Everything From Head Basketball Coach Rick Barnes In His Media Availability

On the retention, the Volunteers have coming into the season…

“Well, it's the older guys who have been here. They know what we look for. They know how we want to attack every day and whether it's on the court, in the weight room, or off court, the way we want to do things within our program. So right now, and I do think our returning players and I think retention is a huge part of where we are in today's game. I think you've got to have guys that you trust, you believe in, and we do that with our, feel that way with our upperclassmen, and they've done a good job really trying to get these guys to understand it. I would probably tell you the number one thing we're most excited about is the camaraderie that they've already developed. I think that goes directly to the kind of people that we brought in, but also what our returning players have done.”

On what he has seen from Ethan Butler Burg and how he has gotten acclimated with the team….

“Well, he's got time. I mean, you know, you think about it. We used to really not start practice until October 15th, and I go back, you know, Santi got shoved into it right away, and it didn't take him long. But, you know, Ethan's older. You know, he's been around. You can easily sense his maturity. You can see his conditioning is at a level that – obviously somebody that's just been here a couple – a week or so. II mean, he's really good there, and he'll pick it up quickly because he's been around, he knows the game. He simply said to me one night, his first night here, we had dinner, and he called me, and he said, Coach, you tell me exactly what I need to do to help this team, and I'll play that role. He's mature enough to do that.”

On what he told Butler Burg during that phone call…

“Well, there's a lot that he's going to have to do. You know, that as time goes on, we'll figure it out. We brought him here because, one, we need his experience. There's no doubt he's got a mental toughness about him, a physical toughness about him. He's not afraid to compete. He'll have to learn some rules that are different here in terms of maybe the biggest one being traveling because they play a little bit differently there in terms of looser with a travel violation. Up to this point, I think he's done a great job, along with Clarence (Massamba). I mean, Clarence got here late. I think both of those guys have been tremendous.”

On if the team has a sense of urgency, especially with matchups against Duke and Houston early in the season…

“Well, I think there's always a sense of urgency. I don't think you ever want to waste a day. I don't think you want to say, you know, we can make this game more important. The urgency is always there. It's got to be there. The fact that we played the exhibition games early, I wish we had done more of them. I really do. I think it would help all of us. The fact is, we've been working to get this team, and our urgency is to be the best version of who we can be. I don't think we've gotten really started yet because we haven't had our entire team together totally, where everybody's going at 100%. That's what we're looking forward to, hopefully get them out there, but it's a long way to go till the end of the year, and obviously the main goal is to be the very best at the end, but we attack every game like it's our last.”

On where the team is health wise….

“You know JP had come back and was doing really well, turned his ankle, and got it pretty good. But again, we made sure that we wanted to bring that along slowly. Amari Evans is still not quite back 100%. Otherwise, you know, it's the things that everybody deals with, and we deal with it, and we think that every day we're going to have enough to do what we need to do, and we'll keep that philosophy.”

On if Nate Ament can pick up where DK and Chaz Lanier left off..

“I think all three of them are so different. You know, DK and Chaz were so different in their game. Nate's different. Nate is obviously, you know, it's his first year in college basketball. Those guys had years in college basketball, regardless of what level they were at, they had played in big games against some big people, but Nate, where he is, I mean, we're more than pleased with what he's done, and the way he has come in. We got everything that we thought we would get, plus 10 times more, and we're excited about him. He's got high expectations, and we have him for him.”

On Cade Phillips working at the three position…

“Well, we want Cade's versatility to be wherever, but, you know, Cade's had to deal with some shoulder injuries that he's dealt with where he's not been able to do as much, but he's slowly getting himself back into it, too. I don't know if I'd call it an experience. I just call it moving guys around and getting them to play different spots and putting different guys on the court in different spaces. Cade certainly has the IQ to play anywhere on the court at any position.”

On if the team is close to getting a pecking order at the two guard position…

“No, I don't think we're close with any of it yet. We'll wait and see. Our deal is to get everybody ready, and we'll see when the separation starts to happen. As we're getting ready to start, we haven't wavered from where we were when we started with this group. We think we have depth. We really want to use it, but I've said it many times, they will determine how deep we go. Right now, you've got to play the what-if game this time of year and have different ways you can go if certain things happen or don't happen, and that's kind of where we are right now.”

On who he feels good running the offense if Ja’Kobi Gillespie is on the bench…

“The other day, our last practice, I was watching the film that night at home, and we had, I think, seven different guys bringing the ball down the floor, the way we're trying to play If you're on a dead ball situation, is really what you're asking, It would be, you know, certainly Ethan (Burg), certainly Troy (Henderson), Bishop (Boswell), Nate (Ament) could do it. Mo, he could definitely do it. Amaree Abram could do it. I think those guys can do it. I think as time goes on, more guys will be able to do it.”

On Bruce Pearl retiring and his son Steven being named the head coach…

“Bruce and I spoke last week, and you know he sort of led me into his intentions of what he was thinking about doing, and I'm happy for him. I really am because I think that what he said and what he meant through his statement and talking to him, you know, he felt it was time, and I certainly respect that. You look at him everywhere he's been. He's built a winning program, has done a great job, and I think Steven will do a great job. I mean, you can't live with someone like Bruce and not understand the game, being around the game. I think that over the years, as I've grown up and matured every year, I could tell you from the first time I met Steven the same thing I would say about all the coaches on my staff, as I watch them grow, and I think Steven has worked hard. I think the fact that Auburn has given him this opportunity speaks volumes for what they think of him and everyone knows I know personally there's three guys on our staff right now without question, maybe even four, maybe five, that if given the opportunity to be the coach here today I think would be ready because of how much we have them involved in our program. I think that Bruce, obviously, over the last couple of years, probably didn't make any decisions in the program that he didn't sit down with Steven and talk about, and our staff that. This is something that I knew he wanted, and I'm happy for him and happy for Steven. There's no doubt he's going to continue to do a great job.”

On this year’s team compared to teams in the past….

“We know how we want to play. We got the system that we believe in, and every year you tweak that system based on who you have, and players will make you change, and sometimes they make you add things that you might not have. They show you some things that might not be a part of your system, that you say, we've got to get this in here some way. We got to work it in. As a group right now, we're just really trying to figure out what all we need to do collectively to be the best group that we can be. I think roles change throughout the year. I think players can do that. At this point in time, we're not pre-set, pre-determined on anything other than getting better. It's up to them to do that. It's up to them. You talk about separation, this position, that position. I've always said the players decide who's going to play. Their teammates know it. Everybody knows it. That's what the next couple of weeks will continue to be about as we get closer. I really do expect with this group as the season goes on, there's going to be a change in roles and all that.”

On if the players tried to get him to wear checkered overalls…

“No, they didn't. I wish I had. I like to drop one strap. I'm honest. I would have been like Nate. I would have worn a shirt, but maybe not. It depends on whether I lifted that week or not.”

On the standard he holds his players to, and not giving Ethan a grace period to yell at him….

“When I go on the court, I kind of get blinders on and I just see the mistake. Regardless of who it is, I just have a hard time holding back, but he can handle it. You know, that's the one thing about him. He's going to be able to handle anything that we throw at him or comes his way. There is a standard, and it's tough, and I told him that night we're talking, we're been together for a couple of months now. He's gonna have to catch up quick, but I can't just stop and go back like from day one ago because the train is rolling. It's been rolling, and he's gonna have to jump on board quickly, and the way to do that is to let him know what that standard is, but he's been great. I think he's from day one, he’s been terrific.

Check out the full interview here:

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