USA Assistant Coach and Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Hewitt
What kind of guys are Kyrie Irving and Josh Hairston on and off the floor?
“They’ve both conducted themselves great here. They play very hard and I’ve been very impressed with both of them. Kyrie [Irving] has an unbelievably high level of talent, while Josh [Hairston] is a very smart player who is hard-nosed and does all the right things. Josh is a good glue guy and Kyrie is a difference maker. Off the floor, I’ve been very impressed with how they’ve conducted themselves.”
Are you looking forward to seeing them in the ACC next year?
“No, not at all [laughing], not for one second, but I don’t think I have a choice.”
How do you plan to replace inside after losing Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal to the draft and Zachary Peacock to graduation?
“Well we’ve got two kids who red-shirted this year, Kammeon Holsey and Daniel Miller. Certainly, I don’t think they will put up the same numbers as the guys from last year did inside, but we’ll be a little bit different. Our perimeter will be stronger this year given the experience they gained last year; in particular Brian Oliver and Glen Rice [Jr.] I expect to make a big jump. We hope to be very competitive in the league again.”
USA Head Coach and Oklahoma Head Coach Jeff Capel
What are your expectations for this team?
“I have high expectations. I want guys to come in and work hard and be very proud and honored to represent their country. They have each done a great job of that. We selected twelve guys and the next step was to make those twelve guys a team. We have had some really intense practices and some really long days, because of that, you see camaraderie with our guys. These guys have put their egos aside and have had one agenda: to win this championship for the USA.”
Does your career at Duke as player make coaching guys like Kyrie Irving and Josh Hairston a little more special?
“Well certainly, I’m very proud of my alma mater and I still have incredible relationships with just about everyone there and when those guys [Irving and Hairston] signed in the early period I reached out to them immediately and welcomed them to the family. It makes it very special and those are two guys that I will continue to follow and root for in the fall.”
What are some things you miss most about Duke University?
“The friendships and the relationships with all the folks there.”
Are you glad you don’t have to play them in conference next year?
“Oh yeah. They are going to be very good.”
Duke Commit Kyrie Irving
I know that the FIBA is smaller than a normal ball. Does that take a lot of adjusting for ball-handling and shooting?
“Yeah it really does. Yesterday, most of my shots were going in and out or staying right on the rim, but you just have to stay focused. You have to get used to the ball in practice and then when the big games start all that goes out the window and you just play.”
A lot has been made of your rapid improvement over the last year as you clearly took on a leadership role in your Senior season. How do you see that carrying over into your Freshman year at Duke?
“Yeah definitely. Coach K is expecting a lot from me, especially since he basically put the hype on me saying that he was going to change the whole offense. All that is great, but I’m going to go in there with my head on and take on the challenge.”
Basketball is a team sport, so obviously most of your goals will be team-oriented but what are some individual goals that you've set for yourself in this upcoming season?
“Aside from winning the National Championship and doing well in the NCAA tournament, I want to adjust to college basketball as quickly as possible. I don’t want to hit the freshman wall that most freshmen hit; I want to play great the whole year.”
Playing with Dexter Strickland at St. Patrick’s, you guys have developed a bond off the court. How do you plan on keeping that friendship alive while you guys are going to school 8 miles apart?
“Everybody talks about us hating each other on the court, but off the court we are really close friends. I’m also really close friends with Harrison [Barnes], Reggie [Bullock], and Kendall [Marshall], and it’s all love.”
What former Duke player do you think your game resembles the most?
“I don’t really like to make comparisons to any past Duke players. Everyone compares me to Jason [Williams] and Bobby [Hurley], but I want to go there and create my own legacy.”
The million dollar question for all the undergrad coeds at Duke, do you have a girlfriend? [Laughing] “No I don’t.”
Is it a goal of yours to go to the NBA after a year?
“No it’s not. It’s in the back of my mind, but it’s not a primary goal of mine at this point.”
Interviews Conducted and Written Up By: Big Pappa
No comments:
Post a Comment