.

In 2019 he led the NBA in SPG and he is a 4-time member of the All-Defensive Team: what makes him such a great defender? PL: Clearly his length has something to do with that. He is coordinated and knows how to position himself to bait his opponent. He moves his feet well, can block shots, and is a student of the game. He has a humble confidence, which he got from his parents. He had the desire to outwork everyone, which you do not always see. RR: He is long, athletic, has a huge wingspan, and is very coachable. People say that Tom Brady did not mind getting yelled at, and I think Paul is the same way. His body made him a quick athlete and he worked hard on defense after people got in his ear.

In November of 2012 he broke Reggie Miller’s franchise record with 9 3PM in a win over New Orleans and he should pass Jason Terry next season to enter the top-10 of most career 3PM: how did he balance his great long-range shooting with his great defense? PL: If he sees a weakness in his game then that is what he pays attention to. His shot was a work in progress when he 1st arrived but it was consistent. Now he has a quick release and can get it off from any angle. He moves with great fluidity and everything he does is smooth both on and off the court. His range is limitless and he has the courage to take those shots. I do not think he gets enough credit for his mental game. RR: He had endurance working on his side so when he is in a game he can go for long stretches at a time. He is in great shape and always comes to camp in shape, which makes him a great 2-way player. Even in that high school game I recall him hitting 5 threes in the 2nd half. He has great confidence in his shot and can get to his spot, and if you get in his face then he can drive right around you.

He played for Team USA at the 2016 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? PL: I know it meant the world to him and his family. It is never about him but rather who he represents. The injury in 2014 was catastrophic/devastating but it steeled his resolve and he came back even stronger. I do not know exactly how to rank the players today but I think he is 1 of the top-5 players on the planet in terms of his all-around game. RR: He is an emotional guy so I think that it had to mean everything for him. Imagine a guy making it to the Olympics after not being recruited heavily by USC/UCLA, playing for the Clippers rather than the Lakers, then having that horrible injury in Vegas.

In 2019 his #24 was retired by Fresno State: where does he rank among the greatest players in school history? PL: His playing career at Fresno State was good but not great. Other players had better stats or more team success but nobody has come close to what he has done in the NBA in terms of stats/awards. When he came back for the retirement ceremony the entire Clippers organization also came here for it, from his teammates to his coach Doc Rivers to his owner Steve Ballmer. RR: It depends on how you look at it. If you are talking about the most accomplished NBA player he is #1, but in terms of his college career he was not even 1st-team all-conference, although he had great moments. He was like Sandy Koufax/Gale Sayers: a streaking guy who went through the program in just 2 years.

Last July he signed as a free agent with the 76ers: how do you think that he is going to do in Philly? PL: I think he will mesh with them perfectly because it is never about him. During his time here his mother was battling some specific health challenges, so he has never taken anything for granted. That is why he was willing to play the post in high school: he always put his team/family 1st. He knows the 76ers have plenty of other firepower so if they need him to give it up to Joel Embiid he will: he is the ideal team guy, which has had a huge role in his success. He gave his cell # to everyone on the Fresno roster last year and told them to call him if he needed anything: the quality of human being that he is has not changed a bit. RR: He fits in: he has the man in the middle in Embiid and has Tyrese Maxey at the point so he will get a lot of opportunities to make threes. He will have to perform otherwise the crowd will get on his case in Philly but he should get really good looks and have success.

He is a 9-time All-Star: do you think that we will see him inducted into the Hall of Fame some day? PL: I do not think there is any doubt because he is not done so his numbers will only get better. No matter how you slice it his consistency over time, on top of overcoming an injury that would have ended many players’ careers, is amazing. He has made the game better and is an ambassador for every team he has played on because that is the kind of guy he is. He is not looking for the spotlight but it will find him because of the good he does. RR: He is 1 of my favorite guys but the main knock is that his team has never won a title. He is closing in on 20,000 PTS with 20 PPG, which is very hard to do, and when you add in the STL/defense then it will be hard to deny him. I think it is a better than 50-50 shot. I am rooting for him internally since I have known him for so long and because he is just a friendly guy.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Randy Bennett about 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Matthew Dellavedova

Posted on September 21, 2024 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 now won 17 gold medals in the 20 tournaments they have participated in during the past 88 years, while the women have won 10 gold medals in the 12 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 48 years. While we have to wait 4 years until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will fill the void by interviewing as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible. We continue our coverage by chatting with St. Mary’s coach Randy Bennett about his former player Matthew Dellavedova being an NBA champion and winning a bronze medal.

photo credit: Daily Telegraph

Matthew was born/raised in Australia: how did you get him to St. Mary’s? Matt was at what was at that time the Australian Institute of Sport (now COE) and was part of a good age group. I saw him play PG in some tourney early on and really liked him. David Patrick was on my staff and helped recruit him. The only other visit he took was to Pacific and when he came to our place he committed. We knew that he was good and then after playing U-19 ball everyone else realized that he was good.

He started all 34 games as a freshman, averaged 12.1 PPG, and helped you reach the Sweet 16 with some crucial late FTs in a 7-PT upset of Villanova: how was he able to come in and contribute right from the start? I did not really know until we had him, but as soon as we saw him play at open gym/practice you just realized that he played a significant amount harder than anyone else. He could guard and was already strong so he was like a college player. He is probably the smartest person who ever played here with as good an attitude as anyone, as good a leader as anybody we have had here and as tough as anybody we have had here. There are some others up there with him in some categories but across the board I have never seen anyone quite like him. He was ready to play, ready to win, and was 1 of our 3 best players as a freshman.

In 2012 as a junior he was named conference POY: what did it mean to him to receive such an outstanding honor? We won the league during his sophomore year and Mickey McConnell was named conference POY. Mickey left and people wondered who our PG would be! We knew Delly was our PG and he won POY so we went back-to-back. He was always all about winning: he was not trying to be POY but received it because he was the best at making his team win. His junior year we won both the league and the conference tourney for the 1st time: we had a very good team with him and Rob Jones.

In January of 2013 he scored 18 PTS including a game-winning 40-footer at the buzzer in a 1-PT win over BYU (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p-Tb29zAzQ): what are your memories of the “Dellavedagger”? Incredible! It was a HECK of a game: it was 1 of the 1st times we went up to play BYU. Their guy Tyler Haws hit a big shot and the place was going nuts with 4 seconds left. Beau Levesque inbounded the ball and threw it deep to Delly and he was just playing/competing and it happened to go in. It went to crickets real fast: we were kind of stunned because the game was over. We were going to lose and then we were all celebrating: it just happened that quickly. The emotions in that game were unbelievable, as was our players’ composure to get a good shot with 4 seconds left. Delly is smart and did not panic and got us the best shot we could get and it happened to go in.

He graduated as the school’s all-time leader in PTS/AST/FT%/3PM and the following year the school retired his #4 jersey: where does he rank among the greatest players in school history? He is at the top: I do not even have to think about that. He played 4 years. Leader: top. Toughness: top. Work ethic: top. Intelligence/basketball IQ: top. His care factor: top. There are not many guys who can check the box on all of those. He is kind of the standard for our program. When we recruited him he was not the best talent but in terms of best player nobody who helps your program win there is nobody above him.

In 2013 he was named an Academic All-American: how did he balance his work on the court with his work in the classroom? He is just a smart guy who takes pride in his work whether it is basketball/academics/whatever. I think he won it twice: at that point we had never had anybody win it here so we never talked about it before. We have had a couple of guys do it since (Beau/Joe Rahon) so it is cool: he ever led in that department! When he is done playing I wish he would come work for us. He is heck of a guy who comes around, plays with our guys, and trains here during the offseason. He helps us out and gives money and does all the things you should do when you are 1 of those guys. He is just a 1st-class guy.

He went undrafted in 2013 but later played for Cleveland/Milwaukee/Sacramento: why did no team choose to select him, and how was he able to stick around for almost a decade? They passed on him because he is not the athlete they are looking for in a PG: they are looking for someone quicker/more athletic, maybe a better shooter (although he was a pretty good shooter in college). He was a 4-year guy and every time he stepped onto the floor he was the best PG. There were a couple of teams who knew he was under the radar. The reason he was successful is that he could really guard in the NBA: if he could not have done that then he would not have made it. Toughness/IQ/work ethic/leadership: all of those kicked in. He will help you win games whether he sets foot on that floor: all it takes is 1 coach/franchise to see that and believe in him, and the Cavaliers did and they ended up winning a championship. When he joined the Kings they made the playoffs for the 1st time in 17 years. He was not the reason they did it…but he was part of the reason based on his intangibles both on/off the court: he just breathes winning.

As a player for the Cavaliers he lost the Finals to Golden State in 6 games in 2015 but beat the Warriors in 7 games in 2016: what did it mean to you to see him win an NBA title? It meant a lot: I was happy/excited for him. It is so hard to get into that league, and play in that league, and stick in that league, and play for a championship team. He played minutes in the playoffs and had to guard Steph Curry a lot. It was funny: we are so proud of this guy but the whole Bay Area had to root against him because he was going against the Warriors! His style of play will get under your skin because he is so tough and coming at you. I was so proud for him and what he has overcome and his stick-with-it-ness: it was great to see him get to the top. Seeing him play in those games: there was a lot of pride to see a guy who had come through our program. It makes you feel that what you are doing is working in terms of player development and getting right between the ears. This program put him in a position to continue developing in those area: those were great times.

He played for Team Australia at the 2020 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent the Boomers, and what did it mean to him to win a bronze medal? It was probably his greatest moment. If there is anyone who cares more about playing for his country then I do not know who it would be. To do that with his fellow countrymen and medal for the 1st time ever was tremendous pride for those guys. We had 2 other guys on that team and an assistant coach. It was special for our whole program at St. Mary’s but for Delly I think it is probably his biggest moment. Obviously, winning an NBA championship is way up there too.

When people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? I would say his leadership…but right behind it is his winning/toughness. He was a Gael through and through: whatever Matt does, he is in 110%. As a coach you learn from your players if you have 1 around like that: he has helped me to see where the bar sits for those categories because he kind of set the bar.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews 2020 Olympic gold medalist Ariel Atkins

Posted on September 20, 2024 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 now won 17 gold medals in the 20 tournaments they have participated in during the past 88 years, while the women have won 10 gold medals in the 12 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 48 years. While we have to wait 4 years until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will fill the void by interviewing as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible. We continue our coverage by chatting with Ariel Atkins about being a great defender and winning a gold medal.

In 2014 you were named national high school POY and a McDonald’s All-American: could you tell at the time that your fellow nominee A’ja Wilson was going to become a superstar? We obviously got glimpses of it. I never faced her during AAU/high school, but we did some national team stuff together and she was a focal point of the team. I always knew that she was good.

What made you choose Texas for college? I felt that it had everything I needed both athletically/academically and it was not too far from home.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you made the Sweet 16 before losing to eventual-champion UConn, and in the 2016 NCAA tourney you made the Elite 8 before losing to eventual-champion UConn: what was it like to keep running into Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma in March? 2016 was very tough.

In the spring of 2018 you were drafted 7th overall by Washington: did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the WNBA, or other? It was a lifelong dream and something that I always wanted to do. I was not sure if it would come true during my freshman year, but it was a full-circle moment for me to be drafted 7th since I wear #7.

In the 2018 playoffs you made it all the way to the Finals before getting swept by Seattle: were you sick of Breanna Stewart ruining your postseason every single year? I do not think she has ruined my postseason EVERY year!

In the decisive Game 5 of the 2019 WNBA Finals you scored 6 PTS in a win over Connecticut: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? It was pure excitement in the locker room. After getting swept the previous year we knew that we were coming back the following year locked in and would get it done. It was magical!

In 2021 you played for Team USA at the Olympics: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and what did it mean to you to win a gold medal? It meant a lot. I have given a lot to USA Basketball, and it is always an honor for them to call you up. It was great to pursue that dream and win a gold medal.

You are the 1st player in WNBA history to be named All-Defensive team in each of your 1st 5 seasons: what is the key to being a great defender? Anticipation. I am not the biggest/fastest player, but I have good eyes and am pesky so I can use my height/quickness to my advantage.

Your career 84.5 FT% is top-40 all-time: what is the secret to making FTs? Funny enough, I have used the same routine since I was 16 years old. It is about focus and quieting things in your mind and focusing on what is in front of you.

You spent last year as the assistant coach for player development of Michigan women’s basketball: how did you like the gig, and what do you want to do after you retire as a player? I enjoyed it and have thought about coaching in the future but there are a few different avenues I am looking into as well. The kids and staff in Ann Arbor were amazing: they took me in and were very receptive/helpful to me.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Mississippi State assistant coach Scott Padgett

Posted on September 19, 2024 by Jon Teitel

We are still a couple of months 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 Mississippi State assistant coach Scott Padgett, who talked about winning the 1998 NCAA title and his expectations for this season.

You played for Rick Pitino/Tubby Smith at Kentucky: what was the most important thing that you ever learned from either of them? Rick brought a children’s book to our 1st official practice which taught us how to focus on the task at hand. He stressed the importance of outworking the guy against you every day. The #1 thing about Tubby was how he treated everyone with respect: he would walk by the scorer’s table and get to know everyone’s name. My future wife played volleyball at Kentucky and after 1 practice he introduced himself to all of volleyball players: when he saw the 2 of us together a few days later he asked her what she was doing with “this knucklehead”!

In the 1997 NCAA tourney title game you scored 17 PTS in a 5-PT OT loss to Arizona: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? I have a 1-A and 1-B: that 1 is 1-A. I sat out the 1996 season when Kentucky won the title, and I know that it is very rare for a school to make 3 title games in a row. I was worried that I had missed out on my only chance: we missed a bunch of FTs so it was tough. 1-B is our loss to Michigan State in the 1999 Elite 8 because it ended my career.

In the 1998 NCAA tourney title game you scored 17 PTS in a 9-PT win over Utah: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? It was everything because it was always my dream: it is weird for your lifelong dream to arrive at age 21 because then you need to go get a new dream! I am still in touch with those guys: we called ourselves the “Leftovers” because none of us were good enough to leave early like some of our former teammates. When we landed at the airport there were thousands of fans screaming at the fence, and then a parade of cars back to the arena where 25,000 people were waiting there just to see us hold up the trophy.

You were named Academic All-SEC in both 1998/1999: how did you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? I was always a good student but flunked out of school as a freshman. It was the 1st time that I was never “the guy”: I barely got onto the court. I let my academics suffer and had to work 3 jobs to make enough money to get back to school the following year. After working 7 days/week at those jobs I decided to dedicate myself to school by staying organized and getting ahead of things so that I would not need to play catch-up during road trips.

In January of 2005 as a player for Houston you made a 1-handed, off-balance last-second shot to beat the Knicks (www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUXELjuxnDs): did you think that the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the highlights of your career? It is probably my best NBA moment: I grew up knowing that the Garden was a special place even for non-basketball players like Muhammad Ali. They put me in at the end of the game just to space the defense out, but when the Knicks double-teamed Tracy McGrady the ball came to me. I happened to dribble with my head up and could see that it was going in: I was just shocked that I had the ball in my hands.

You later spent 6 years as head coach at Samford: what is the biggest difference between being head coach vs. being an assistant coach? The head coaching job is all-encompassing and you need to ensure that everything is running smoothly. As an assistant you only have 1 main area to focus on like recruiting or player development or something else.

Last March as an assistant to Chris Jans at Mississippi State you made the SEC tourney semifinals before a 7-PT loss to Auburn, then lost to Michigan State in the NCAA tourney: what did your team learn from that postseason run that you think will help them this season? You hope that they realize every moment matters: the farther you got in a tourney the better the team you will face. 1 particular play can be the difference in advancing vs. going home so every detail matters.

You lost 5 of your top-7 scorers from last year (Jimmy Bell/Dashawn Davis/DJ Jeffries/Shakeel Moore/Tolu Smith): how will you try to replace all that offense/leadership? We added a lot of weapons on offense like Claudell Harris Jr./Riley Kugel/RJ Melendez/etc.: guys who can not only make plays for others but also shoot the ball. We played a lot through Tolu in the post the past couple of years but will probably shoot/make more threes this year then we have ever done before. From a leadership standpoint I think you will see Cam Matthews step up as THE leader, and Josh Hubbard will take more ownership as well.

The SEC got 2 new members this year in Oklahoma/Texas: any thoughts on conference realignment? It makes the league even better/tougher since they are both very good programs in multiple sports. We can all be a Monday morning QB and give our 2 cents…but what is nice is that I think the SEC is still at the top of the food chain.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We have had good years the past 2 years by making the NCAA tourney. We went 11-2 without Tolu last year so it was a great job by our guys to hold down the fort while he was injured. Now we want to go deeper in the tourney and try to win a couple of games: when you get hot in the tourney anything can happen. The 1st thing is to win a game to get that snowball rolling and then go from there.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews new Green Bay coach Doug Gottlieb

Posted on September 18, 2024 by Jon Teitel

We are still a couple of months 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 new Green Bay coach Doug Gottlieb, who talked about being a great PG and his expectations for this season.

You played for Hall of Fame coach Eddie Sutton at Oklahoma State: what made him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing that you ever learned from him? While his process might not be 1 that I would always use today, the result is that we had really good players who played very hard and respected him. There are no magic plays: you must get good players to play at their peak every day with competitiveness/toughness. We would each meet with Coach before the season and he would tell you what your role was, and if you did not want to accept it then you could go play somewhere else.

You led the NCAA in AST in back-to-back years and your 947 career AST remains top-15 in NCAA history: what is the secret to being a great PG? Not every PG is the same: some are scorers, some are great athletes, and some (like me) will do whatever it takes to make the team better. I think you need to know everything on both offense/defense: what we want to do and how we want to do it. The next challenge is that you cannot just be a robot so you have to do your own thing while feeling 1-2 plays ahead. Your brain can never be off, which is why most elite coaches are former PGs (Bill Self, Billy Donovan, etc.). You need to get everyone involved: who is the shooter, who is the driver, etc. There are lots of guys who can handle the ball but there are very few PGs in college basketball right now.

You played pro basketball in the US/overseas: what is the biggest difference between basketball in the US vs. basketball in other countries? There is a creativity to how they play abroad: they have taken what we have taught here and put a bit of soccer mentality on it. In the US we are very linear, such as setting a ball screen at the top of the key. In other countries they will do the same ball screen but at the perfect angle with perfect timing that ends up with a matchup you do not like. So many foreign players have excelled regardless of their athleticism. When I played in Russia/France/Israel we practiced twice per day, and I will use that logic with my current group. We are not playing pickup ball…but you can learn more playing 5-on-5 so you understand how to work together. I have 13 new guys and you can overcome a lack of athleticism with some sleight of hand so I think it will be better for our conditioning/skill-building. If you can go 75 minutes in the morning and 75 minutes at night then I think you can accomplish more than doing it all in 1 sitting.

You were MVP for Team USA at the 2001 Maccabiah Games and coached Team USA at the 2017 Maccabiah Games: what did it mean to you to win a gold medal as both a player/coach? I also won it in 2022 as a coach. Winning as a player is super-fun: I played for Larry Brown’s brother Herb in 2001 after losing in 1997. I was on the Lakers’ summer league team but left to go play in Israel because it was that important to me. As a coach I love building a team/family and seeing if you can get all of them to buy in and fight for each other. Some of my teammates became my closest friends and were even in my wedding. I try to coach people the way I wanted to be coached because kids will respond better to it. Last time I became a convert to 5-out basketball and learned a lot about how to overcome the weakness of playing small. I like FIBA rules and situational basketball and enjoyed coaching more than playing because you are responsible for 12 little brothers as they learn to become a team.

Your father Bob was an assistant to Sutton at Creighton and later was a head coach at Jacksonville/Milwaukee, while your brother Gregg is an assistant for the San Diego State women’s basketball team: how much of an impact were either of them on your own decision to become a coach? Huge: basketball is our family business. When you are a coach’s son it becomes who you are. I am not trying to win battles that my dad lost and am incredibly respectful of my brother’s hard work. I take the honor/commitment that Green Bay made very seriously and will try to live up to it. When we went on “vacations” as kids we would go to the Final 4 or to Newark to play pickup ball.

What kind of relationship will you have with the media after spending the past 2 decades as a college basketball writer/TV analyst/radio host? Friendly/respectful/open/honest/etc. I never understood coaches who were defensive about the media because I am not. It is reasonable to think that a guy who has never coached in college may not be able to do so, but the best of the best will do their job by attending practices and understanding what the job entails. Same with the officials: I carry no baggage. I am close friends with the play-by-play guys I work with like Spero Dedes/Boog Sciambi/etc. I am not taking it for granted or trying to get a pass: do your job and I will do mine. The last thing is to be positive: this is a dream scenario for me and I am in it for the right reasons so I will be an open book and tell the truth.

Your regular season opener will be against your alma mater: how do you feel about heading to Stillwater on November 4th? I think it is awesome! We have 1 kid who transferred in from OSU and another who signed with them before decommitting. It is a lot emotionally for a kid but my daughter goes to school there and my son’s high school is about 30 minutes away. I would much rather compete against Coach Steve Lutz’s 1st team than his 3rd/4th team. I love that place and want them to do well so the only logic behind that game is to show our kids what big-time college basketball is about. If they can see that early on then it will help them make the transition to playing hard.

In addition to 5 players from Wisconsin your roster contains players from 7 other states and 3 foreign countries: what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? When I took the job I told people that I had an army. We turned down about 25 kids so that we could get the right kids and leaned into our strengths. I have strong ties in Israel due to playing/coaching there. We love Ben Tweedy from Australia and we will continue to add from there: he is only 18 but everyone has a tremendous amount of respect for all the Aussies who are at St. Mary’s. 1 of my dad’s closest allies runs the NBA Academy in Senegal and all the guys we took are from our staff connections. You get good in-state kids, use your connections for out-of-state kids, and then build the trust. We want to make them better and become part of what we do: it was not about getting a specific # of players from a specific area. I will not accept that we will not be able to get some kids because we are in Green Bay. Players want coaches they can relate to and a place where people give a s—: this is Titletown and they want us to win. I got the job in May and wanted to get guys who want to play our way as part of a bigger family who want to be at Green Bay. If you act like you are too good for us then we do not really have a good use for you: we want tough kids who are better than their ranking and have something to prove. Our most decorated player is Anthony Roy: he can score and is tough and I will be surprised if he does not make an all-conference team. I think our best all-around player is Marcus Hall: he has a crazy-high basketball IQ. Preston Ruedinger is our unquestioned leader: he literally does everything you want a kid to do. Foster Wonders is an elite shooter so we will try to get him about 10 3PM this year. Jeremiah Johnson was a top-150 recruit and is a coachable/likable team guy with a tremendous future ahead of him.

You only have 3 seniors/2 juniors on your roster: do you think you have enough veteran leadership to succeed this season? Yes: it will be challenging because we are very inexperienced but there is some upside that is high. I have a lot to learn and will make mistakes but real leadership comes when it is 20-below outside and we have lost a few games. Right now we are undefeated and have had 4 months of perfect weather and everyone is excited about the program. We are putting them in disadvantageous situations while hoping that they will prepare us for a tough rut.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I just want them to play good basketball and compete. Our goal is to make the NCAA tourney and be 1 of the 68: it would be an amazing story just 2 years after being the worst team in the country in KenPom. Our non-conference schedule is ridiculous: I inherited the St. Thomas game and an MTE game at Evansville. We are going to Western Illinois: they are grown men. Everyone told me to play 2 teams outside D-1 but we are only playing 1. We would love to win a “guarantee game” but just need to keep getting better and better. I want our opponents to remember that when they played us we did not beat ourselves and had a great spirit about us. I will judge the process more than the results: if we stay healthy then we can compete at the top of this league in February/March. The real challenge is the conference games within the non-conference schedule: you must maintain your kids’ confidence if you are getting your ass kicked.

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The Hoops HD Debates!!

Posted on September 17, 2024 by David Griggs

In this time of hightened political interest, Hoops HD has decided to stage their own college basketball centric debate!! Chad Sherwood acts as hosts and moderator as David Griggs and Zach Singer discuss such topics as the expansion of the NCAA Tournament, new NIL rules, video replay reform, conference realignment, and much more!!

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

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