Men's Basketball Media Day Quotes
10/21/2021 10:35:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Head Coach Tom Izzo
Opening Statement…
"I thought I'd start out, because as you know we've had some coaching changes, with Dane (Fife) going to Indiana and David Thomas going to the business world, and we've replaced Drew Denisco, who got a job at Eastern Michigan with Stan Heath. So, we've had a chance to hire three new people. Talking with some of my former guys, one of the things we decided was to try and get a little younger. I think Draymond (Green) brought that to my attention, and so we've hired Matt McQuaid back from our team as the assistant director of basketball operations, learning the position as we go. Austin Thornton has been a great addition. He's doing the video, but he's been absolutely phenomenal because he was here as a GA, knew it, worked under Drew a little bit. The job he's done as we've kind of gotten a bit more, not analytically, but we've grown in that area a little bit. Austin has just done a phenomenal job. Then I brought back Mark Montgomery. Monty was with me, I recruited Monty.
"It's kind of funny, because our football guys when I was talking with them, I remember I recruited some guys from down-river and our strength coach was one of them who played here in fooball and basketball, Lorenzo Guess, and onty was from down in that area. After recruiting him as a player, hiring him as a coach, watching him go to Northern Illinois, and now getting him back, I've reshuffled even my own group here.
"Mike Garland, who has been with me forever, will remain with me but we changed his title a little bit to "special assistant to head coach." Mike and I have been together since my first night on Northern Michigan's campus, for all but a four-year stint at Cleveland State. Mike has been my guy. As we all know, his son went through a very, very difficult period of time getting an incredible heart transplant last year, and Mike had to be gone some, and he's still even though his son is doing really well. We just thought it would be best to get him off the road and put him in a position where – everything is about X's and O's, but as most coaches would tell you it's more about the Jimmy's and Joe's. We feel that and I feel that I've got to do a better job with the players I got and the player I've had. So we're going to use Mike in a lot of different areas, but one will be the day-to-day work with me in the film room - figuring out what we want to do – and two will be the development of our student-athletes. What I mean by development is kind of on a day-to-day. Mike has always done this for me, but he has had a million different other things to do. So, instead of making him the recruiting coordinator like I did with Doug and I did with Monty at first, he'll do some of that and coordinate some of that, but he's going to be involved with a lot of day-to-day stuff with me.
"When I think it is time to go see Miles Bridges – maybe he's struggling – I'm going to be able to fly Mike there. When it is time to deal with some of the guys that maybe aren't playing as well, his responsibility will be to the player, and I'm kind of excited about it. Him and I have talked about it, I think it is going to be great for me, for our program, for our former players and for current players. Most of all, when I think back to the number of years Mike and I have been together, when I say special assistant, he is a special guy for me. I think this way will give him a little bit of flexibility with his son, going through what he's going through. It will give me the ability to relax a little bit that I know that Mike is kind of dealing with all the issues and problems that these kids have.
"We know mental illness has been upgraded a lot in college sports, maybe having someone that keeps an eye on those things with our players on the front end, we won't have to deal with the crisis management on the back end. That's kind of where I am with my staff. DJ's still my associate head coach and Monty will look at some of the offensive things. Doug has done a great job with the recruiting stuff and will continue in some of that, but he too will work with DJ and Monty. I think we are a very well-oiled machine right now. Maybe getting Monty back, it was something in the past where we went through some great years. Him and DJ are good friends, him and Doug are good friends, him and Mike are good friends, so it has been a very smooth transition. Yet the guys that left, they all left for good situations. Dane went back to his alma mater, Drew Denisco getting a full-time job coming from a video coordinator was a really good move, and David Thomas getting into what I call the real world, not the Disney world, has got what I think he thinks is what's best for he and his family. I'm excited about that for DT So, it has been all go as far as that goes.
"It's exciting to be back and the thought of having fans back. I mean, going to a football game right now is very special for me because we are winning, we're playing well. I'm happy for Mel (Tucker), we have a Heisman Trophy candidate and I think rightfully so. I think (Kenneth) Walker has done an unbelievable job, and I hope our Walker (Tyson) is as good as their Walker. It has been a fun team, to watch, but it has been fun just being in the stands with all the other student and that's kind of what I like most. There's no up-in-the-box for Izzo, it is down in the stands with the students. I've enjoyed that and our players have enjoyed that. We had a campout the other night that was second-to-none. Some days, some of you (Larry Lage) that have been here forever – Shaun, Jack, Fred we can get you in a tent – so that'll be good. Some day we've got to get the courage for some of you guys to sleep out one night. Rained a little bit, it was perfect. I've had a lot of perfect things happen to me this year to prove that I'm still in my prime. Couple of them were taking a couple red-eyes back from California, sitting in the middle seat in the back row was awesome. Camping out with the guys the other night, and the gals, to me is one of the more fun things I get to do. Sounds crazy to you. I think we had a thousand tents. We started with 100-some tents my first year. The place was packed. Tt rained a little bit. We had 3,000-4,000 students, largest number of students ever, largest number of tents ever. I think people are excited to be out and be back, and I am looking forward to that. The week has started out very well for me. Football team getting a win, the campout, the players have practiced very well. It has been an exciting start, and I'll just keep hoping that it is football season and that we can all talk about the game coming because we don't have a game this weekend. Kenneth Walker and Mel Tucker, I hope they are over there getting ready for their big game in a week and half, but it'll be a big recruiting week for us.
"We've had a great couple of weeks of practice. I thought we have one bad practice last Friday. We let the Izzone Campout people come in, and I don't think our players handled that well, and I thought we were awful. Other than that, I think we've been at a very, very high level. Our captains are two different guys. In Malik, you have the quiet assassin who is a very intelligent kid and helps me with the players on the court and off, and Gabe is my Energizer Bunny, I just kind of wind him up and tell him to go and he brings a lot of the enthusiasm. So, I've got a combination of both. Neither one of them have big egos. If there is one thing I've really enjoyed about this team, is it is ego-less.
"If you ask who the star player is, I'm not sure I could answer you. It has been that way many years, but we've had a few years where it has been that way. If talk to you about the unselfishness, the fact that I think we one of the better shooting teams I've had, maybe better passing teams I've had led by Joey (Hauser) and Malik (Hall) as bigger guys that can pass, it has been fun to watch them. We've got a combination of some veterans coming back, and I think a lot of guys have changed. It is hard to judge last year, since we were one of three teams that had COVID during the year, it is hard to judge how it affected different teams that didn't have a summer. I did think we got hurt a lot with A.J. (Hoggard) and Rocket (Watts) not having a summer to kind of learn a position that is very difficult to play. I think we did shuffleboard at the center position also. As I look back, I have questioned, 'Did I do a good enough job? Was it part of the circumstances? And I decided that I don't care anymore, I can't really comprehend it all. I'm just going to look at 'who am I?', 'who was I?' and 'what do we need to get back to."
Senior forward Gabe Brown (Co-Captain)
On the team….
"I'm looking forward to playing with a great bunch of guys and to winning. I'm ready to get it started. We had a great summer and we've got a group with a lot of team camaraderie. We hang out together and do everything with each other. I just can't wait to get out and play with them starting next week."
On the season…
"I can't wait. I can't wait for all of the games. At the end of the day, it's just basketball; I don't take it as pressure. I'm ready for all of the games, I'm ready to play and I'm ready to grind."
On being named a captain…
"I want to lead by example, by what I do on and off the court, by working out, talking to the guys and making sure I create bonds with everyone. That's what I'm doing right now."
On people underestimating the team…
"It takes the focus off when they have to focus on everybody else on the team. We've got a lot of guys, got a lot of weapons. I think we'll be a tough challenge for some teams."
Junior forward Malik Hall (Co-Captain)
On being a captain…
"I've had some high's and low's as far as the leader part of it goes. I'm getting used to being that someone that has to talk and has to encourage the younger guys. It's something I've wanted but something I've been working on this summer. It's definitely a challenge for me. Naturally, I'm a bit more quiet reserved when it comes to those situations. It's something I've worked on a lot and coach has helped me out with too."
On Joey Hauser…
"I sense a difference Joey. Most of his change is mentally. Last year, he could have had a really outstanding year, but for everyone, COVID was challenging. You go through the same thing every day and it was draining and you didn't get to see family. I think it will be a big year for him. He's shooting the ball well, but I think he's just better prepared for his year."
Freshman guard Max Christie
On the start of his college career…
"I'm really looking forward to my freshman season. I want to make the most out of it. You only get this chance once. I'm looking forward to making the most out of my freshman season, learning as much as I can and helping us win."
On the differences between high school and college…
"It's definitely different in college. You're with the team all the time and you make great friends. It's difficult sometimes going through some of the tough tasks we are put through, but being part of the team and with the team makes it that much easier to go through it all with the guys."
On growing up as a Michigan State fan….
"I'm really excited to be part of the Michigan State culture. I watched it growing up and I'm excited to bring that back with this new team. We're all ready to play with a chip on our shoulder and ready to surprise some people with the team we have."
Opening Statement…
"I thought I'd start out, because as you know we've had some coaching changes, with Dane (Fife) going to Indiana and David Thomas going to the business world, and we've replaced Drew Denisco, who got a job at Eastern Michigan with Stan Heath. So, we've had a chance to hire three new people. Talking with some of my former guys, one of the things we decided was to try and get a little younger. I think Draymond (Green) brought that to my attention, and so we've hired Matt McQuaid back from our team as the assistant director of basketball operations, learning the position as we go. Austin Thornton has been a great addition. He's doing the video, but he's been absolutely phenomenal because he was here as a GA, knew it, worked under Drew a little bit. The job he's done as we've kind of gotten a bit more, not analytically, but we've grown in that area a little bit. Austin has just done a phenomenal job. Then I brought back Mark Montgomery. Monty was with me, I recruited Monty.
"It's kind of funny, because our football guys when I was talking with them, I remember I recruited some guys from down-river and our strength coach was one of them who played here in fooball and basketball, Lorenzo Guess, and onty was from down in that area. After recruiting him as a player, hiring him as a coach, watching him go to Northern Illinois, and now getting him back, I've reshuffled even my own group here.
"Mike Garland, who has been with me forever, will remain with me but we changed his title a little bit to "special assistant to head coach." Mike and I have been together since my first night on Northern Michigan's campus, for all but a four-year stint at Cleveland State. Mike has been my guy. As we all know, his son went through a very, very difficult period of time getting an incredible heart transplant last year, and Mike had to be gone some, and he's still even though his son is doing really well. We just thought it would be best to get him off the road and put him in a position where – everything is about X's and O's, but as most coaches would tell you it's more about the Jimmy's and Joe's. We feel that and I feel that I've got to do a better job with the players I got and the player I've had. So we're going to use Mike in a lot of different areas, but one will be the day-to-day work with me in the film room - figuring out what we want to do – and two will be the development of our student-athletes. What I mean by development is kind of on a day-to-day. Mike has always done this for me, but he has had a million different other things to do. So, instead of making him the recruiting coordinator like I did with Doug and I did with Monty at first, he'll do some of that and coordinate some of that, but he's going to be involved with a lot of day-to-day stuff with me.
"When I think it is time to go see Miles Bridges – maybe he's struggling – I'm going to be able to fly Mike there. When it is time to deal with some of the guys that maybe aren't playing as well, his responsibility will be to the player, and I'm kind of excited about it. Him and I have talked about it, I think it is going to be great for me, for our program, for our former players and for current players. Most of all, when I think back to the number of years Mike and I have been together, when I say special assistant, he is a special guy for me. I think this way will give him a little bit of flexibility with his son, going through what he's going through. It will give me the ability to relax a little bit that I know that Mike is kind of dealing with all the issues and problems that these kids have.
"We know mental illness has been upgraded a lot in college sports, maybe having someone that keeps an eye on those things with our players on the front end, we won't have to deal with the crisis management on the back end. That's kind of where I am with my staff. DJ's still my associate head coach and Monty will look at some of the offensive things. Doug has done a great job with the recruiting stuff and will continue in some of that, but he too will work with DJ and Monty. I think we are a very well-oiled machine right now. Maybe getting Monty back, it was something in the past where we went through some great years. Him and DJ are good friends, him and Doug are good friends, him and Mike are good friends, so it has been a very smooth transition. Yet the guys that left, they all left for good situations. Dane went back to his alma mater, Drew Denisco getting a full-time job coming from a video coordinator was a really good move, and David Thomas getting into what I call the real world, not the Disney world, has got what I think he thinks is what's best for he and his family. I'm excited about that for DT So, it has been all go as far as that goes.
"It's exciting to be back and the thought of having fans back. I mean, going to a football game right now is very special for me because we are winning, we're playing well. I'm happy for Mel (Tucker), we have a Heisman Trophy candidate and I think rightfully so. I think (Kenneth) Walker has done an unbelievable job, and I hope our Walker (Tyson) is as good as their Walker. It has been a fun team, to watch, but it has been fun just being in the stands with all the other student and that's kind of what I like most. There's no up-in-the-box for Izzo, it is down in the stands with the students. I've enjoyed that and our players have enjoyed that. We had a campout the other night that was second-to-none. Some days, some of you (Larry Lage) that have been here forever – Shaun, Jack, Fred we can get you in a tent – so that'll be good. Some day we've got to get the courage for some of you guys to sleep out one night. Rained a little bit, it was perfect. I've had a lot of perfect things happen to me this year to prove that I'm still in my prime. Couple of them were taking a couple red-eyes back from California, sitting in the middle seat in the back row was awesome. Camping out with the guys the other night, and the gals, to me is one of the more fun things I get to do. Sounds crazy to you. I think we had a thousand tents. We started with 100-some tents my first year. The place was packed. Tt rained a little bit. We had 3,000-4,000 students, largest number of students ever, largest number of tents ever. I think people are excited to be out and be back, and I am looking forward to that. The week has started out very well for me. Football team getting a win, the campout, the players have practiced very well. It has been an exciting start, and I'll just keep hoping that it is football season and that we can all talk about the game coming because we don't have a game this weekend. Kenneth Walker and Mel Tucker, I hope they are over there getting ready for their big game in a week and half, but it'll be a big recruiting week for us.
"We've had a great couple of weeks of practice. I thought we have one bad practice last Friday. We let the Izzone Campout people come in, and I don't think our players handled that well, and I thought we were awful. Other than that, I think we've been at a very, very high level. Our captains are two different guys. In Malik, you have the quiet assassin who is a very intelligent kid and helps me with the players on the court and off, and Gabe is my Energizer Bunny, I just kind of wind him up and tell him to go and he brings a lot of the enthusiasm. So, I've got a combination of both. Neither one of them have big egos. If there is one thing I've really enjoyed about this team, is it is ego-less.
"If you ask who the star player is, I'm not sure I could answer you. It has been that way many years, but we've had a few years where it has been that way. If talk to you about the unselfishness, the fact that I think we one of the better shooting teams I've had, maybe better passing teams I've had led by Joey (Hauser) and Malik (Hall) as bigger guys that can pass, it has been fun to watch them. We've got a combination of some veterans coming back, and I think a lot of guys have changed. It is hard to judge last year, since we were one of three teams that had COVID during the year, it is hard to judge how it affected different teams that didn't have a summer. I did think we got hurt a lot with A.J. (Hoggard) and Rocket (Watts) not having a summer to kind of learn a position that is very difficult to play. I think we did shuffleboard at the center position also. As I look back, I have questioned, 'Did I do a good enough job? Was it part of the circumstances? And I decided that I don't care anymore, I can't really comprehend it all. I'm just going to look at 'who am I?', 'who was I?' and 'what do we need to get back to."
Senior forward Gabe Brown (Co-Captain)
On the team….
"I'm looking forward to playing with a great bunch of guys and to winning. I'm ready to get it started. We had a great summer and we've got a group with a lot of team camaraderie. We hang out together and do everything with each other. I just can't wait to get out and play with them starting next week."
On the season…
"I can't wait. I can't wait for all of the games. At the end of the day, it's just basketball; I don't take it as pressure. I'm ready for all of the games, I'm ready to play and I'm ready to grind."
On being named a captain…
"I want to lead by example, by what I do on and off the court, by working out, talking to the guys and making sure I create bonds with everyone. That's what I'm doing right now."
On people underestimating the team…
"It takes the focus off when they have to focus on everybody else on the team. We've got a lot of guys, got a lot of weapons. I think we'll be a tough challenge for some teams."
Junior forward Malik Hall (Co-Captain)
On being a captain…
"I've had some high's and low's as far as the leader part of it goes. I'm getting used to being that someone that has to talk and has to encourage the younger guys. It's something I've wanted but something I've been working on this summer. It's definitely a challenge for me. Naturally, I'm a bit more quiet reserved when it comes to those situations. It's something I've worked on a lot and coach has helped me out with too."
On Joey Hauser…
"I sense a difference Joey. Most of his change is mentally. Last year, he could have had a really outstanding year, but for everyone, COVID was challenging. You go through the same thing every day and it was draining and you didn't get to see family. I think it will be a big year for him. He's shooting the ball well, but I think he's just better prepared for his year."
Freshman guard Max Christie
On the start of his college career…
"I'm really looking forward to my freshman season. I want to make the most out of it. You only get this chance once. I'm looking forward to making the most out of my freshman season, learning as much as I can and helping us win."
On the differences between high school and college…
"It's definitely different in college. You're with the team all the time and you make great friends. It's difficult sometimes going through some of the tough tasks we are put through, but being part of the team and with the team makes it that much easier to go through it all with the guys."
On growing up as a Michigan State fan….
"I'm really excited to be part of the Michigan State culture. I watched it growing up and I'm excited to bring that back with this new team. We're all ready to play with a chip on our shoulder and ready to surprise some people with the team we have."
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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