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#UNC coach Courtney Banghart press conference
Sep 3, 2026
#UNC coach Courtney Banghart press conference
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0:00
All right. Well, first off, welcome
0:02
back. It's college basketball season.
0:03
Um, best time of the year as coaches. We
0:06
get to build uh kind of brick by brick.
0:08
It's one of our most important months.
0:09
As you emphasize, what you emphasize and
0:11
what you um celebrate and what you
0:14
correct kind of you're building your
0:15
foundation. Um, which has been fun.
0:17
We've been going at it. We've probably
0:18
had I think today is uh session 42. So,
0:22
I've got a pretty good handle on on uh
0:24
who we who we can be and who we are. Um,
0:28
and God, I can't believe I'm already in
0:29
my eighth season. Feel a lot more
0:31
settled than I did eight years ago.
0:32
That's for sure. Um, excited about the
0:34
league, excited about the schedule. Um,
0:36
feel really grateful that a lot has
0:38
changed in college athletics. A lot is
0:40
changing in college athletics. Um, but
0:42
the main things are staying the main
0:43
things. Um, and this is just an exciting
0:45
place to to be the basketball coach and
0:47
I know there's a lot of energy for this
0:48
team, which is deservedly so. So, happy
0:50
to answer all the questions you have.
0:52
>> Courtney, you mentioned the schedule.
0:53
Mhm.
0:54
>> It's unusual to open up ACC play against
0:57
NC State that's kind of in the middle of
1:00
January and February. Just how do you
1:01
feel about that? It's kind of an
1:03
interesting quirk, isn't it?
1:04
>> Yeah, it is. I mean, obviously, we
1:06
haven't had a lot of success out of
1:07
exams um in the last couple years
1:09
started uh with a loss. Um and so now
1:12
you're playing kind of a rival. Our
1:13
students aren't on campus. It's not a
1:14
great time to have have a rivalry game.
1:17
Um but you know, we we get what we get
1:18
and we don't get upset. It's like my
1:20
parenting vibe coming out, right? Um and
1:22
so um what's great is is it's always a
1:24
well attended game. It's always a game
1:25
that brings a lot of attention. It's
1:27
always against two really good teams. Um
1:29
but yeah, it's just it'll be unique and
1:30
that it's a lot earlier um for both
1:32
teams. Um but um just glad they're on
1:35
our schedule and glad to have them both
1:36
at home. I'd love to play them as you
1:38
know away too. I'd love to just keep
1:40
keep this rivalry going.
1:42
>> Just talking to several players, it
1:43
sounds like you have a lot of league
1:45
guards, people with league guard
1:47
capabilities. How is that going to give
1:50
you more flexibility as to how the ball
1:52
flows?
1:53
>> Yeah, you know, it used to be you had
1:56
point guards and you had wings and you
1:58
had small forwards and you had centers
1:59
and the game has really become much
2:01
quite much faster, much quicker, um, and
2:03
more positionless. So, uh, we have a lot
2:05
more decision-making guards than we've
2:06
had in the past. Um, so that means they
2:08
can they can handle the ball. They can
2:10
make decisions in live time about pace
2:12
of play and about actions. Um, and
2:14
that's really going to help us because,
2:16
you know, when you we got kind of
2:18
through the second part of the season,
2:20
um, really a lot of that fell on Elena.
2:22
So, she was the one and if you could
2:23
take her away from from dictating
2:25
offense and tempo, we were it was harder
2:27
for us to score. Um, so we felt like we
2:29
needed to address that. Um, we knew we
2:31
did address it in our recruiting. Um,
2:33
and yeah, we're going to have we have a
2:34
lot more just decision makers so that we
2:36
can have the ball in a lot more hands,
2:37
which I think will be harder to guard.
2:39
>> The program as a whole, how do you how
2:41
do you like where this target is all
2:42
right now? you know, there are 10 10
2:44
programs in division one that have been
2:46
to three the last five sweet 16s, right?
2:48
So, it kind of solidifies you over the
2:50
last five years as you know,
2:51
collectively you're kind of in that top
2:53
category of teams that are keep cracking
2:55
at it, you know. Um, so that's the good
2:57
news. The g the bad news is we're not
2:59
one of the teams that have been to the
3:00
Elite 8 or the final four in the last um
3:02
in my tenure. So, I get excited about
3:04
that we've built the foundation the
3:06
right way. I get excited about that. We
3:08
have we're able to attract the talent
3:09
that we've attracted both in the portal
3:11
and in our freshman recruiting. Um
3:13
people that we think can help us get to
3:15
that next step. Um and so um yeah, I
3:18
feel like the fan base is back. I feel
3:20
like the support from the administration
3:22
is strong. I feel like um the players
3:25
are recognizing that they have
3:26
opportunity here that um and the the
3:29
transfers and and Kate, they chose here
3:31
because they figured success is pretty
3:34
consistent, but I can help us take
3:36
another step and now they just got to
3:37
they got to do that.
3:38
>> You've kept players too.
3:39
>> A lot. Yeah, we had nine. Yeah. A lot.
3:41
Um you know, and I give the university a
3:42
ton of credit. People like being here.
3:43
It's a place people like to be. And so,
3:45
as much as they are are getting better,
3:47
I think we do a good job of no matter if
3:48
you're playing 32 minutes a game or two,
3:50
you're getting better, right? your
3:52
process is um I spend as much time with
3:55
film with the kids that aren't playing
3:56
as much, right? So that they continue to
3:57
get better. So I think people feel like
3:59
this is a place where they are
4:00
celebrated and and supported um as well
4:03
as challenged, but they're also at a
4:04
place they like to be. So it's kind of a
4:06
good combination.
4:07
>> What went into scheduling that
4:09
exhibition game against Davidson for the
4:11
preseason? That's something that this
4:12
program hasn't done since your first
4:13
year here in 2019.
4:15
>> Well, the rules have changed so you can
4:16
do more than one. And so for us, you
4:18
used to have the rules have changed so
4:19
much. You used to be able to play two
4:20
scrimmages, then you could play one
4:21
scrimmage, two scrimmages or one
4:23
exhibition game, and then you could
4:24
play, uh, if you wanted an exhibition
4:27
game, but then you could, all the things
4:28
have really changed. Um, but for us, uh,
4:30
to have an opportunity to play two
4:31
exhibition games with what we have in
4:33
the first part of the season, you know,
4:34
when your first two are against neutral
4:36
sight, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, you
4:38
kind of got to go and you've got to go
4:39
out and schedule hard to begin. So,
4:42
Davidson's a regional foe that gives you
4:43
a ton of challenges on the defensive
4:45
end. So, we're going to know what we
4:46
have defensively with a lot of their
4:47
actions. Um and then of course playing
4:49
at Maryland, a team that we played here
4:51
in the Sweet 16 last year or to get to
4:53
the Sweet 16 last year. Um playing in
4:55
their gym is going to be um a great prep
4:58
for then five days later leaving for
5:00
Paris. Um so it was the the the the
5:03
exhibition games were planned in
5:04
preparation for the start of a very
5:06
tough non-conference.
5:07
>> Know each year the team could have its
5:09
own unique I'm in the corner over here.
5:10
>> Yeah, I like it. [laughter]
5:11
>> Uh each year the team could have its own
5:13
unique uh challenges or even it's it own
5:15
unique uh personality. Uh what's the
5:17
unique personality of of this year's
5:19
team so far that you've seen uh before
5:21
even getting on the court of this
5:22
competition?
5:23
>> You know, it's funny. I look at
5:24
personality is is key. Um and I when I
5:26
So what we're talking about is their joy
5:28
and their level of of incredible
5:30
commitment. I mean, they're in here all
5:32
the time. I mean, this gym, we got to
5:34
keep changing out these nets. I mean,
5:35
they're just they work top to bottom,
5:37
side to side. Um they really like one
5:39
another. That's been an easy an easy
5:41
transition. Um the the transfers and new
5:43
guys have added a ton to that. Um, but I
5:45
also can't help but look at their length
5:47
and their athleticism. You know, I know
5:49
that's not their personality, but it
5:50
kind of is the personality of our team.
5:52
We're we're we've got we've gotten
5:54
quicker, bigger, and stronger, and
5:55
faster at at at the positions that
5:57
really matter a ton. Um, and so I think
5:59
we've got a healthy blend of got a lot
6:01
of experience. We were with the recruit
6:03
the other day and they were talking
6:04
about how our practices looked and I
6:06
said, "Well, remember we don't have we
6:07
only have one freshman, you know, really
6:09
in Kate and she's a pretty good
6:11
freshman, right?" And so because Noel's
6:13
been here since January in our practices
6:15
um and so that experience I think is
6:17
paying off as well.
6:19
>> Chloe said she has some big goals going
6:21
for winning the national championship.
6:22
What did you see from her last year
6:23
maybe while recruiting for the major she
6:25
can achieve this year?
6:26
>> Clardy, is that who you said? Yeah, she
6:28
Khloe. Yeah, she um you know she has a
6:30
ton of exper graduated in three years at
6:32
Stanford. So smart kid, has a very clear
6:33
basketball IQ. Um she's a shot maker.
6:36
She was impactful on the defensive end.
6:38
Um she's a bigger guard. we needed to
6:40
get sturdier and bigger, you know, in
6:42
terms of our physicality. Um, and so I I
6:46
think she brings a lot of that and
6:47
proven, you know, I think there there's
6:49
something about a kid who's proven
6:50
obviously with this five and five year
6:52
that that really helps us because these
6:54
kids can be proven now and you have I
6:56
think every coach in the country would
6:57
rather have the older team, you know,
6:59
and we finally have older guys and she's
7:01
one of them.
7:02
>> A local girl coming home, Gabby, second
7:04
shot at her now. She's how how excited
7:06
are to have her?
7:07
>> So excited. I mean, she is exactly what
7:10
we needed. You know, she's got
7:11
incredible physicality and athleticism.
7:13
She's I don't know who's more athletic,
7:15
her or India Navar. I mean, those two
7:16
are elite athletically, both with her
7:18
elevation, their change of speed, um
7:20
their quickness, their instincts, um and
7:23
I think her seeing India's maturation as
7:25
a player and how her career ended up
7:27
attracted her back here. Right. Also,
7:29
she's gotten a lot better. So, at a high
7:31
school, I I there were so still some
7:33
question marks because obviously with
7:34
her mom and my staff, you know, you just
7:36
want to make sure that this um that
7:38
she's exactly what you need. And then
7:40
watching her and and getting to watch
7:41
her as a freshman, um she's a she's a
7:43
place starter. She's a mass matchup
7:46
advantage from the start. We haven't
7:47
really had a lot of kids that can just
7:49
win their matchup and she just can. It
7:51
doesn't matter who's on her, she can
7:52
just go win her match up, which then
7:53
puts the defense in a in a jam. Um so,
7:56
she's exactly what we needed. You
7:58
mentioned the first game of the AC slate
8:00
against NC State. Are there any other
8:02
areas on the conference schedule where
8:04
you're
8:05
>> if not circling but knowing it's going
8:06
to be a tougher stretch or you have to
8:08
prepare for things like finals, like the
8:11
crowd's not going to be there, things
8:12
like that.
8:13
>> Yeah. So, we go to Cal Stanford, which
8:15
is never the trip you're like most
8:16
excited about, right? That's not not a
8:19
short one, we'll say. Um and so we have
8:21
Cal Stanford and then we get back and
8:23
come off right on the road and right off
8:25
the road we play um Notre Dame and Duke
8:28
right after it, right? So that's, you
8:30
know, whatever cobwebs you have from a
8:31
long flight, you just you can't worry
8:33
about it. You got to quickly, you know,
8:34
get the scouting thing taken care of and
8:36
and their bodies um recovered and back
8:38
on time zone. Um our sport performance
8:40
team, they're total pros, so they'll
8:41
figure it out. I mean we were two years
8:43
ago we were the only team either men or
8:45
women that won both of those games you
8:47
know and our sport performance team
8:49
really basically put them in the very
8:50
best position to do so. So that's kind
8:52
of a unique yeah playing NC State during
8:54
exams just means less students which
8:55
kind of provide a fun vibe for a game.
8:58
Um but our league is so good that you
9:00
know it's sort of this is the year we
9:02
travel a ton right we're at Cal Stanford
9:04
we're at Miami we're at SMU we're at
9:06
Pit. So a lot of the FAR trips are all
9:07
in one year interestingly and this is
9:09
that year. Um, but you know, you just
9:12
want to make sure you have the the right
9:14
talent in the locker room and we have
9:15
that.
9:15
>> Do you think that starting the season
9:18
off going over the pond to, you know, to
9:21
France, starting the year that way, that
9:23
mixed with the fact that when [laughter]
9:24
you come back, it's no easy test. Yeah.
9:26
You play South Carolina.
9:27
>> Totally. And the travel. I guess we're
9:29
just going to get used to seven hour
9:30
flights.
9:31
>> Yeah. We're going to normalize that. to
9:33
to your point kind of like you get to
9:34
prepare for that in a
9:36
>> in games that yes count but aren't do or
9:40
die for your AC tournament seating for
9:42
yourAA tournament seating. How important
9:43
is it to get those experiences of good
9:45
teams but also you're traveling
9:47
>> the furthest you're going to travel
9:49
assuming California is not birth of the
9:50
prince I don't know but
9:52
>> to to your point like how does that help
9:54
you?
9:54
>> Yeah I think it just get we'll know more
9:56
about where we are on some of those
9:58
really important tangible things. What
10:00
is your toughness in response? how
10:02
quickly you can adjust to two critical
10:04
scouts. Um, you know, game plans and
10:06
schemes are going to be different. Um,
10:08
and so we'll you only get better at
10:10
doing that by actually doing it. So, I
10:12
hope that that that twoame swing
10:15
absolutely should help us prepare us for
10:17
other two game swims because I'll know a
10:18
little bit more about where we are
10:20
naturally going to be better and we'll
10:21
get them better at no matter what, but
10:23
where they're they're already ahead in
10:24
this area and they're a little behind in
10:26
this area. I've got to kind of move that
10:27
recovery differently. Courtney, you
10:30
already talked about Chloe Clardy and
10:31
Gabby White, but you also have Sephi
10:33
Burroughs. Those are three players who
10:35
you saw play in person over the years
10:37
are now here. Do you prioritize like
10:40
does that help you when ACC players
10:42
enter the portal? Do you prioritize
10:43
maybe reaching out to them knowing that
10:45
you've seen them play in person, have a
10:47
little better grasp on their game?
10:49
>> Um, I think there's less of a um I I get
10:51
to watch less film, you know, um because
10:55
it happens quick. like a kid goes in the
10:56
portal and you've got to like I mean if
10:58
you want to get it right you're not just
11:00
recruiting their stats you're watching a
11:01
lot of film quickly you know um so I had
11:03
to watch less film quickly on those
11:05
three um but a chole is a is a full-g
11:08
grown problem you know that's she's
11:10
going to be a problem she was a problem
11:10
at Oklahoma State she's going to be a
11:12
problem here um and so the other way to
11:15
look at it is watching a chole after the
11:16
first you know 160 clips you're like
11:19
sweating with excitement right and so I
11:21
think it yeah the familiarity means I
11:24
don't have to watch maybe 380 clips. I
11:26
can watch 160 um which is a little bit
11:28
better.
11:28
>> What does a Chel bring that sort of
11:30
compliments your other big Sierra and
11:31
Monica?
11:32
>> Yeah, a Chel is such a winner. She is so
11:35
competitive and I it's hard to say
11:37
people as competitive as I she's pretty
11:39
darn close. Um she is a combination she
11:42
has a combination of like the Alyssa USB
11:44
speed with the um kind of um Nyla Harris
11:49
kind of footwork and finishing and then
11:51
she is as competitive as everyone on the
11:53
team combined. I mean, she is just all
11:55
about winning all the time. Um, and so
11:57
she's got a relentlessness to her. She's
11:59
a true positionless. Like, she's got
12:01
really elite footwork in the low post.
12:02
Kind of uses some patience and wiggle.
12:04
Um, but she can shoot the three better
12:06
than what we've had at that position for
12:07
a while. Um, and then she can also just
12:10
downhill attack right into your chest. I
12:12
mean, you just don't get a chance to
12:13
kind of square her up because she can
12:15
really handle the ball with physicality.
12:17
Um, she's definitely a pro. We just hope
12:19
not for two more years. Courtney, 2K
12:22
came a few days ago and is getting the
12:24
newcomers. What is the
12:25
>> Who did TK?
12:26
>> 2K.
12:27
>> Oh, 2K. Gosh. Yeah. That's right. I'm a
12:29
I'm video game famous now. I don't know
12:30
if you guys know that.
12:32
>> What is the impact of them being here,
12:33
especially considering the nature of
12:34
what college exists today?
12:36
>> Um, yeah, it's I mean, I guess there's
12:38
what 12 women's programs and again, we
12:40
were picked. Um, and so, and they're
12:42
including coaches this year, which is
12:43
kind of fun. So, I just got cooler at
12:45
home. Um, I think the uh the big thing
12:48
is is that, you know, we were I was over
12:50
at a kind of a neighborhood friends and
12:52
their son was like they they like the 2K
12:55
women's more than the men, you know,
12:56
because they just know the women, you
12:58
know, because they're they've been
12:58
around a little bit longer, they stay
13:00
and all the things. So, it's just great
13:01
for our game. I think when the when the
13:03
people of the video game guys are
13:05
looking at um usage rate, I think the
13:07
women's game is only going that way. So
13:09
more exposure, more opportunity leads to
13:12
more exposure, which leads to us proving
13:13
more and more people right with the
13:14
product that we have.
13:15
>> Have you had experience playing the game
13:17
yourself?
13:18
>> I'm not a gamer.
13:20
>> Yep. I'm not a gamer.
13:21
>> Speaking of which, um, she said that she
13:23
remembered you actually from high
13:24
schooling times. You had any memories
13:26
from her that kind of carried over?
13:28
>> Yeah, I had to go all the way to Canada
13:30
in the winter. So that never forget
13:32
that. Um, and she was in the gym with
13:34
Toby Fornier and watching the two of
13:37
them go at it, it was awesome. You get
13:39
to now do it again, right? Um, and so
13:41
the length and athleticism and elevation
13:43
is very similar, which is fun. Um, she
13:46
was, and she'll tell you herself, which
13:48
I love about her, is that she was like,
13:50
I just wasn't ready for North Carolina.
13:52
Like, I just wasn't ready physically. I
13:54
wasn't ready with my skill set. Um, but
13:56
darn if she isn't ready now. Um, so
13:58
right fit, right place, right time. She
14:00
mentioned that you guys kind of share
14:01
the same mentality for success in the
14:03
program. You have anything to share with
14:05
us? And she's obviously a senior this
14:06
year.
14:06
>> Yeah. Yeah. Well, I love that she said
14:09
that because I agree. I think she and I,
14:11
you know, you don't get to know them as
14:12
well in the portal as you do the young
14:13
guys. But I mean, I think we are we're
14:16
quick to forget. You know, we don't look
14:18
backwards a ton and that's hard I think
14:20
for young people. I just look forward
14:21
like if if we don't do so well at one
14:24
thing and it's over, we are going to do
14:25
better at it the next time. and we kind
14:27
of and she's the same way like but um
14:29
when we pick teams and the team wants
14:31
her on their team, right? And I would
14:32
hope that they also want me on their
14:34
sideline when we get ready to go play
14:35
games.
14:36
>> I ask about Noel. What what what was the
14:39
big benefit for her?
14:40
>> What did she gain from practicing with
14:42
the team and being around the games?
14:44
Yeah.
14:44
>> Uh winning last season and with her
14:47
addition and the other u
14:50
>> newcomers. Yeah. Does that change the
14:52
dynamic for some of the other big
14:54
players like Sierra? Sierra maybe be
14:56
able to play more before that sort of
14:58
thing.
14:59
>> Yeah, it does give us more flexibility.
15:01
The fact that we have more talent
15:02
because now you can Yeah, you can mix
15:03
your lineups up and play various people.
15:05
You can also go small. I mean, you can
15:07
do lots of different things with this
15:08
group. Um, but I will say what helped
15:11
Noel is that the the sport performance
15:14
side for freshmen that are playing that
15:16
position, you know, because now when she
15:18
catches in the low post, she's trying to
15:19
score on 66 Blanca and 65 um Sierra Tumi
15:23
who've understood physicality and and
15:25
they understand uh the rooting off and
15:27
they understand how to play in the low
15:29
post and she's used to just being able
15:30
to like back someone down and like
15:31
almost dunk it, right? Um and so we
15:34
needed the physicality. She needed the
15:35
sport performance team here. Um, and so
15:37
we really spent I would say a good five
15:39
months almost only on that. And then
15:41
once she got that taken care of, now
15:42
we've been able to kind of build her
15:44
game within our system. Um, and so it
15:46
just gives you far more of course your
15:48
your preparedness for November had she
15:51
come in June versus had she come in
15:54
January, of course. It's so much she's
15:56
so much ahead of where she would have
15:57
been um had she not.
15:59
>> You mentioned already the fifth year of
16:01
eligibility. Um, obviously a lot of
16:04
stuff's up in here with politics and
16:05
such, but especially in women's
16:06
basketball, people tend to stay longer
16:08
at one place. Um, just how do you see
16:11
that impacting how you recruit build
16:14
your
16:14
>> roster? Yeah, I mean it's when I first
16:17
took this job, right, there was no
16:18
portal. People really weren't recruiting
16:20
a lot internationally. Things have
16:22
changed so much, right? And so I just
16:24
every year I've got not necessarily you
16:26
can't necessarily do things the way
16:27
you've always done them. you have to
16:28
just each year what is the reality and
16:30
how do you best operate within it. Um
16:32
and so now knowing that everyone on my
16:34
roster has another year right now. Some
16:36
might want to go somewhere else, some
16:38
might want to go pro, some might want to
16:40
who knows. Um yeah, you you your squ
16:42
your spots get squeezed a little bit and
16:44
the timelines are different because your
16:46
freshman are making their decisions by
16:47
November and these guys aren't going to
16:50
make their decisions until April, right?
16:52
So we kind of got to navigate all that.
16:53
Um, but I think obviously a sure thing
16:57
as a kid who's gone through the
16:58
experience. So, you're getting someone
17:00
who's already played college basketball,
17:01
there's a little bit more of a sure
17:02
thing. Um, but if you can go get a Kate
17:04
Harring, she's just she's a sure thing,
17:06
too, right? And so, I think what it does
17:08
is is at certain programs, maybe your
17:11
window for who you're willing who who
17:12
you're going to trust as a freshman are
17:14
going to be smaller. U, maybe other
17:16
programs then therefore get players they
17:17
would have been able to get. So, there's
17:19
probably an advantage and a disadvantage
17:20
to kind of all sides. Um, but I I'm
17:23
supportive of the five and five year.
17:24
There were so many confusions about when
17:25
you could get a transfer, uh, when you
17:27
could get a fifth year and and when you
17:29
can't and how and what your what your
17:31
argument is to get it. Um, and how do
17:34
you I mean, another year of these kids
17:35
getting a lot of them should get their
17:36
masters then taken care of like more
17:39
educated women in the workforce. Let's
17:40
do that. Sounds great.
17:42
>> Haya didn't have probably the end of the
17:43
season that she would have wanted to
17:44
last year. Talking to her, she said
17:46
she's as healthy as as she's probably
17:48
ever been.
17:49
What have you seen from her?
17:51
>> That finally. Yeah. That I mean last
17:53
year she really went through it, you
17:55
know, and and her resilience and
17:57
consistency is remarkable because what
17:59
that kid had to go through. Um and now
18:01
she's healthy and she's just a dog and
18:04
you didn't like you I never forgot it,
18:06
but there are definitely people who
18:07
forget that part of her. She was playing
18:09
so hurt, right? Um, so yeah, she's it's
18:12
really great to have a kid who's had so
18:14
much experience in this program back
18:16
healthy. Um, and being able to
18:17
contribute when she's had to watch for
18:20
15 months.
18:22
>> What did you see from her as a leader
18:24
when she's going through that tumult
18:26
tumultuous period, but her team's
18:28
making, you know, another run to the
18:30
sweet 16 and it's exciting.
18:32
>> Yeah, she's just a gifted leader. To be
18:34
to lead, you have to be consistent. You
18:36
have to be liked, right? You have to be
18:38
meet people where they are. you have to
18:40
hold yourself to a standard that um that
18:43
no one else can question. And she every
18:45
single day like there is no there is no
18:48
valley for for Raniah regardless of
18:50
what's going on in her life. She is like
18:52
as consistent as as the clock. Um and
18:56
people can get behind that and then she
18:57
meets you where you are, not where you
18:58
where she wants you to be. Um and I
19:01
think that that's it proves it it proved
19:03
itself even more when she was out. And I
19:06
was saying that she s she feels like
19:08
there's some dog in this team. What have
19:10
you seen so far in all those practice
19:12
sessions you talked about that gives
19:13
them that grit and that edge.
19:15
>> Yeah, it's you know I think there are
19:17
teams we've had in the past where we've
19:18
had a handful of dogs, right? And some
19:19
that you could I mean you could probably
19:21
name them as well. This team is a whole
19:22
lot of dog and a whole lot of people,
19:24
right? Um and so that that's going to
19:28
that's going to help that's going to
19:29
help as they try to get to the next step
19:32
as a program. Um, I think she she more
19:35
than most all she cares about is
19:38
winning. And so whether that's whatever
19:39
she's doing versus someone else and I
19:41
think she sees, you know, we're taking
19:43
charges in practice like we used to not
19:45
do that, right? Or she sees not, you
19:47
know, the ability to get into and choose
19:50
contact offensively. Just some things
19:51
that we um we had to outskill you
19:54
sometimes. Now we can actually meet you
19:55
at the fight physicality wise. Um, and
19:58
that's been fun.
19:58
>> Was that apparent like immediately in
20:00
practice?
20:01
>> Immediately. Yep. immediately. I think
20:03
you know it a troll came in the very
20:05
first day and that we whatever we had a
20:08
little like live session and her team
20:12
lost and she was like coach that's never
20:14
happening again and I don't think it
20:15
has. I mean it's just like she's just no
20:17
it's not happening. So yeah from the
20:19
first day you could tell this was this
20:21
team is not here just to play around.
20:23
You mentioned in the uh when you talked
20:24
to us a few weeks ago that you think
20:26
this team will play defense better than
20:29
last year's team, which is amazing
20:31
considering how well you played defense
20:32
last year.
20:33
>> Is there anything else that you've
20:34
noticed that this group
20:36
>> will be doing better than last year's
20:38
group?
20:38
>> Yeah, we'll be faster, you know, we'll
20:40
be faster. We'll also have more guys
20:42
that can that can create their own
20:44
advantage. Like we had to we had to have
20:47
some actions that created advantage.
20:49
Maybe get two on the ball that way or or
20:51
stress the defense. Now we have some
20:53
guys that can literally do that on their
20:54
own and so then they're they're playing
20:56
based on now another teammate is playing
20:59
on a closeout or another teammate is
21:01
getting an easier finish because the
21:03
defense isn't always set. Um and so we
21:05
just have more guys that can do that.
21:07
They can really put the defense on their
21:08
heels truly in their 1 v one within
21:11
space. Um I think our bigs have gotten
21:14
gotten better at the big spot, you know.
21:16
Um and then defensively we're longer,
21:19
we're deeper, we're more athletic. So,
21:21
like we're not we're not ready to win a
21:24
game right now, but from where we were
21:26
at this time last year, I was worried we
21:27
would would give everybody a 100 points.
21:29
I don't think we're going to give other
21:30
teams 100 points on this team.
21:33
>> What are some of the biggest improvement
21:34
points you've seen?
21:37
>> Shooting. She's a much better shooter.
21:39
Spent a lot of time on that in the
21:40
spring. Um much more confident. Has sort
21:43
of found herself a bit in terms of how
21:46
she can we built her game from the
21:48
inside out and she sort of saw herself
21:49
as an outside in type player. Um, and
21:51
then she just finally at one point just
21:52
said, "Okay, I trust you." Right? And so
21:54
I think she's now like she uses her
21:57
interior physicality, but she's can she
22:00
can shoot it and play with the ball in
22:01
her hands with a whole lot more
22:03
confidence. Um, and just knows our
22:05
system in our language. I don't mean the
22:06
English language. I mean like the
22:08
basketball language of like call for
22:10
this, call for that. Um, and she's kind
22:12
of that unicorn of a basketball player
22:14
that I've always loved. Um, and I know a
22:16
lot of people love watching her last
22:17
year. She's just a she's she's also
22:19
fitter and stronger. Um, so yeah, we
22:22
expect a lot out of her this year.
22:28
>> Any other questions anyone?
22:33
>> Guys, let me off easy. All right,
22:35
>> thank you guys for coming.
22:35
>> Sounds good. Thanks for coming.
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