IABB Newcomers Media Day

  • last year
New Iowa Basketball Players
Transcript
00:00 It's been a very cool town to be a part of, especially on the football games and stuff.
00:05 It's a bit bigger than what I was used to at Valpo.
00:08 Really enjoying the city and just the program and playing basketball has been great too.
00:13 Staff have been super encouraging, all of my teammates.
00:16 It's been wonderful.
00:17 You had a lot of options.
00:18 What made Iowa stand out from the rest?
00:22 Yeah, I've always just really enjoyed the style of play that Iowa has, running gun,
00:27 a lot of shooting around, and then Coach Gatins texted me right as soon as I entered the portal
00:34 and got conversation rolling.
00:36 There was a mutual respect.
00:38 He was at Drake for a while and was familiar with my game.
00:42 I quickly stood out, took a visit here, and appreciated everything about it.
00:47 Pulled the trigger pretty quick.
00:49 I don't know how familiar you are with the history of the program, but pretty much the last 10 years,
00:55 teams have had one go-to guy.
00:58 That might not be the case this year, but maybe what's the benefit of having him?
01:04 We're going to have a very balanced attack this year.
01:07 We've got a lot of good pieces, a lot of good guys who can fit roles and play those roles well.
01:12 So I'm very confident in that, and I think it's just as good.
01:16 How's the adjustment been for you, just trying to figure out where you fit,
01:19 what this team needs from you?
01:22 Coming from Valpo, obviously I was kind of the main guy there and doing a lot of the scoring.
01:28 Here we have a lot of other options, which is great, and I really appreciate that.
01:34 I'm still trying to find spots where I can be effective on and off the court.
01:39 Maybe that can be veteran leadership off the court and sharing my experiences with guys.
01:44 It comes in many different ways, but I'm excited.
01:47 It's a new challenge.
01:48 How do you feel like the jump up in competition?
01:51 How has that been?
01:52 Have you noticed that?
01:54 I think at first maybe I noticed it a little bit, just the speed of the game.
01:58 Maybe that's just an Iowa thing.
02:01 The size of the guys and maybe a little bit more talent across the board just in terms of shooting
02:05 and size and things, but it's been smooth.
02:09 I've now been here a few months, and it just feels like any other practice now.
02:14 I feel like I'm settling down.
02:17 Officially, is it weird going from one college to another?
02:21 A little bit.
02:22 I've built such a good community in Delpo for four years.
02:25 It was my home.
02:28 Just kind of getting uprooted from that has been a little bit different,
02:32 but it's fun to build new relationships here and meet a lot of new people.
02:36 By the sound of it, quite a bit more depth at the big positions.
02:39 Tell me about the freshman coming in.
02:41 I know.
02:42 Getting a freaking ton of awards.
02:44 Absolutely.
02:45 He's been really impressive.
02:46 Not only on the court but off the court.
02:48 His maturity has really impressed me, honestly, with all the freshmen.
02:51 We haven't had any problems off the court.
02:53 Not only is he making freshman mistakes,
02:55 and then on the court obviously his numbers speak for himself.
02:59 I just think the impact he's going to have for us, not only on the stat sheet,
03:02 but just off the stat sheet with his presence,
03:05 the opportunities we're going to have with the size, I think it's going to make a big difference.
03:10 Obviously that prior connection with Ben and then also Patrick.
03:13 Any of the other guys really help you along so far?
03:15 I think Peyton's been really encouraging for me.
03:18 He's been really vocal in practice and off the court for me.
03:21 Some days you have good days, some days you have bad days.
03:23 So he's been really good for me to hear from him.
03:26 He's been through it all, man, last year up and down for him.
03:29 So he's got a great perspective on how things go in college.
03:32 So it's been good to connect with him too.
03:35 How's the adjustment been for you?
03:37 It's been good.
03:38 It's been a lot easier than when I first got into college, obviously,
03:42 because now I have a better understanding of things, a little bit older.
03:45 But, you know, like I said, obviously there's a learning curve no matter where you go.
03:49 But I'm really appreciative of the coach.
03:51 He's been really good with us, especially me, just helping me learn stuff,
03:55 being understanding.
03:56 It's been really good.
03:57 What's the vibe like going from another college?
03:59 I mean you're used to going from high school to college, but from one college to the other.
04:03 You're just trying to fit in.
04:04 Sure.
04:05 It's definitely different, you know.
04:07 I think there's a lot more mutual respect between the guys here and guys coming in,
04:12 especially being older.
04:13 You know, I think they have an understanding that I understand what it's like to be in college.
04:18 You know, like I don't have to worry about me off the court.
04:21 You know, I'm going to take care of my business.
04:23 So I think it's a lot quicker of a transition.
04:26 And then off the court, just being a little older, more mature, you know, it helps a lot too.
04:30 I just fit in better, I think.
04:32 Do you have to fit your game around others?
04:35 How does that work where you're just trying to figure out what's needed from you?
04:38 Absolutely.
04:39 You know, trying to find my role and my niche, you know, is super important.
04:43 And I think something I've been trying to tell the freshmen is you've kind of got to check your ego
04:47 or pride at the door, you know, and you've got to understand that we're going to--in order to get on the court,
04:52 you have to provide something that we need, and that's going to look different than it might have looked in high school
04:56 or AAU, you know.
04:58 And that comes with understanding in college.
05:00 And so, like, even for me coming here, I was way more comfortable being like,
05:04 "I'll set aside whatever you want me to as long as I can, you know, be able to contribute to the team."
05:09 And that's really been my main focus is I just want to help get us where we want to go, you know.
05:13 And I don't care at all about how I look on the court or, you know, what it looks like.
05:17 If one game I play 20 and one game I play zero, like, that's fine with me.
05:20 I just want us to win, you know.
05:23 We've learned a lot about the country, so we got to learn.
05:26 But, like, those memories that you make with your teammates,
05:28 we were kind of just able to all hang out and just enjoy each other's company
05:31 and just be in each other's presence and have a lot of fun.
05:34 How about just on the basketball court?
05:37 Fran said he thinks that all four of the freshman class are going to play.
05:40 Just overall, what's it been like working with the guys more, Brock, Price, just everybody involved?
05:46 Yeah, I mean, I feel like we have a really good class.
05:49 I mean, we've already established chemistry off the court, and we're establishing more on the court.
05:52 We kind of have a lot of everything.
05:54 We've got shooters, drivers, slashers.
05:56 I mean, we've got guys in the paint.
05:58 So I feel like our freshman class is really good, and I feel like we've all stepped up,
06:01 especially with the level of competition that we want to play at and want to be at,
06:05 and that's here at this university.
06:07 So I feel like I'm really proud of this freshman class so far,
06:10 and I feel like we have a lot to look forward to.
06:12 Do you think you'll be a starter day one?
06:14 If that's what happens, it happens.
06:17 I mean, obviously that's something you work for.
06:19 That's the goal for everybody.
06:21 But even if I'm not a starter, I'm going to come in and give my best effort
06:24 to do whatever coach asks me to do.
06:26 Just tell me about what it's like playing with Brock again at the college level.
06:30 I know we talked however many months ago.
06:32 It just seems like his confidence is unwavering,
06:34 and he's the guy that brings a lot of intangibles to the basketball court.
06:37 Oh, for sure.
06:38 I mean, just being able to build that connection for those years in high school
06:40 and being able to translate it over.
06:42 I mean, our games complement each other perfectly.
06:44 He knows where I'm going to be.
06:45 I know where he's going to be.
06:46 Just finding him for shots, finding him for layups, and he's finding me.
06:49 So being able to play with a floor general like him, it's really special,
06:52 and he's not the kind of player that everyone gets a chance to play with.
06:55 So it really means a lot that he's a player for me.
06:57 What about Ben Cricke?
06:58 That's a guy who's had a lot of experience at the college level.
07:00 Have you built a relationship with him?
07:02 Have you picked his brain at all just in terms of what to expect at this level?
07:05 Yeah, Ben's someone that I really look up to, and I kind of ask questions.
07:08 I pick his brain about everything.
07:10 I mean, we hang out a lot on and off the court.
07:12 We share a lot of the same beliefs and moral values.
07:14 So just being able to pick his brain, whether it's on the court or off the court,
07:18 I've learned a lot from him just in the short time I've been here.
07:21 So just generally, what's the adjustment been like to college?
07:24 Yeah, it's been good.
07:26 Right away there's obviously going to be a transition that's the speed
07:29 and the strength of the game, but I thought I adjusted well,
07:31 and I'm getting to the point where I'm ready for the season.
07:34 In addition to basketball, just from a social standpoint, educational standpoint,
07:37 academics, things like that, what's that been like?
07:39 It's been good.
07:41 Honestly, it's pretty similar to high school for me.
07:43 Just a lot more free time between classes and stuff,
07:46 so you're there from a certain point to the end of school.
07:49 But it's been good, and I've enjoyed it.
07:52 How much of an advantage is it having your brother here to kind of show you around?
07:56 Yeah, it's definitely a big advantage.
07:58 She's got a car here, so she picks me up, takes me to dinner, goes to church, whatever.
08:02 So it's been good having him there for that.
08:05 Do you have a sense of what your role will be on this team yet, or is it too early?
08:08 I don't really know.
08:10 I'm ready to help the team in whatever way they want me to.
08:13 Is that how you approach it?
08:14 Do you just try to find what my niche is, what role can I play?
08:18 I just do what I can in practice, try and practice the best I can,
08:21 and that will take care of whatever.
08:24 Any aspect of basketball that has been the most difficult in the--?
08:30 Speed of the game, strength, things like that?
08:32 Yeah, the speed.
08:36 Probably the strength, but both of them weren't a huge thing.
08:42 The main thing for me was the off-ball movement and screens.
08:45 I'm guarding Peyton every practice, so I go off about 50 screens in possession.
08:49 So that was a little difficult at first.
08:52 Finishing over the big guys, there's not many bigs like we have in the Big Ten,
08:57 and walking on crest, and CIML.
09:00 So that was a transition, but I'm learning well and moving along.
09:05 How much did the foreign trip help,
09:07 and how much does it also help to have a large freshman class
09:10 where a lot of you guys are going through the same thing?
09:12 Yeah, foreign trip is awesome.
09:13 You've got to be a lot closer with the guys,
09:16 and I think that helped us a lot off the court, too.
09:20 I got to play a couple games.
09:22 I got some pretty good teams over there,
09:24 so I think it was a big thing for me, both off and on the court.
09:28 What's survived kind of like with you guys, the big freshman class,
09:31 are you guys kind of helping each other along?
09:33 Yeah.
09:34 In the summer, we were in the same dorm, same--
09:37 no rooms right next to each other, so we spent a lot of time together.
09:40 We got to adjust together, and now we're ready to make our mark.
09:44 This group of four, tell me about what the other guys do well
09:49 and what has earned them those spots in the respective coach already.
09:53 The other guys?
09:54 The other guys, like Price and Brock and Owen.
09:58 They do really good in every way.
10:01 For example, school-wise, they make sure everybody get their work done.
10:07 They make sure all of the guys get their work done.
10:11 That's one thing they do well.
10:13 On the court also, we talk to each other.
10:15 If we don't understand one play, we're not just going to run it.
10:18 We're just going to talk to each other first
10:20 and make sure we're on the same page, then we'll run it.
10:23 So that's some good things about our guys.
10:27 Coach McCaffrey said something to the effect of,
10:30 "You have more to your game than what you were able to do in high school
10:34 just because your other teammates were so good."
10:37 Have you felt yourself grow?
10:39 He mentioned scoring especially.
10:41 Have you felt yourself grow in that aspect over the last few months?
10:44 I did. I did.
10:45 I felt myself grow a lot coming here because when you see the older guys,
10:50 see what they're doing, have great stuff.
10:53 They're going to coach you.
10:55 They're going to let you do what you want to do on the offense,
10:57 but you've got to play defense also.
10:59 Offensively, I feel myself like I see myself going in a big stage,
11:06 like doing more offensively, shooting the ball.
11:09 Basically, I'm attacking the basket to be stronger because this is a tough league.
11:14 They're not just going to let you score.
11:16 You've just got to put some work in.
11:19 If I remember right, I think what happened, or what you told me this summer,
11:23 was the fact that defense was the biggest thing
11:27 that you're really working on to this point.
11:29 Anything you've learned over the last few months,
11:31 or do you really feel like you've grown quite a bit in that respect?
11:35 Setting the screen.
11:37 I would say setting the screen.
11:39 When I was in high school, I used to just set the screen.
11:42 I'm not screening nobody, but here you've just got to go to the guy
11:47 and make sure he set it right.
11:49 Here, that's like, I'm good. I'm good.
11:53 What's the adjustment been like just socially in going to college?
11:59 I don't know. It's kind of like, not really big,
12:03 but always coming from high school to college, just like big translation.
12:08 So you've got to make sure you adapt stuff.
12:12 You get a lot of freedom in college compared to high school.
12:15 Time management, stuff like that?
12:17 Time management, stuff like that.
12:20 I had already talked to Owen.
12:21 He said he committed here first.
12:23 I'm not convinced you to come here, so tell me about the impact he had
12:26 on making you come to Iowa.
12:28 We played with each other since our 15-year year of AAU.
12:32 He committed kind of early. He committed our junior year.
12:34 I didn't even have an offer yet, and he was telling me to come here.
12:37 I was like, "Well, not really an option at this point."
12:39 Then I got that offer, and he was living with me at the time.
12:42 He was like, "All right, it's time to get it done."
12:45 Three days later, I came to him with the news,
12:47 and he might have been more happy than I was to hear that I was coming here.
12:50 Did you have any opportunities to go to any of the schools?
12:52 Yeah, I had I think like 15 offers.
12:54 I came in a short span.
12:56 You said you started senior year. You didn't have any offers.
12:58 I did no Power 5 offers.
13:00 The Power 5 offers came a little late.
13:03 Being at a school like this, obviously you have Chris Murray, Keegan Murray,
13:08 Luka Garza, guys that have went to the NBA.
13:10 This program produces NBA talent.
13:12 Having visions like that, what are you looking to do to improve
13:15 to get your name out there?
13:17 I'd say the biggest thing is we've got to win.
13:19 I was known for winning a lot of games, and that really helps get into the next level.
13:23 I think a lot of the guys on this team are just focused on winning games this year,
13:26 and the rest of the stuff will take care of itself.
13:28 What is your work ethic and motivation?
13:30 I'd say just kind of always being underrated.
13:33 I've had a lot of people that I've looked up to in my life,
13:35 one of the biggest ones being Kobe Bryant.
13:37 I've kind of just built my life around what he used to do,
13:39 and I think it's paid off for me so far.
13:41 How are you looking to make an impact on this program?
13:45 Because coaches already raved about you just being able to create for others
13:48 and create off the ball, just your unique skill set as a freshman.
13:51 Does that give you any confidence going into the season,
13:53 knowing that right away he's going to give you some playing time,
13:55 because he trusts you a lot being a young dude on this team?
13:57 For sure.
13:58 When you have one of the best coaches in the country giving you that kind of confidence,
14:01 has that confidence in you, it just gives you that much more confidence in yourself,
14:04 and it's just been awesome to hang out with him so far.
14:07 How do you think you and Owen are going to benefit off each other
14:09 playing in the same school, developing with each other?
14:11 How do you think now and down the road that's going to pay off,
14:15 playing with the guy you played all your life?
14:17 I'd say we just kind of already built that chemistry,
14:19 and then especially in the freshman class, everybody's kind of jumped on that train.
14:24 We've all kind of built chemistry with each other, and that's really paid off.
14:27 I think a lot of the guys on the team are kind of seeing that,
14:30 and it just really helped everybody.