Q: Where did you watch the game and what was your reaction last night?
A: I watched it at home, and my reaction was that TCU was unreal the first half and then Texas was a lot better the second half, but TCU made enough plays to hang on. It was a strange game I thought, because TCU turned it over. Texas turned TCU over a bunch, and Miles didn't have a great game by Miles' standards, and Texas struggled to make some good looks. And next thing you know, it's right there at the very end and the ball obviously came up big. So, it was a good competitive game. Very typical of a Big 12 game.
Q: Did you celebrate at all and what's your reaction to winning it outright?
A: No, I did not celebrate at all. I text the fellas and the staff and that was about it. My reaction is, yeah, I'm happy. I'm hoping something happens like last year with us, and not everybody may feel the same or had the same thinking about what's going on, but last year we played TCU and Texas back-to-back at home and labored to win both games. Ball didn't go in the basket. Guys trying too hard. And very similar to West Virginian Tech. And then after we did enough to get a piece of the championship, it seemed like to me the pressure was off a little bit and we played much freer after that. So, I'm hopeful that's the case with this particular team, beginning going down to Austin.
Q: Would you ever consider resting players and switching the lineup and all that since the game is not for the title?
A: In a word, no. No, no, no. This is a huge game. We're playing for... There's a lot of things to play for. There's seeding, certainly can affect our Big 12 tournament, but if you have that attitude, I think that you're minimizing what's most important. It's not like an NBA playoff where you already know who you're going to play and it's going to be a best of seven and you want everybody fresh. We're still playing to put us in the best and most favorable position come tournament time. So as long as we're playing, we're going to try to win.
Q: You said a couple times that week that Cam Martin's done. So, is he officially medically redshirting?
A: It's not official. I don't think we can make an official call by rule. I think that's something that has to be approved by the powers that be. So, we don't make an official determination that he gets a medical red shirt. We apply for it or he applies for it and then the decision is made after that, and that is what will happen though.
Q: He's been out for a while, but what went into that decision to finally make that decision with him?
A: He's not healthy. He still has days where he can't go and that kind of stuff. He's not a hundred percent healthy. Not even close. I shouldn't say not close, but he's definitely not a hundred percent healthy.
Well, what you're doing now is if he was a hundred percent healthy, you put him out there and he may get some reps but it'll be limited without question. He hadn't played all year, but that's not the reason why he's not playing. The reason why he's not playing is because he hasn't been healthy enough to actually put in position where he could get those reps.
Q: Bill, Rupp and Wooden are the only ones to do what you've done, and that was a time when there was not the parity there is today. As far as dominating major championships and big conferences. Just talk about, looking back, I know you usually deflect that stuff, but what you've been able to do in the 20 years here.
A: Well, first of all is not what any individual has been able to do, it's what we've been able to do because we've had great players, great coaches and all that stuff. I think the consistency is something that I take great pride in and I think most people do. But with consistency sometimes creates stale, boring. If you have a pitcher that every game he gives up, two runs a game and seven innings and you think, what an outing. But if he does it every game, "Well when's he going to get a shutout?" One of those type deals. And I think that sometimes that creates that stigma sometimes because whenever you don't match the consistency in the regular season with the post season, it totally automatically minimizes the regular season. And I think that that's happened with us some and deservedly so, but I think we've been pretty consistent throughout.
And to me, the mark of really doing a good job, or if you had a great financial guy, I think it's probably a little bit easier to maximize your upside when the market's really good. I think it's a little bit harder to minimize your downside when the market's not very good. And our players have done a good job of not taking dips and being at that fairly consistent level year in and year out.
So, I do take great pride in that. It's not our emphasis any year that that's our ultimate goal, but it's certainly always a goal during the period of time, which that can be our only goal, which is basically from January to March. So, for that eight or nine weeks it is a goal to try to win something that you compete in. And then after that's completed, then the goal switches to a whole other goal.
Q: First match up with Texas, you guys were on your mark, but talk about that and then Texas personnel in general.
A: Well, I thought we played pretty well against Texas. What did Jalen have that game? Two. And so that was a sign where the bench kind of came through, if I'm not mistaken, and Joe had a huge game. I think he had 14, and I thought we played really, really well against Texas and it was a pretty smooth game, and they still scored 80 points on us, so we've got to do a better job defensively. I know they beat us on the glass multiple times and we did a lot of good things and we win by eight, and it really turned up building. And going down there, I know it'll be just as turned up.
And their players, when you talk about rosters, I don't know that anybody from a roster standpoint matches up with Texas in our league one through eight. I mean, they got eight guys that they can put out there, basically claim that all eight basically could be starters. And he could really go nine when instead just eight, so I think they got a great roster and of course they have a terrific score and Allen's one of the best competitors in our league and been great against us, and Rice is probably the best sixth man of the country. And Disu was playing the best ball of the year without... I mean, just everybody is more than capable of having a big night. They're really talented and athletic.
Q: I'm wondering with KJ, you spent a lot of time in December and early January, talking about him on the defensive glass. I think over the last six games he's ever like four defensive rebounds per game, twice as much as earlier. What do you feel like has sparked that? Is it a conversation you've had? Is it just effort?
A: No, it's not. It's never an effort with KJ. He always gives effort. It's more him understanding the mindset to go after the ball. And to make it real clear, I like what you're saying and he has improved, but it's not the right mindset where you hope it ends up though. For you to say that a guy averaging 30 minutes a game in league play is getting four defensive rebounds a game, that to me is not a lot. But what KJ has done a great job of is he's done a great job of making sure his man doesn't get the rebound. And against Oscar, that was his job, and then everybody else had to clean up. But over the course of time, he's still potentially your best defensive rebounder. So, he's got to release and go get the ball, and I do think he's doing a better job of that. He's always done a decent job blocking out, but he's doing a better job of actually hitting and go getting as opposed to just making sure his man doesn't get the ball.
Q: And as Big 12 plays gone on, how do you feel like he's adapted to the way that teams have adapted to going to the short roll stuff that you guys did a lot of?
A: Well, if you look at the game the other day, we didn't get that at all. A lot of switches teams are doing different things to take things away. I'm sure Texas will do something comparable at least in their strategy to try to take certain things away, and that may not be something they try to take away, but I know that Texas Tech did and they were pretty good at it. They watch tape, so I'm sure they'll see some things. But I like a lot of his stuff he's done. I think he's gotten better catching and driving it. I think he's a little bit better finisher than he was. He's certainly become a better throw shooter. He's done a lot of things to allow him... What's he averaging? Like 13 a league? Is he averaging close to 13 a league? Something like that, which is a pretty good number for a guy that average 1.8 the first 44 games here.
Q: Coach, I asked Juan this in terms of from a scale of A to F of your performance of this season, I know you've still got a lot more things to do. He said not an A plus, but he'd give the team A. From your perspective, what would you give on a scale from A to F in terms of what the team's done so far?
A: Well, it comes to academics, I think Juan would make sure everybody got an A if he could, so that didn't surprise me at all. I would say... I don't know that I'd go quite as high as an A, but I'd probably go A minus. I think the guys have done well, so hopefully our best ball's still in front of us. But I don't disagree with Juan, but he's probably a little bit more lenient grader than what most professors might be.
Q: And one last thing, I got a cool moment when Jalen was talking about senior day, saw you kind of wiping away the tears. Uploaded it to social media because I knew a lot of fans would like that. Christian responded and said "soft".
A: Yeah.
Q: So, I just wanted to get your perspective on-
A: He was talking about Jalen, right?
Q: It might have been you because I know you were wiping away... Maybe it wasn't tears, but he said just "SOFT" all caps.
A: Oh, I've had this speck in my eye for a long time.
When you do senior speeches, and of course also Christian is the same guy that didn't text me "Congratulations," nothing. All he text me immediately after the game was "That's the longest speech in KU basketball history," talking about Jalen. So, I actually think he's probably right on that. Probably am a little soft when it comes to these guys and how much sacrifice they've made. And certainly, with Jalen, I'll be candid with you, he's shown me something each and every year that I may not have known he had in him. He's taking it to a whole new level each and every year and that makes it special. And the other thing that that's special to me is the guy conducts himself with such an air of confidence in anything he does. Walking into a room, meeting an adult, speaking in front of 16,000, how he plays when things go bad, adversity, he's got a way to exude confidence in any situation, and I think that's something that we can all learn from, and it's been fun and special to watch over time.
Q: Couple quick ones. Do you feel like Jalen's player of the year in the conference?
A: I feel like he's player of the year in the conference. I don't think I have a campaign for my guys to win an award in which the other nine coaches vote on, and so I don't think that's the right thing to do. I think coaches in their own way have their own perspective on what they value most. I know for me, what he does I value most, and so I believe that he is, but there's still another game before I think coaches are required to have their vote in there, and I can't vote for Jalen. And it's my job, I see, to vote for the guy I think should be player of the year if it's not Jalen not to vote for somebody that won't be player of the year to help Jalen. So sometimes I think with this award, the way it's done, can skew it a little bit. But in my mind he is, but I can't vote based on what's in my mind. I'll vote based on excluding him totally.
Q: Similar type of question. Do you feel as good about your resume for a one seed and maybe even the Midwest as you possibly could right now?
A: Well, I would feel better if we had one less loss on the resume, but I don't think this. I think if somebody were to ask me what would be a perfect scenario? I think perfect scenario would go to Des Moines and go to Kansas City. I'm not sure that's the sure-all thing, because we went to Kansas City before and got beat. But you would think in theory, but the games aren't played in theory. They're actually played. I'd like to think that we could get to Des Moines, and then whether or not we have a chance to go to Kansas City is strictly based on how we do and how other teams do. And there's still a lot of ball left up for that.
But do I like our chances of being a one seed? Was that your question? Yeah, I do. We put ourself in a very favorable position to be a one seed somewhere. Obviously just don't know where and it's not nothing's done by any stretch, and being a one seed doesn't guarantee success. But I think that you work all year long to be as good high a seed as possible. So hopefully we can finish what we started.
Q: Coach, you joke about being soft, but we also know that you'll let these guys have it when you think that's what they need. I was just curious what goes into maybe the relationships that you have to build, or even is that something you look for in recruiting the guys that when you need to tear into them, they're going to be able to handle that and they're going to respond well to it?
A: I probably look at it a little differently. Tear into them would be something that football coaches do, not basketball coaches. So, I don't really see it quite tear into them. I see it more as trying to get something better out of them. And I really think this. I think all young people yearn for discipline; they just don't know it. I think all people that want to make basketball a career, they want to be coaching a way to give them the best chance to do that. I think anything that we do less than that is basically settling. And I think that'd be the worst thing a player could ever say to me is he allowed me to settle.
I mean, it's good that guys can handle the good, but if you can handle the good, you've got to be able to handle some of the not so good too. And it's never been an issue here. There may be some guys that struggle with something early on, but my goal is by the time they leave, it's water off their back just like a poor play in the first half is water off your back getting ready to play the second half.
A: I watched it at home, and my reaction was that TCU was unreal the first half and then Texas was a lot better the second half, but TCU made enough plays to hang on. It was a strange game I thought, because TCU turned it over. Texas turned TCU over a bunch, and Miles didn't have a great game by Miles' standards, and Texas struggled to make some good looks. And next thing you know, it's right there at the very end and the ball obviously came up big. So, it was a good competitive game. Very typical of a Big 12 game.
Q: Did you celebrate at all and what's your reaction to winning it outright?
A: No, I did not celebrate at all. I text the fellas and the staff and that was about it. My reaction is, yeah, I'm happy. I'm hoping something happens like last year with us, and not everybody may feel the same or had the same thinking about what's going on, but last year we played TCU and Texas back-to-back at home and labored to win both games. Ball didn't go in the basket. Guys trying too hard. And very similar to West Virginian Tech. And then after we did enough to get a piece of the championship, it seemed like to me the pressure was off a little bit and we played much freer after that. So, I'm hopeful that's the case with this particular team, beginning going down to Austin.
Q: Would you ever consider resting players and switching the lineup and all that since the game is not for the title?
A: In a word, no. No, no, no. This is a huge game. We're playing for... There's a lot of things to play for. There's seeding, certainly can affect our Big 12 tournament, but if you have that attitude, I think that you're minimizing what's most important. It's not like an NBA playoff where you already know who you're going to play and it's going to be a best of seven and you want everybody fresh. We're still playing to put us in the best and most favorable position come tournament time. So as long as we're playing, we're going to try to win.
Q: You said a couple times that week that Cam Martin's done. So, is he officially medically redshirting?
A: It's not official. I don't think we can make an official call by rule. I think that's something that has to be approved by the powers that be. So, we don't make an official determination that he gets a medical red shirt. We apply for it or he applies for it and then the decision is made after that, and that is what will happen though.
Q: He's been out for a while, but what went into that decision to finally make that decision with him?
A: He's not healthy. He still has days where he can't go and that kind of stuff. He's not a hundred percent healthy. Not even close. I shouldn't say not close, but he's definitely not a hundred percent healthy.
Well, what you're doing now is if he was a hundred percent healthy, you put him out there and he may get some reps but it'll be limited without question. He hadn't played all year, but that's not the reason why he's not playing. The reason why he's not playing is because he hasn't been healthy enough to actually put in position where he could get those reps.
Q: Bill, Rupp and Wooden are the only ones to do what you've done, and that was a time when there was not the parity there is today. As far as dominating major championships and big conferences. Just talk about, looking back, I know you usually deflect that stuff, but what you've been able to do in the 20 years here.
A: Well, first of all is not what any individual has been able to do, it's what we've been able to do because we've had great players, great coaches and all that stuff. I think the consistency is something that I take great pride in and I think most people do. But with consistency sometimes creates stale, boring. If you have a pitcher that every game he gives up, two runs a game and seven innings and you think, what an outing. But if he does it every game, "Well when's he going to get a shutout?" One of those type deals. And I think that sometimes that creates that stigma sometimes because whenever you don't match the consistency in the regular season with the post season, it totally automatically minimizes the regular season. And I think that that's happened with us some and deservedly so, but I think we've been pretty consistent throughout.
And to me, the mark of really doing a good job, or if you had a great financial guy, I think it's probably a little bit easier to maximize your upside when the market's really good. I think it's a little bit harder to minimize your downside when the market's not very good. And our players have done a good job of not taking dips and being at that fairly consistent level year in and year out.
So, I do take great pride in that. It's not our emphasis any year that that's our ultimate goal, but it's certainly always a goal during the period of time, which that can be our only goal, which is basically from January to March. So, for that eight or nine weeks it is a goal to try to win something that you compete in. And then after that's completed, then the goal switches to a whole other goal.
Q: First match up with Texas, you guys were on your mark, but talk about that and then Texas personnel in general.
A: Well, I thought we played pretty well against Texas. What did Jalen have that game? Two. And so that was a sign where the bench kind of came through, if I'm not mistaken, and Joe had a huge game. I think he had 14, and I thought we played really, really well against Texas and it was a pretty smooth game, and they still scored 80 points on us, so we've got to do a better job defensively. I know they beat us on the glass multiple times and we did a lot of good things and we win by eight, and it really turned up building. And going down there, I know it'll be just as turned up.
And their players, when you talk about rosters, I don't know that anybody from a roster standpoint matches up with Texas in our league one through eight. I mean, they got eight guys that they can put out there, basically claim that all eight basically could be starters. And he could really go nine when instead just eight, so I think they got a great roster and of course they have a terrific score and Allen's one of the best competitors in our league and been great against us, and Rice is probably the best sixth man of the country. And Disu was playing the best ball of the year without... I mean, just everybody is more than capable of having a big night. They're really talented and athletic.
Q: I'm wondering with KJ, you spent a lot of time in December and early January, talking about him on the defensive glass. I think over the last six games he's ever like four defensive rebounds per game, twice as much as earlier. What do you feel like has sparked that? Is it a conversation you've had? Is it just effort?
A: No, it's not. It's never an effort with KJ. He always gives effort. It's more him understanding the mindset to go after the ball. And to make it real clear, I like what you're saying and he has improved, but it's not the right mindset where you hope it ends up though. For you to say that a guy averaging 30 minutes a game in league play is getting four defensive rebounds a game, that to me is not a lot. But what KJ has done a great job of is he's done a great job of making sure his man doesn't get the rebound. And against Oscar, that was his job, and then everybody else had to clean up. But over the course of time, he's still potentially your best defensive rebounder. So, he's got to release and go get the ball, and I do think he's doing a better job of that. He's always done a decent job blocking out, but he's doing a better job of actually hitting and go getting as opposed to just making sure his man doesn't get the ball.
Q: And as Big 12 plays gone on, how do you feel like he's adapted to the way that teams have adapted to going to the short roll stuff that you guys did a lot of?
A: Well, if you look at the game the other day, we didn't get that at all. A lot of switches teams are doing different things to take things away. I'm sure Texas will do something comparable at least in their strategy to try to take certain things away, and that may not be something they try to take away, but I know that Texas Tech did and they were pretty good at it. They watch tape, so I'm sure they'll see some things. But I like a lot of his stuff he's done. I think he's gotten better catching and driving it. I think he's a little bit better finisher than he was. He's certainly become a better throw shooter. He's done a lot of things to allow him... What's he averaging? Like 13 a league? Is he averaging close to 13 a league? Something like that, which is a pretty good number for a guy that average 1.8 the first 44 games here.
Q: Coach, I asked Juan this in terms of from a scale of A to F of your performance of this season, I know you've still got a lot more things to do. He said not an A plus, but he'd give the team A. From your perspective, what would you give on a scale from A to F in terms of what the team's done so far?
A: Well, it comes to academics, I think Juan would make sure everybody got an A if he could, so that didn't surprise me at all. I would say... I don't know that I'd go quite as high as an A, but I'd probably go A minus. I think the guys have done well, so hopefully our best ball's still in front of us. But I don't disagree with Juan, but he's probably a little bit more lenient grader than what most professors might be.
Q: And one last thing, I got a cool moment when Jalen was talking about senior day, saw you kind of wiping away the tears. Uploaded it to social media because I knew a lot of fans would like that. Christian responded and said "soft".
A: Yeah.
Q: So, I just wanted to get your perspective on-
A: He was talking about Jalen, right?
Q: It might have been you because I know you were wiping away... Maybe it wasn't tears, but he said just "SOFT" all caps.
A: Oh, I've had this speck in my eye for a long time.
When you do senior speeches, and of course also Christian is the same guy that didn't text me "Congratulations," nothing. All he text me immediately after the game was "That's the longest speech in KU basketball history," talking about Jalen. So, I actually think he's probably right on that. Probably am a little soft when it comes to these guys and how much sacrifice they've made. And certainly, with Jalen, I'll be candid with you, he's shown me something each and every year that I may not have known he had in him. He's taking it to a whole new level each and every year and that makes it special. And the other thing that that's special to me is the guy conducts himself with such an air of confidence in anything he does. Walking into a room, meeting an adult, speaking in front of 16,000, how he plays when things go bad, adversity, he's got a way to exude confidence in any situation, and I think that's something that we can all learn from, and it's been fun and special to watch over time.
Q: Couple quick ones. Do you feel like Jalen's player of the year in the conference?
A: I feel like he's player of the year in the conference. I don't think I have a campaign for my guys to win an award in which the other nine coaches vote on, and so I don't think that's the right thing to do. I think coaches in their own way have their own perspective on what they value most. I know for me, what he does I value most, and so I believe that he is, but there's still another game before I think coaches are required to have their vote in there, and I can't vote for Jalen. And it's my job, I see, to vote for the guy I think should be player of the year if it's not Jalen not to vote for somebody that won't be player of the year to help Jalen. So sometimes I think with this award, the way it's done, can skew it a little bit. But in my mind he is, but I can't vote based on what's in my mind. I'll vote based on excluding him totally.
Q: Similar type of question. Do you feel as good about your resume for a one seed and maybe even the Midwest as you possibly could right now?
A: Well, I would feel better if we had one less loss on the resume, but I don't think this. I think if somebody were to ask me what would be a perfect scenario? I think perfect scenario would go to Des Moines and go to Kansas City. I'm not sure that's the sure-all thing, because we went to Kansas City before and got beat. But you would think in theory, but the games aren't played in theory. They're actually played. I'd like to think that we could get to Des Moines, and then whether or not we have a chance to go to Kansas City is strictly based on how we do and how other teams do. And there's still a lot of ball left up for that.
But do I like our chances of being a one seed? Was that your question? Yeah, I do. We put ourself in a very favorable position to be a one seed somewhere. Obviously just don't know where and it's not nothing's done by any stretch, and being a one seed doesn't guarantee success. But I think that you work all year long to be as good high a seed as possible. So hopefully we can finish what we started.
Q: Coach, you joke about being soft, but we also know that you'll let these guys have it when you think that's what they need. I was just curious what goes into maybe the relationships that you have to build, or even is that something you look for in recruiting the guys that when you need to tear into them, they're going to be able to handle that and they're going to respond well to it?
A: I probably look at it a little differently. Tear into them would be something that football coaches do, not basketball coaches. So, I don't really see it quite tear into them. I see it more as trying to get something better out of them. And I really think this. I think all young people yearn for discipline; they just don't know it. I think all people that want to make basketball a career, they want to be coaching a way to give them the best chance to do that. I think anything that we do less than that is basically settling. And I think that'd be the worst thing a player could ever say to me is he allowed me to settle.
I mean, it's good that guys can handle the good, but if you can handle the good, you've got to be able to handle some of the not so good too. And it's never been an issue here. There may be some guys that struggle with something early on, but my goal is by the time they leave, it's water off their back just like a poor play in the first half is water off your back getting ready to play the second half.
