Everything Emily Kizer said on the Defend the Block podcast
On the process to return to Michigan for a fifth year
It was a whirlwind after the season. We lost in that Elite Eight game and then Coach came to me and said she wanted me to return. She hadn't really mentioned it much during the year, we hadn't really thought about it. The goal was to win a Big Ten championship, to do all these things. Next year wasn't even the focus. It really all happened in like—I think I had two, three weeks left of school. Honestly, it's kind of funny, I honestly told Coach, 'I think I need to leave Michigan to make this decision.' A huge part of it was for me even hesitating, because I love Michigan, I think I'm a Wolverine through and through til I die. I was so close with my class, with Naz, Amy and Danielle. I kind of realized my year next year would look a little different without them. In which I came to, obviously, it wasn't going to be a bad thing, it was just going to be different. I was just so close to them. Just the emotions of the season, I was very stressed out by the end of the season. We put so much pressure on ourselves. Had a great time, there was a lot of pressure. Feeling like we almost fell short. We didn't but in the moment, right after the season, it felt like all these opportunities to get a trophy in the Big Ten and the Final Four, none of those came to fruition which I was battling with. Leaving campus and talking to people, taking time from the season. Realizing what we did was an amazing thing. Me staying or none of that would take away from that. I took time, some people were a little surprised I went into the portal but I had to in case I went somewhere else. To just get time to get excited and feel good about coming back to Michigan, which I really am. Just tried to get into the right mental headspace. That was kind of where I was at with that.
On putting in the work to go through the offseason process again
It was definitely a thought. You're doing this for four years but you're not re-committing every single year. This was a whole new—it was nice growing up when I was going through the recruitment process and having my older siblings. No one around me had even been through a decision to return for your fifth year or having a Covid year, it's kind of been a new thing. Just kind of battling with that. Anytime something happens next year, I'm struggling or conditioning is extra hard one day. You're just thinking, 'Well, I committed, I decided to come back for this.' Honestly, that part wasn't—how difficult college basketball is, it was on the backburner for me just because last year was really my first year playing. I always joke with Naz, 'I don't have as many miles on me as you do.' This college basketball thing, obviously with practice and everything, I could tell you the toll my body felt after this season compared to the last three years, was a whole new ballgame. So that was very interesting. It definitely weighs on you. I think taking my fifth year was never a doubt, just to get my pre-Masters. Play an extra year, I think I have more to give. We came up short on some of those goals, even with as great of a year we had. You do think the summertime and all that stuff, the summertime is pretty fun. It's the fall time that gets you, right before the season, when you're in full-time school and whatnot. It was nice thinking of the decision at the backend just because of how much fun, at the end of the season, March is. You've just gotta—the mental toughness comes into play and whatnot come the fall with those preseason workouts.
On having mileage left in her career after playing a larger role last season
That's kind of where I'm at in my head. Even just from a standpoint, I don't know about my basketball skills, I'm sure they will improve. Even just from the side mental, all those minutes comes with a lot of decision-making, a lot of in-game experience. I got some minutes here and there, some big minutes before. To feel almost responsible for different losses, just battle through those experiences that, I think, helped me out a little bit this year is so awesome. This next year, I have that experience, being a fifth-year leader on this team, I think it's going to really going to help having that out there. It's a great feeling. You work all those years but you never know if it's really going to pay off. That's not really why you do it, you do it for the team and whatnot. For it to work out, obviously, is ten times better.
On how much she embraces the leadership from great players such as Naz
I think about it all the time. It's kind of funny, my time here at Michigan and the goals I've had are really tied in with my class. This kind of feels like my own journey, this next step. I'm super excited for the opportunity. Naz leaving is a huge—I don't think it's a role that can even be filled but we all have our own talents and whatnot. Definitely excited to keep pushing the boundaries of what Michigan basketball has done. That was a huge part of me coming back. You might not have always seen the effort put out on the actual court during game time but I put so much into this program and I want to see it out for five years, for one last year. Hopefully, one more step. Who knows what could happen this year. I think it's an interesting spot, I think a lot of people are doubting us. Obviously, Naz is the greatest basketball player to ever play at Michigan. I think some people will be surprised this year. I think we play really well when we don't—it's always easier when you don't have the expectation on your back. I think we have a lot of good pieces coming back and a lot of talent. I'm definitely excited for this year.
On why education has been important to her
I think something my parents always reminded me is that basketball always ends at some point. This might even be my last year of basketball, I'm not sure what I'm doing after. Just setting yourself up for success off the court and in life. I have a lot of passions outside of basketball whether it's—I really enjoy video, I really enjoy that kind of route. Just being able to, you know, that's what's kind of exciting. Even though basketball has been my love, I can find a passion outside of that. Setting myself up, I think, really well in the Master's program here at Michigan, it was exactly what I was looking for in terms of a fifth year of education. Obviously, the Ross name doesn't hurt to have on your resume. I actually did a minor in the business school, so I got to have a very, very small taste of it. I really loved it. The business facilities, the teachers, the professors are next level. Really, just the Master's program was my dream program. Just having that small community, I'm really excited about. You're kind of with the same group of students who are super qualified and whatnot. I'm definitely going to be pushing and growing on the basketball court this year just with the new role I am going to have to step into a little bit but also off the court and in the classroom. I'm really excited about that. I think it's going to be hard, I definitely think it's going to be hard. I already saw my summer schedule and it's not what it's looked like in the past. Usually, you only take one class in the summer. I have to head back a little earlier than all the girls because I have a five-day orientation. What do we do for five days in orientation? I'll find out. I'm super excited. Even just having the Ross name on a degree says a lot to different people in the world. Just networking. I think that's huge in Ross. Excited for all of that.
On the program having hope that it will continue to have success after Naz Hillmon
Just talking with different people, just the confidence that we have in each other and ourselves. We all knew how great Naz was but we also focused really, really hard on getting Naz the ball. Naz was working on her range but it wasn't quite there so the paint was packed 24/7. I think that definitely opens up space. We have a lot of talented guards, talented wing players. I think they'll really flourish. Just the confidence we have in each other, no one is looking down on next year. We've definitely learned after last year. Even there was a lot of positive things, to not listen to the media or the noise. I deleted Twitter by the end of the year, enough listening to all of this right now. I think just the confidence, everybody is putting in work. Every time I call someone they're either leaving the gym or going to the gym. We've got a lot of Indy kids so we've been playing on our own which is really exciting. I think that hunger for everybody to get better. I think when you lose someone like Naz, everyone feels this need to step up which is really exciting. Positive thoughts going into next year.
On a player for will step up this season
My mind automatically goes to Cameron Williams, a couple of the post players. Cam is one of the best athletes I've ever seen. Obviously, it's an adjustment to the college game and even (Kim Barnes Arico's) system. I think once she can make that jump, which I think will be this year, there will obviously be minutes to be had. I think that comes with experience and she's been working. She has a great opportunity this year. You saw moments of it last year. She even helped us win games. I think about the Baylor game. We had to talk to her a lot during that game but that was no fear, total composure which is really impressive as a sophomore. Moments like that, I think, is really exciting and could be a huge part. She's one of the strongest people I have ever met, she is very hard to move. We've got our Oregon State transfer coming in, Greta, which I'll be living with her in the fall so that's exciting. I don't really know much of her game, I haven't really watched much. I've heard good things. I think one of our men's players just worked out with her and he was telling me, 'She's really good!' Perfect. Great, what I want to hear. I know we played her last year but that feels like forever ago, so I'm not really sure. I don't remember that game. Hopefully, she can come in and do some things. She's a pretty good shooter. We've got freshmen coming in, I know we've got two Indy kids coming in and one from Australia. I know we like Indiana basketball around here.
On Indiana becoming a pipeline for Michigan basketball
I think it was our sophomore year, Naz would always dog on Indiana kids. She was like, 'Why do we keep getting kids from Indiana?' I was like, 'You see who is playing right now? A lot of the people playing on the team right now are from Indiana. Back off, sorry, Ohio.' We have Laila now, it's working out for us.
On the NIL summit
It was such a cool experience. It was a pretty quick turnaround because right after I told them I was staying and taking my fifth year, they were like, 'Want to go to this event? But we have to know by today.' Sure, yep, we're going. I thought it would be cool because I wanted to head down towards Atlanta because Naz is there and it was paid for, which was awesome. It was a three-day event, the NIL summit. It was so cool. I think there was about 500 athletes from all over the country. The first night was just a social networking award ceremony but they did a red carpet, everything, the whole works. We got super dressed up for that. Just met people that night. They had brands there, different platforms that would help you with NIL. Also, you can sign up for. My favorite part was meeting different athletes around the country. I hung out with some people from UCLA quite a bit. There was a lot of Big Ten women's basketball there. Michigan State, Maryland, Penn State, different girls. It was interesting seeing different people off the court. I almost didn't recognize them. I'm sure you don't recognize me because we are in our dresses and heels, which was funny. The second day was the main day which there were a ton of panels. Tim Tebow was one of them who came to talk to us, gave us a motivational speech type thing. Just different stuff about building your brand and what that means. There was one about being smart with NIL, AKA taxes and whatnot. Just how to get connected, what that looks like and to take advantage of the platform we have. NIL is so new so a huge part of it was that we're all learning from each other. Then just talking about stuff back to our schools, I think only 8 of us from Michigan came. Just kind of taking what we learned from that. A cool part of it was talking to the athletes and learning what their schools do. I'm a member of SAC, which is the Student-athlete Advisory Committee, so taking some of those things and maybe mentioning them. Just a takeaway I had. Just a super cool event. I loved it, I would go back. I don't think I'll get the chance to, obviously, because I'm a fifth-year. Maybe if I win an award next year I can go. They had—overall, the awards, just people who took advantage of NIL. Innovator of the year was one of them. It honestly made me feel like I wasn't doing much, it was really amazing athletes that were doing some cool things with this name, image and likeness era. Definitely fun to see. Sparked a new thing. Something new I can get attached to. I don't know how much time I'm really going to have.
On the impact of NIL
Unfortunately, I don't have much to go off. Last year, I know a lot of people asked me whether I had done anything. I ignored any offer, anything I got because I felt like I needed my focus to just be on basketball. My first year, my group's last year so I didn't really pay attention to any of that so I'm not sure. I'd have to imagine, it feels like a whole job, to be honest. The way they were talking about it to other athletes. Definitely adds that into it. I know a lot of people can get agents if it stays away from sports, you can get agents that can help you through it. Really feels like it's turning into a professional. It'll be interesting, and we're only a year out since it's been here, what it looks like in five years. It'll be interesting. I almost feel like it creates that sense of competition off the court, I don't even know if that makes sense. Just hearing different people talk and whatnot, I think everyone—I feel like you might know where I'm going with this. If he has a bigger deal, or she has a bigger deal, which is kind of my input. It doesn't have to be like that, it's just something I noticed a little bit.
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