WKU Basketball: Recapping Media Day Press Conferences

On Friday Afternoon WKU Basketball and Rick Stansbury held a press conference during the team’s annual media day to discuss the upcoming 2019–20 season.

Here’s what he said:

• “We have to continue to move forward in everything we’re doing”
• Clean up details and add some things
• “There are a bunch of little things we need to get better at”
• “There’s always variables” (when it comes to starting lineups)
• “Players make those decisions” (on starters and eligibility)
• “I’m not into who is your starters”
• There’s probably 7 or 8 starters on this team
• “It’s those guys in there the last few minutes are the guys you’ll be able to look at differently”
• “Who starts on this team? , I don’t put a lot of emphasis on that at all?
• “I’ve got a lot more opportunities to move people around”
• “This is the first team that I’ve got guys back in the program that have paid meaningful minutes”
• Taveion, Josh, Jared & Charles all have played in the system
• “We haven’t had minutes like that returning since we’ve been here”
• (On Kenny Cooper) “I don’t make those decisions, if it was up to me he would have been eligible a long time ago”
• “We feel good about it, the decisions not in our hands so we’ve got to be patient”
• “We’ll hear when we hear, whenever that is”
• “He had better experience and skill around him his freshman year “(Hollingsworth compared to last year)
• “Last year he was in a totally different role that wasn’t as easy for him. The pieces we had around him didn’t fit as well”
• “We’re your not a great passing team you don’t get as many easy baskets”
• “Jared and him (Hollingsworth) will benefit from having more skill around them”
• There’s no substitute for a year experience
• (on having teams double team Bassey still with shooters) “Choose your poison”
• When you spread out court better it makes it easier to get him the ball and make people pay with outside shots
• (on Carson Williams) there’s a lot of comparison to both of them (Justin Johnson). Both were post players their first two years of college
• Carson is very similar, he came in as a paint player and we’ve really worked on his perimeter game and no question all of that has gotten better
• There’s still a learning curve with getting better but only time will cure that
• Justin is a little bigger but from there on there’s a lot similarities
• There’s no question about him being tough. He brings it every day on every possession
• “On a shot taken he thinks it’s his rebound. That’s a great ability to have”
• “He brings a dimension we for sure didn’t have last year”
• Carson is one of those young men who’s not going to say a lot of words
• “We’re on him about being a better communicator”
• There’s one thing that everyone respect about him and that’s how hard he plays
• “If you’re going to choose a guy who talks about it versus doing it, I’ll take the guy that does it every day”
• “If you get a guy that does it every day and talks you get the best of both worlds”
• “There’s immediate respect in the locker room (for Carson). Talking provides more energy for your teammates”
• He’s a gym rat
• He’s a guy that can wear his wheels out
• “It will be my deepest and most experienced team at WKU”
• “We got pretty thin on the bench last year”
• “There’s eight guys on this team you’d feel comfortable with being starters”
• “Our expectations for Cam (Justice) are for him to continue to do those things he does best”
• It’s a great situation for both parties
• “What we needed he adds (shooting) and he needs we add to his game”
• “We need to add skill, he brings skill to the court physically and mentally”
• “Either you got it or you don’t have it”
• “He’s been a pretty good shooter all of his career”
• “He’s done it from high school to college”
• “He’s been really consistent”
• “His ability to shoot it and pass it helps the post-game”
• The post-game helps him
• Players determine playing team
• “If you want to play more you’ve got to work hard and get better”
• “We don’t decide on playing time. The guys that play the best and are most productive get the most minutes”
• “The only way any individual wins is if the team wins”
• Some guys may have to sacrifice here and there to help the team win
• “The fine line is winning and losing always”
• “I’d rather be picked first then last for sure”
• It means that people respect your team and you’ve got a team capable of competing for a championship
• “It absolutely doesn’t guarantee anything”
• “We were picked first last year”
• “All you can ask for as a coach, player or fan is to put your self in position to get an opportunity and you take care of that fine line”
• That fine line could be the first minute of the game, the first five minutes, ten minutes, the last minutes when it gets exposed the most
• “The mistakes you make early in a game counts the same as the one at the end of the game”
• “It’s about playing 40 minutes and playing every possession as it’s your last”
• “It’s easier said than done as a coach but that’s a mentality you’ve got to have as a player”
• (on having three Mr. Kentucky Basketballs) “I’d like to have a team full of Kentucky guys if they’re good enough to help me win and compete for Championships”
• “We don’t want them just because they’re from Kentucky if they’re not good enough to help us compete at the level we want to compete at”
• “All of our players from Kentucky are really good players and people and no question give us an opportunity to compete for championships”
• “There’s a lot of players in this state and we need to find ones that fit our needs”

Jared Savage, Josh Anderson & Camron Justice also spoke to the media

Anderson

• “We are all confident. We’re all practicing hard and clicking in practice”
• Chemistry is coming together
• A lot of new talent and a lot of returning talent

Justice

• “It’s been an easy job for me. These guys play at a high level and I’m trying to blend my game into there’s”

Anderson

• During summer, his schedule has let him get up a lot of shots and spend a lot of time in the gym.
• “Right now I feel real comfortable with shot and I’m going to display that this season”

Savage

• “We’ve got respect for them picking us number one (in the league) but as you saw last year that doesn’t mean anything.”
• “Got to go show people that we can be number 1”
• “We’re really deep this year. We’ve got a deep bench and everybody can play. There’s going to be a lot of bodies in and out.”
• “I’m excited for this year”
• (On Charles coming back), “You all know how good Charles is. Who doesn’t want him on his team?”
• “Everyone is more experienced and more mature this year. Charles coming back is huge for us”

Anderson

• “We feel like he (Bassey) can move better and run the floor better. He can move better on defense and he’s going to make more plays on defense”
• “He’s a game-changer. We’re going to feed him. being more experienced will help him have a better year than last year”
• “I feel like my game has gotten more mature. I’m more confident and not hesitant to make plays on defense or offense and I’ve been working on my shot and that will be a big help”

Justice

• Nothing was really challenging (switching to WKU). Molding and figuring out each other’s tendencies and are feeding off of each other

Savage

• “We got 4 or 5 guys that can put it in the hole from where ever on the floor”
• “We got a couple of point guards in that like to pass the ball and enjoy getting other people buckets
• Both of those things have gone off the charts in practice

Justice

• (On Carson Williams) hard worker, dude knows one speed and that’s 100 miles per hour
• He brings a toughness and edge to this team for sure

Anderson

• -Cam is a leader on and off the court and that’s big
• He has been able to teach the young guys things and stuff to pick up on
• “I feel like Jordan (Rawls) has done a good job of adjusting to the game”
• Younger guys are able to watch us and pick up things

Taveion Hollingsworth, Charles Bassey & Carson Williams spoke as well

Hollingsworth

• “Chemistry is great. We’ve been in locker rooms sometimes an hour after practice talking”

- (On Bassey coming back) Now he knows what’s coming and it helps prepare for games

Bassey

• “It’s just different. Injuries are feeling better”
• Chemistry is good
• “Feel pretty good. I did a lot of work on my body. Got better this summer”
• “I’m moving quicker and faster”

Williams

• “I try to take pride in going full speed and wide-open whether it’s a big game or in practice”
• “My main focus was to work on my weaknesses (during sit out year) including perimeter skills such as ball handling and outside shot”

Hollingsworth

• (on if Losing in CUSA Title game two years in a row providing motivation)
  “Most definitely, it puts a chip on our shoulder. Every day I’m thinking about both games. We try to go hard on game days to do what we do best”

Bassey

• (Having more shooters) “Makes it easy. If they double team me I can trust my teammates to make a shot”
• We’re shooting a lot and working on confidence
• “My shooting is way better than last year”
• (on advice for Jordan Rawls) “When you make your first basket and when you hear the crowd you’re going to get hyped up and be ready to go”
• He really wants to know what’s going on

Hollingsworth

• “You can see that he’s matured on and off the court (Bassey)”
• “He’s talking more and playing harder”
• “You can tell he’s carrying himself differently and he’s ready to play”
• Everybody on this team has a different style that they play
• It will be interesting to see what different lineups we can play and who can play with who
• “We’re going to have a lot of fun with that”

Williams

• (on Justin Johnson comparisons) “I saw Justin play quite a bit even back in high school”
• “To have a comparison like that, he was a great player. So to be compared to him I’m happy about that”

Hollingsworth

(on comparison) “They both have different playing styles but you can see the difference. I can tell you that Carson plays harder than Justin”

• “Go ahead and tell him that (Justin Johnson)”

Bassey

• “It’s going to be great to be injury-free this year”
• (on working out with Tacko Fall) “He was tough and he was good but he had to guard me too”

Williams

• “I’m never going to shy away from my strengths”
• “My physicality, attacking the glass, scoring inside and I’ve been working on being able to guard multiple positions on the court by getting quicker and working in the weight room”
• “Looking to go wherever they need me and do a variety of different things”

Hollingsworth

• “I need to lead this team”
• “I wasn’t ready last year (to lead)”
• “Now I’m ready to win some games”
• (on cutting his hair again) “I had to cut it off it was getting too much to take care of”
• “Short fade and I may get fro back in a couple of months”
• “Might go bald next year as a senior (laughs)”

Williams

• “I’m actually lighter than I was at NKU but I work on changing my body”
• “I felt a big change with my body with quickness and athleticism”
• Dropped roughly 10 pounds (since NKU days)

Bassey

• “Last year I was kind of fat (laughs)”
• “I was too big and the injury slowed me down”
• “I took it on myself to lose the weight”
• Lost close to 25 pounds and am around 227 pound
• “This year is going to be different from last year. I’m going to do more every time I step on the floor”

Overall there were plenty of good tidbits to get out of the long press conference. Here are my quick thoughts:

• Still no news on Kenny Cooper hopefully this resolves soon. The longer that it drags on the more it holds this team back. The NCAA seems to be handing out waivers like candy so I'm still assuming he’ll be eligible eventually
• The Carson Williams hustle mentality is great news to hear. Toughness was definitely lacking last season and it’s good to know he’s already bringing much-needed intensity to this year's squad.
• Cam Justice will be the steady shooter and leader that we all hope he would be when he announced he’s coming here.
• Bassey’s improved shape will help him elevate his game. Hopefully, it all comes together quickly for the offense after last year’s struggles
• Hollingsworth’s leadership comments are crucial, you can tell this team is taking this year much more seriously compared to last
• Hearing Stansbury hammer home the depth of this team is much-welcomed news
• Jordan Rawls pushing himself as a freshman is good to hear. Knowing that the point guard of the future has that drive bodes well for the next few years

While we’re still riding the good vibes of the football season, we’re also greatly anticipating a make or break year for the WKU Basketball program. Stay tuned for more preseason pieces about the upcoming season as we wait for the Kentucky State Exhibition on November 2nd and the season opener against Tennessee Tech on November 5th.