Everything UVA Head Coach Ryan Odom Said At His Wednesday Press Conference

While basketball season is still weeks away, the anticipation continues to grow in Charlottesville. On Wednesday, Virginia head coach Ryan Odom met with the media and here is everything that he had to say:

1. On the new guys getting up to speed...

"Yeah, I mean they all were a little bit different, Johann got here and was able to participate a little bit. I don't remember exactly how many practices you know, he was able to participate in but certainly a good, a good number, you know for him to get out there on the court with the guys and with the coaches and obviously in the weight room you know with Coach Curtis. Martin, you know, was suffering through the injury and all that so he really wasn't himself and and we kind of had to hold him out you know for most of the summer and and so he wasn't able to get that many practices so It's been really good to have all of them, you know out there so far this fall you know to be able to to be out there on the court you know just to get comfortable with their teammates and comfortable with the coaches and just the surroundings and I think they've all done done really, really well.

2. On the rebuilding lessons he has learned at other stops...

"Yeah, I mean, I think each stop's been a little bit different. You know, I think you think about Utah State, you know, we had a core group of guys that were back, right, and that understood Utah State. They understood the expectations, you know, in terms of competing for championships
they just won a championship two years prior ,some of these guys and we're part of that team and so we had that built -in you know leadership and then so then it was just about putting in you know putting the pieces together and we brought two of our own guys you know from you and BC there and so there was a natural you know connection and it was really about merging two different worlds. VCU was similar.

We brought Max and Sean, you know, from Utah State over to VCU and then, you know, it was about, again, merging, merging two worlds. This one's been a lot different. We have a totally new collection of guys. Certainly, we have a few, you know, that that were here last year, but didn't didn't really participate in terms of gameplay and so that from that perspective it's been it's been more of a challenge but you know what we used the summer for this year was it was really just to you know not put them in a box it really we wanted to allow them to play free of fear of failure show us what you can do in a lot of ways and and not really dictate you know exactly what we want you to do each and every day because I think if you begin to put them in roles right away initially and you come in with these preconceived notions of how you think they should play you might miss something and so we really focused on hey let's let's be in the gym together let's really focus on connecting with one another and really connect each one of you to this place and I think I think the guys did a really good job you know overall with that you know this this particular summer so to answer your question not not a ton of similarities you know between the other spots."

3. On the defense...

"Yeah, no question. I mean day one, you know, when we got here in the fall, we began to install and implement, you know, the defensive game plan overall. And so we do it through stations, you know, we do it through film work, You know, we do it through obviously five on five, you know, play as well. And so the guys have done a great job. You know, we're working out four times a week and you know, some days are lighter than others and more install, less pounding, you know, less five on five play than others, but I think the guys have done a good job so far."

4. On the staff continuity helping with the transition...

"Yeah, it's a great question. I mean, obviously, we've added, you know, you now, Ethan's new to me, you know, Curtis is obviously new to our staff, you know, in terms of here at Virginia, but they have the deep institutional, you know, knowledge of the place. But yes, it's huge. You know, if you're having to coach, call it 13 new players, right? That all new to this place, basically, and you're to coach your coaches, all right, that's a daunting task. And so for me personally, you know, I'm so thankful for the staff that we have, you know, here at UVA and the folks that have been together. And when you look at Griff's situation, obviously, he and I work together and have known each other, you know, for, since we were 18 years old. And so from that you know uh you know we're in a good place and uh the thing that I take a lot of joy from is watching them work together um because what you one thing that you
really want is uh we have to as a staff be the best example for the players and uh when they see us work together in a really positive way and and cheer for one another and allow one another space to do things. You know, I really think it sets a tone for the guys and how they need to operate. And so that's one of the things that I've just been really lucky as a head coach to have really good people with me."

5. On what he has learned about Johann Grunloh...

"Yeah, I mean, I think first and foremost for Johan, I think he would tell you, when he first got here, his physical fitness was being challenged, right? He wasn't in the shape that he needed to be in in order to perform at his highest level. Well, when he came back in the fall, you know, he's ready, you know, now and his play is showing it like he's really taken a massive you know jump you know from the summer ,you know test was really just starting right now probably a similar situation in terms of the game shape and all of that but his first practice literally was you know the first practice of the fall and so he didn't have the summer you know to to get acclimated with the guys but you know Johann as we call him yo-yo is you know he's seven feet he can block shots he can make threes he could put the ball on the deck you know, he can defend his position you know he's proven now he can rebound and and as tough enough and competitive enough to go after After tough, you know, balls, you know, Tess is, he's kind of a bully, you know, in a lot of ways. Like, I love the way that he plays. Like, he plays with passion and emotion, you know, he's a tough guy, and it's going to be an interesting, you know, transition, you know, for him, and we're pushing him to be more assertive and not selfish, but he is a good player, and we need him to be that for us. He's used to, with his last team, he was more of the role guy, and everybody to a certain extent, has to play a specific You know, we certainly need him to, and expect him to step forward, you know, here in Virginia."

6. On the challenges of learning the ACC...

Yeah, I mean, it's a big challenge I mean it certainly is I think the ACC overall you know this this recruiting season did very well if you look at the numbers out there in terms of you know classes that were put together across our conference like the ACC stepped up they got the message right in terms of we've all got to be a little bit better and more competitive you know one of the challenges is you the number of teams right and so you're, you're not playing everybody twice we only play two teams twice and so you're gonna have a deep deep knowledge of them and have you know on the court experience against them for that second game But all the others it's almost as if you're playing not a conference games You know because you play them one time you get one shot at them regardless of whether it's on your court or somewhere else and so the staff really has to be dialed in in terms of the preparation and the scouting and and how we deliver that you know to the team to help them get ready to put their best foot forward you know for that particular game and so you use the non -conference you know, you know, to help prepare you for what you know is going to bea really tough conference play.

7. On who is providing leadership...

"Yeah, I think certainly Dallin Hall is somebody that the players look up to. He's very consistent in the way that he works and approaches the game there's just a trust there you know that that exists I think another guy that's very vocal is Devin Tillis, you know, Devin certainly is a guy you know who over the course of the summer you know he has that natural personality, you guys will begin to see these personalities come out you know as we move forward, but he's certainly approachable and a guy that's been through it in a lot of ways at UC Irvine. I think they won 30 games last year and obviously Devon's an excellent player and so he understands how a winning program, winning players operate on a daily basis and kind of what that looks like and so we're going to need him you know to step forward for sure. Malik obviously has been very successful and is a very vocal you know player and practices and is committed to doing his best and so he's another guy that that's certainly we will lean on and then Tess, I would add to that mix you know as well. He's played a lot of high-level basketball, you know in his career and is And it's certainly someone that we're going to count on from a leadership perspective. But one of the things that we learned from the book that we read this summer in our book club called Legacy is we want everybody has to be a leader. There's different levels to it, but we want leaders create leaders. And certainly that's something that we want to try to or each and every day that we come in because we all have a role to play, whether I'm playing 30 minutes or I don't get in the game, I still matter if I'm not getting in the game and I can help this team with whatever that might be."

8. On Proving Grounds...

"Yeah, I think it's huge You know, we're really appreciative, you know of Carla and the administration allowing us to do this I felt it was really it's not really in my nature to go behind the scenes you know to be quite frank, But given the way that our climate is now, we are entering a new era, a new situation here for me personally, a Virginia, and for our program, and you know, I can understand from a fan's perspective being frustrated with the change, right? You have players here for one season and then they're gone or they transfer or they're a grad transfer or whatever it is and so we have to accelerate the process of connecting our players to our fans in this place. Number one, they have to appreciate where they're at and I think we've pounded that you know into their heads like what a great place Virginia is and how lucky we all are, you know, to be here. And with that comes a great deal of responsibility on our parts to do our best, you know, for everybody that's come before us, the former players, former coaches, former administrators, just everybody that has cared, donors that have cared about this program. And Proving Grounds is a way for us to get the personalities out there to attach, get our fans excited about Devon Tillis, get our guys excited about, you know, get our guys excited about, you know, the different people that, you know, will make up this year's Virginia basketball team. And not just the players, you're going to get access to the to the coaches and the folks that are leading this program and mentoring these young people. And so I think from that perspective, I think it's something that I would encourage all Virginia fans that are out there to watch. And I've spoken to some groups recently and I've asked this question, raise your hand if you've seen it and you know there've been some people in the crowd certainly that have but I was amazed at how many hadn't and so we want to get the message out there you know that this is an excellent thing and and and you know it's a chance to get to know the team."

9. On the non-conference games...

"Yeah, certainly we are excited about it. I think that us you know of cutting it back to 18 was to give our give our conference members a chance to go out and play a neutral game or a big game that you know could have you know important implications you know come March and and sharing the court with Ohio State you know and Dayton obviously is going to be important for us and we felt it was a good match up you know, the first one Ohio State materialized, you know, pretty quickly and, you know, it was done. Obviously, Kelsey, you know, handles our schedule and does that for us, and I was able to speak with, you know, Coach Diebler, and we were able to kind of work through it, and a promoter was involved in making it happen, And it was a similar situation, you know, with the date and game. That one materialized really late. You know, we were scheduled to play someone else and that one fell through and then, you know, it was open again. And so then I had to make a decision pretty nlate of whether, you know, I wanted to go through with it or not. And so we decided to do it. Obviously,are Coach Grant and I good competitors and a lot of have a lot of respect for one another so you know we both decided we decided it was the right thing how much have you worked on pressing so far right away we caught hammerm up right away first practice yeah so you know coach Henry and Coach Theos you know kind of have begun to implement that along with the other coaches obviously that everyone's involved in this but you know Darius was one of the best you know leaders, you know the VCUs had you know in its history of the basketball program and and certainly it was one of the best at stealing the ball, you know and putting pressure on the other team's point guard and so having him having him back there coaching our guards on that, and just everybody in general, because it's not just the guards, you know, it's really, really important. But it's a big part of what we do. It's got to be what our identity is, and we're working through it now to see if it's even feasible for us, and the guys are doing a nice job with it so far, so I've been impressed. Impressed."

10. On coaching his son...

Yeah, now it's cool is that, you know, for me, actually just last night, you know, we were on this, you know, we're on the phone with him. And, uh, let's see if it's now, I know you're seeing your dad all the time, but like, it's okay to come by and see me too. You know, it's, it's probably harder on her, but like listening, I were talking about it, we're, we've been blessed because we had Connor with us at Utah State and VCU and, uh, and now oh and you know here as well and so you know he's been afforded this tremendous opportunity you know to be a part of this and you know we want to make sure that you know we do our best for him and he takes advantage of all the Virginia has to offer and but you know he's he's he's been in the dorm he's been on the grounds and and He's a normal student, but he's getting challenged, you know, out here on the court, and just in terms of what it means to be and what it takes to be a Division I athlete. You know, forget basketball, no matter what sport it is, like, it's a lot of time, you know, that these young people are sacrificing, and so it's a good lesson for him, in terms of managing time and still taking care of business."

11. On having an open exhibition at home...

"This kind of goes in the lines of the proven grounds. Having an open exhibition at home at JPJ is that way to connect fans. What is your expectation for that? Yeah, I mean, it's to get better, you know, and to be challenged. Certainly we know we're going to be challenged and we hope to challenge them, you know, as well. Same thing with the Vanderbilt game. You know, we are in a new era. I mean, I'm a believer, I'm for adding more games, you know, more like the NBA in terms of pre-season games to give our guys a chance. I think the pre-season is too long, especially because of the age of a lot of these kids now are a little bit older and so they're a little bit more experienced. So they're more ready, you can advance it a little bit more and so I would advocate for more, more games and I think it's going to be good for the fans. You know, I'm confident it'll be well attended and, you know, it certainly gives us the chance to play different lineups and practice things and do it against really high quality competition.'

12. On freshman Chance Mallory...

"Yeah, Chance is amazing. I love his game. I love his personality. He's just fit right in with the guys. He's a very confident player. If you need him to score, he can get it done. If you need him to facilitate. He can do that. He's a good defender and physical on defense. It's amazing how many rebounds he gets. He just chases balls down. He's going to be a really good player and have a great career here at UVA. I'm pretty confident in that. He's even a better person and so he's going to be a really good representative of our basketball program and UVA as a whole."

13. On the possibility of new uniforms...

"Yeah. So we're a Nike elite team, right? So we'll always have the two, I don't know about always, but we'll have two that are created by Nike. And so we don't really have a choice in the way that that one's designed. That's a Nike thing. And so we did add, I am definitely a gear guy. We have added, you know, three new uniforms in addition to the two that, you know, we will always have. And so, can't tell you what they look like, can't give you all that information just yet, but I'm sure there'll be some sort of, you know, release at some point. They aren't here yet, number one, so we can't release it anyway. But Anything else you want to add to that Kelsey?"

14. On European players coming to play in college...

"Yeah, I mean, I think certainly the options to play high level basketball, you know, in the ACC compete for championships in the ACC or at this level plus at the national level national championship is intriguing to these foreign players when you add in the ability to be compensated obviously that's a factor you know in all of this and and certainly it opens doors for them you know one of the next steps for you know some of these young players is to compete against American players, you know, that are, you know, potential NBA players. And so, you know, if you stay over there the entire time, maybe you don't get that access. And so guys that have pro potential or NBA potential for them to be able to test themselves here, make sense."

15. On Sam Lewis...

Yeah, Sam's a very good player. He has physical size for a wing. He has athleticism. He could shoot the ball really well. He can defend. He's a smart player. And so, you know, I think, you know, for us, you know, it was a no -brainer when we began to talk to him about the opportunities here at UVA and, you know, he's got two years, you know, to do it, which we loved, you know, we want to find more of those guys that have multiple years that we can recruit that have the talent that he does. And so, you know I think he's done really well so far you know you know he loves the place and and has fit in really well with the team and in the community here and so you know I'm excited to see kind of how he progresses over the course of the season."

16. On if anyone has surprised him so far...

Yeah, Ugo certainly is the one that I would say it was a different was a big surprise you know a really good example he's never attempted a three you know and in his career in a game and I would guess he probably hasn't in practice either maybe in high school or something but I'm sure in college and he hasn't unless the the shot clock was winding down and he had to throw it up and so you know he's shown the ability to knock it down you know you know here this summer and then so far this fall and so now is he gonna be high volume three point shooter now but you but for him, it does provide some versatility for our program when your fives can knock down threes. It makes you just a little bit more versatile overall. And so I think that was probably the one example I would give, there are others, but certainly he would."