On Dug McDaniel
Dug is a very special, unique player that knows how to play the game of basketball, been playing for a very long time. And you just see by, you know, his growth and his knowledge for the game, his feel for the game. And then also, he's how he's able to apply leadership out on the floor. We're very proud of watching his growth since the time he stepped foot on campus back in July. And each day, he's been a joy to coach. You can ask his teammates, how he's competed out there on the floor, and how they all really enjoy playing with him and playing against him. But from my eyes, what I've witnessed is that this young man will have a huge impact on our program.
On his first impressions with Youssef Khayat
It was great. I've had a lot of conversations with him on the phone, Zoom calls, and couldn't wait to get the opportunity to see him in person. And I just recall when we are in Paris, and knowing what time he was going to arrive, you know, I was waiting downstairs in the lobby. And, you know, it wasn't playing, it was happening so organically, where the guys were coming downstairs. I don't know how they found out what time he was arriving. And it was just beautiful to see how they all wanted to be there to welcome them. Not waiting for the next morning because he arrived at night. But being there when he touched the hotel lobby floor. I'm happy for our team accepted him. And I'm also excited about how he's adjusted thus far.
On adjusting to grad transfers at point guards
Well, it's not easy and I know the point you're making, it's not easy to have a freshman point guard or you have a grad transfer to come in and step in right away and be able to pick up a new system than what they've been accustomed to where they were playing. Whether it's in high school or for a different program. But that's where we as coaches, we embrace the opportunity to teach, you know, learn and grow. And we learn to as coaches as far as learning your players and what makes them and what they, of course, get excited about what their skill level is like. What the communication part is like, and then what they know, as far as from a basketball IQ level. I'm always about helping our players in any way that I can get an opportunity to coach them. I love to see the growth in each player. And now with Jaelen who comes from Princeton, and Dug, who's from Paul VI they came from really good coaches.
On what has allowed him to integrate players so easily
Well, let's give Warde credit, Warde decided to hire me. So that was something there that he felt that me as a coach would trust and lead in this program. And we know from what I've learned as a coach, starting as a player, and then also learning from other coaches that I've played for. Then you add in the fact that I've been an assistant coach with the Miami Heat, you know, with a Hall of Fame coach who I worked for that, coaching, they're always gonna be something evolving, it's always gonna be fluid, and you have to be ready to pivot on what has been thrown at you. It's been fun
On the expectations for this season
I guess you could take a wild guess. No changes. Always thinking about winning and growing and working hard to go out there (to achieve) our biggest challenge and also one of our biggest goals and that's winning championships, not just one. You know, our goal is— always we look at and identify that we are playing in one of the toughest conferences in college basketball, I will say the toughest conference, and that's the Big Ten. From that level of all the great coaches, and players that play in the Big Ten, that's always going to be a challenge. Because teams do a great job of scouting you. And vice versa. You also get to know each other because we play against each other, sometimes, not once, but twice. And then you face your opponent again in the Big Ten Tournament. So that's another one of our goals to win that championship. And then last but final, the ultimate NCAA championship. That's something that I've always been peeking at, scratching the surface since the time when I played here at the University of Michigan, and haven't done it yet. But I'm always fired up about it. Let's go.
On the growth the team has made on defense
It's always about growing. Growing on the offensive end as well as the defensive end. We will continue to keep working and we will put in the work today.
On coaching his sons
I'm going to tell you this like my boys know this, I love them. I love them unconditionally. They always are going to be special in my eyes. They are unique in a lot of ways and both are very different. Even though they are from the same mom and dad and I watched them grow and watch how they developed over the years. Seeing who they are and what they become. I'm so damn proud of them. And I'm gonna coach them with that. At times, there's gonna be some hard tough love. Am I coaching them harder than their teammates? Maybe, maybe not. But they're going to get coached. Do I expect more from them than their teammates? I expect a lot from all of them because of the way how, you know, we as a staff have developed this culture, and what we expect, and it is a marriage. That's what makes it fun for us is that they have a responsibility and so do we. Our responsibility is to love each other and help each other grow. I know I've said this before, and I'll keep saying it until I turn blue in the face is that we do a fine job of allowing our players to have an active participants in the voice within the culture and also within the team. With my boys, they are a large part of that. The beauty of it is just watching how their teammates and staff have accepted them.
On Terrance William's growth as a leader
As soon as he stepped foot on our team, and this was like during COVID, right away, you know, I knew from the time I recruited him that he was a guy that had a great feel to the game of basketball. Also, you know, you put him out there on the floor, he's gonna figure it out. He also is going to impact the game, when it results to winning. Sometimes in a box score, you'll look at it like, wow, four points, so I'm just gonna use an example, four points, six rebounds. Or you might look at one time at a box score maybe 12 points and three rebounds, four assists. He has a way of impacting the game. He played his freshman year and you play because he earned it and because we also trusted what he's going to do out on the floor and how he's able to pick up things right away. Like I touched on earlier, his feel for the game with his IQ. But then last year, we saw how he impacted the season. How well he played and how he shot the ball extremely well. So this year, you know, he's a third-year and he knows the system very well.He can teach it, he can coach it today if he had to. That's how smart he is. He can play in a one through five because he just really focuses in on everything that's out there on the floor. That's an amazing gift to have and everyone doesn't have it but Terrence Williams does. By being a captain, he's a smart kid, he's also a leader. At times, he's a soft-spoken leader and I always challenge him to be a little bit more vocal. I love how he's embraced that responsibility.
On new president Santa Ono
What I've been reading about new our new president, it's been fun. It's also been just refreshing to see everyone that who has been around him has really enjoyed his presence. I love how he has really accepted Ann Arbor and looking forward to his new title and looking forward to being part of the best university in the world. Also know how he enjoys sports, that makes it even more fun. But I haven't had a chance to meet him in person, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity.
On how Hunter Dickinson and Tarris Reed complement each other
I'll tell you this in practice, they've both been challenging each other. It's been great to see how they've competed. It's also nice to see how Hunter's been great with his leadership and helping Tarris. Tarris is another guy. He's a competitor, he loves the game of basketball and his teammates love being around him because he's so smart, so cerebral, can do many things out there on the floor and impacts the game. We'll see how the season goes.
On recruiting Khayat electronically and not face-to-face
Two years ago, when COVID hit, I mean, that was a ton of our recruiting back then. I can't keep up with the years. It goes by so fast. I haven't had a normal year yet. Since the time I took. I've been head coach. So we just have to figure it out as we go. I think we've all in this room have figured out how we can use Zoom and do things remotely like I'm sure with your job, you've worked a lot at home remotely. That's been some of our new normal and that's with the audio, we've been able to connect a lot with Zoom calls and phone calls and FaceTime.
On what he's learned about Khayat
We still are getting to know each other more and more. But there's always going to be things especially when you interact with kids, I don't know. Do you have kids? Yeah, there's always something new for kids. And he's not a man yet, so I can call them young men. Still a kid with me.
On the next step for Dickinson
Winning a championship. That's what he's told everyone that. That was a big reason why he came back to school is to win a championship and I believe he's working hard to help lead and to bring a championship to Ann Arbor.
On ways he's helped build chemistry within the team
We had one of the best trips over the summer. I don't know if you had a chance to witness it on social media or read it in the newspaper. But that trip, being able to go to Paris and also Athens, Greece and Mykonos was some of the best—talk about being able to bring a team that's very new. Have one returning starter, three juniors two grad transfers, five new freshmen, and two guys that were, excuse me, three, Kobe Bufkin, Isaiah, and Will, who were on the team last year, but Kobe played more than Isaiah and Will. That was the most important time for us this past summer is getting away. That really helped our team in a lot of ways of forming that brotherhood and chemistry that we always talk about, you know, it's easy to say, hey, that's my brother, or it's my family. But there's nothing like when you're away from your family and the 10 days where you have no cell phones, cell phone usage, if you use your cell phone, it's very expensive and charges a lot of money. They have to be forced to talk and hang out and they couldn't go anywhere. Like to see each others faces every day, see my face every day, it was awesome. So that's what really brought us all together. I think from that trip, we've learned a lot about one another and hopefully, it will carry over to this season and continue with our culture.
On returning to Oregon for a game
The last that I've read in the contract, it states that we don't owe them a game. If I recall, last time in our contract, I wasn't here when we signed the contract, it was with coach Beilein. With our schedule, it's just hard to fit that game in this year. Then possibly also next year. But we'll see what the future holds. That word owe, it's very tricky. Owe. I owe my wife a kiss tonight.
On Kobe Bufkin
Kobe has been great. Kobe has a chance to really impact this team in a lot of ways. He can shoot the basketball, he can score, really good finisher at the rim. He has really accepted the fact that what his timetable is, and knowing that, you know what his timetable may be is different from others. That's hard. It's hard. But he's very mature. And knowing the person as well as the player and what his goals are. I said it earlier before, in some of our press conferences, this summer and spring he had stayed here in Ann Arbor and worked out pretty hard with Sand Man and also worked out in the gym with some of our managers, came here alone at times and got a lot of work in. Spent time in California working out with a trainer that he's very comfortable and familiar with. He is on a mission. He's going to impact and we're going to have a big year, that's what I expect from Kobe, a big year.
On the message he wants to send to the fans this season
We'd be a very competitive team and we're looking forward to our fanbase being present and being supportive throughout the season. I know the Maize Rage is going to be in the building consistently bringing the energy. Would love to have the fans join in with the Maize Rage energy and be supportive in a lot of ways. We're gonna need everyone to chip in and bring that energy and juice. So I'm excited I know the guys are but as a whole, you know, we need to fill Crisler. Let's pack place no matter who we play, be there. I know there's times we're gonna have games pretty late, 9, 9:30. Get your coffee wherever it takes.
On seeing Jace Howard's leadership qualities growing up
Jace is very comfortable with himself. That's why I respect Jace so much. He doesn't care what people think ir view him. He's a young man that is not afraid to speak up in times when some may be afraid. Just a very smart kid, is a coach's son. That helps a lot, too, let's call it what it is. He's played sports, different sports, football, basketball. He's been a leader in the classroom, so it just translates very well. Nice to see how he's been able to take on that voice this year and not be afraid. But he's learned from guys like Isaiah Livers. Isaiah Livers was was a guy that was big in his ear when Jace was a freshman. Helping Jace transition here at Michigan. Chaundee Brown was another great leader for Jace, he picked up a lot from Chaundee Brown. Chaundee was consistently bringing leadership every day in practice with his voice and hard work, and toughness. Jace has really took notice of that and has brought that every time he's getting an opportunity to practice or in games when he played last year. So I'm not really surprised, but I am happy for him and his growth and for being the captain for his team. You know, we're gonna need his leadership. He deserved to be a captain. The guys, his teammates respect him. It was just nice to hear like Jet one day we were talking. We were just chatting it up. I try not to talk about basketball a lot when I'm at home with my boys. Jet brought it up. He's like, Dad, you did it right. I was waiting like, what are you talking about? The captains that you chose, those are the right leaders for our group. When we got together in July. Because of the summer session, are we allowed to work four hours per week with one another. Then we had 10 practices leading up to Europe and we went over to Europe and played those three games. I just watched the team and sometimes like, I've been on teams where the players are allowed to vote for their captains. I've been on those teams where the guys that they vote for captain end up being the guys for like a popularity contest. Are those the guys that are really leading or do they really know how to lead? Sometimes, no. Folks lead in different ways. I know some people are not just natural-born leaders. Jace, he's a natural-born leader.
On three-point shooting
We've gotten better with three-point shooting. Gotten better. You'll see this year.
On Hunter Dickinson's leadership
He's a different kind of leader. Last year, Hunter, he's a leader but he lead more by example. He allowed Eli to be more of a vocal leader and challenged Hunter to be more of a leader. Just didn't want to get out of his comfort zone. Granted, Hunter, everyone loves him. Funny. He doesn't mind being the villain and he takes on that role to take pressure off his teammates. That is pretty special because a lot of guys don't want to get uncomfortable like that, don't like going on the road and people having boo them every time they touch the floor and touch the ball. He's a genius. It's pretty unique in a way. And then yeah, I said genius, he is. Yes. This year, I challenged him this summer. I said hey, we're gonna need your leadership and he accepted that role. He's been more vocal, knowing that he doesn't have an Eli you can rely on. With Kobe, he is soft spoken but he's smart, he's sharp. When he speaks, people listen and you don't always have to talk to be a leader, you have to pick your spots and Kobe is smart enough to pick his spots. But he's also comfortable within himself, knowing who he is and also understanding his role. He knows how we play and what we expect from guys' energy level in practice. But what I love about Kobe is that is so special, he takes ownership when he's not doing his job. And a lot of folks can't do that. And he also will allow you to coach him.
On Michigan players in the NBA
It's been great to see how this program here at the University of Michigan has been doing great as far as putting guys in a position to further their dreams and goals. For those who want to make it to the NBA, the success that we've had, having a lot of Michigan alums play on a professional level. Michigan program is—we do it silent. Some other programs, they might publicly announce make announcements as far as we put these guys in the league, we got this amount of players in the league. Some programs have a different model than we have. And that's okay too. But with Michigan, yes we're proud of our guys, but we don't stick out our chests and start bragging on who we put in the NBA. Jordan Poole and all the others that are in the NBA, starting back to the guys that played before me and the guys that are now that recently like the Moussa and the Caleb's. It's just great to see that these young men is getting the opportunity to do something they love doing. Their goals and dreams are playing on the next level. But let's keep in mind too, that those who don't make it, doesn't mean that they're a failure either. That's the beauty of this Michigan brand and being alumni here is that you get an education at the University of Michigan along with a degree, you walk right into a good-paying job that's going to help support you and your family. I'm an example of that, right? I wouldn't have this job right now if I didn't get my degree.
