Michaelson joined former Gonzaga All-American Dan Dickau on a special coach's show to recap the 2023-24 basketball season.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 - Gonzaga Nation with another episode of Coach's Show.
00:09 Assistant Coach Brian Michelson joining us again today,
00:12 recapping a little bit of the season,
00:14 as well as a look ahead to what is now becoming
00:18 such busy off seasons at the college level.
00:21 So first off, Brian, thanks for joining.
00:23 - No, thanks for having me.
00:23 It's good to see you.
00:24 - Yeah, another heck of a season.
00:26 I know for everybody but the national championship winner,
00:29 which is UConn for two years in a row,
00:31 it's a disappointing end.
00:33 But you guys had a really good season,
00:35 ninth straight Sweet 16, 27 and eight.
00:39 The games that you lost were against
00:41 some really good opponents.
00:43 Lost to Purdue in the title game twice, lost to UConn.
00:46 Give us a summary of the season from a coach's perspective.
00:50 - Yeah, I think like you talked about,
00:52 making another Sweet 16, nine in a row,
00:56 I mean, it's getting into historic territory.
00:58 Very, very successful there.
01:00 The way that the team really came together over the last,
01:03 whatever we want to call it, two months or so,
01:05 I thought we played really, really good basketball.
01:08 Really just losing those two games to St. Mary's and Purdue,
01:13 which again, St. Mary's finished in the top 15 again.
01:16 I thought we were playing really well.
01:18 I liked how we banded together.
01:21 I thought we played great that first week
01:23 in the NCAA tournament.
01:24 Another 25 win season.
01:26 I mean, it's hard to get to 20 games.
01:27 25 is really, really difficult to get up there to 27 again.
01:32 I thought it was a really good achievement.
01:35 So obviously early in the year,
01:36 I think the consistency wasn't what we're used to at Gonzaga,
01:40 not where we wanted to be.
01:41 But when you sit back now that the season's over,
01:44 look at the whole 35 games,
01:46 I think it was really successful.
01:48 And we ran into a really good Purdue team
01:50 beyond a really good player in Zach Eady
01:56 that you really just, I'm not sure when you'll see again
01:59 between his size and his ability.
02:01 'Cause I think we could have probably kept playing
02:03 if we didn't run into him,
02:05 or obviously UConn was kind of a wrecking crew
02:08 that I don't think we would have got past.
02:09 But I thought we were outside of those two
02:12 where we're able to compete with anyone
02:13 and probably make it as far until we ran into those two.
02:16 So I was really happy with where we finished.
02:18 - To make a deep run in the NCAA tournament,
02:20 a lot of times you either have to have a roster
02:22 like you guys had in, I think it was '21,
02:25 the final four year with Jalen Suggs as a freshman
02:28 that's just better than everybody,
02:30 or gelled throughout the season,
02:31 or you have to have the bracket break out
02:33 in a way that gives you an opportunity.
02:35 And I mentioned the UConn.
02:38 I thought they were the most dominant team
02:40 throughout the year.
02:40 You saw them up close and person by coaching against them.
02:43 I had them one time in a broadcast.
02:45 To me, that was the team that was like
02:48 head and shoulders above everyone.
02:50 When you sit back, or did you sit back
02:52 and watch that national title game,
02:54 did you watch it as a fan, or did you watch it as a coach?
02:56 Like we tried that, that didn't work.
02:58 Purdue needs to do this, UConn should do this.
03:00 What was that like?
03:01 - That was interesting 'cause we had played both.
03:04 I thought that they were the best two teams.
03:07 I didn't think I knew they were the best two teams
03:08 we had played.
03:09 And I was happy that they met in the final two programs.
03:13 Back to time that I personally respect a ton,
03:16 that I thought were the best teams.
03:19 So I thought that was cool
03:20 that the best two teams faced each other.
03:22 But I also thought there was a lot of similarities.
03:25 Very complicated offenses, really good X and O coaches,
03:29 very, very unselfish teams that play the right way,
03:33 that run a lot of good stuff.
03:34 And then two huge guys in the middle.
03:38 I mean, obviously Zach Eady gets the attention as he should,
03:40 two-time national player of the year,
03:41 but Clinton's a heck of a player,
03:43 and he's way bigger than people realize.
03:45 So going into that game, I thought UConn was
03:51 probably the better team.
03:52 And I thought that they at least had a guy
03:54 that could stand in there with Eady a little bit more
03:57 than other teams had had.
03:58 So I was really interested to see
04:00 how the similarities played out and see that game.
04:04 And obviously UConn was just, man,
04:07 they were good when we played them.
04:08 And I think they just kept getting better.
04:10 - You guys, it's on the schedule to play UConn next year
04:14 in Madison Square Garden.
04:15 I don't know if a date's been set.
04:16 You would know better than me.
04:18 It's so far out.
04:20 They're gonna have quite a bit of roster overhaul,
04:22 I would imagine, 'cause they're gonna have
04:23 NBA guys leave early.
04:25 It looks as we record this,
04:27 the roster at GU staying pretty much intact.
04:30 We would hope still.
04:32 How do you foreshadow or look into the future
04:35 about those prospective matchups against such good teams?
04:38 - I mean, obviously UConn's back-to-back
04:42 national champions, that hasn't been done
04:43 in almost 20 years.
04:44 I mean, where their program is at right now,
04:46 they're gonna be plenty good.
04:48 I don't care if this whole roster comes back
04:51 and they're going for a three-peater,
04:52 it's a whole new group.
04:53 What Coach Hurley's done, they're gonna be real.
04:56 And playing at Madison Square Garden,
04:58 they pack that place out, it'll be a road game.
05:01 We know that that's gonna be a massive challenge
05:04 regardless of who they have in that uniform.
05:08 But that is one unique thing, whether it's UConn
05:11 or whether it's gonna be one of these home games,
05:13 the projecting of rosters that you had when we played
05:17 versus even 10 years ago, well, maybe that guy will go pro,
05:20 maybe he won't, is over.
05:23 I mean, we're scheduling games
05:25 where teams don't have a roster.
05:27 So who knows what they're gonna look like?
05:30 They might be awesome, they might not be very good.
05:33 - But a lot of that then, sorry to interrupt,
05:34 would go back to programs that have been consistent
05:38 for a number of years.
05:39 Players gravitate towards those programs,
05:41 or if a coach with a reputation moves to a new place,
05:45 that reputation goes with him
05:47 and they can build quickly, am I right?
05:48 - Yeah, for sure.
05:49 And that's why UConn's gonna be elite, with Coach Hurley.
05:51 They're gonna be elite.
05:52 They're gonna play hard, they're gonna be tough,
05:54 they're gonna be great on both ends of the ball,
05:56 and he's gonna recruit a great roster.
05:58 Whether that includes a ton of carryover from this year
06:01 or new guys, people wanna go play
06:03 for the two-time defending champion.
06:04 So that one, you might not know exactly
06:06 who the names are gonna be,
06:07 but they're gonna be really good
06:09 and they're gonna play the right way.
06:11 Whereas, yeah, I mean, other places,
06:14 it's just there's so much turnover right now.
06:16 - So, Gonzaga, you guys have avoided
06:19 a lot of the turnover roster.
06:21 You've picked and choosed,
06:22 and you guys have done a nice job of adding the right pieces,
06:24 and if guys leave, it's because they feel
06:27 it's an opportunity that they need to take advantage of.
06:30 But when you look at the roster this past season,
06:34 it ended up blending really well.
06:37 Guys ended up stepping up,
06:38 that you could see it in the numbers,
06:39 but also guys stepped up in ways
06:41 that it didn't always show up in the final box score.
06:44 When you look at growth individually throughout the year,
06:49 people would probably gravitate towards Ben Gregg
06:51 or maybe Nolan year over year.
06:53 Was there one or two guys that maybe showed that growth
06:55 that it didn't show itself in the box score,
06:58 but you guys were like, "Man, they're on the right path.
07:00 "We can rely upon them moving forward."
07:02 - I think, honestly, a cop-out answer, but it was everyone.
07:07 Everyone in that top group that played showed that,
07:10 and it's why we have so much confidence
07:12 with the group moving forward.
07:13 I think you mentioned him,
07:15 but I think Nolan Hickman's year-to-year growth was huge.
07:18 And statistically, it was incredible improvements,
07:21 but more importantly to me, his growth as a leader was huge.
07:25 He was a great mentor to the two freshmen,
07:28 to Dusty and Brayden.
07:30 He was a voice that we heard a lot more,
07:32 but especially that I know helped those freshmen
07:35 adjust to college basketball and help bring them along.
07:38 And that's so valuable to our program.
07:40 So Nolan's growth, both statistically and leadership-wise,
07:44 was massively important to this group.
07:47 Anton continued to grow, continued to be a better leader,
07:50 obviously felt some pressure, I think, as the senior
07:52 and kind of the lone holdover
07:54 from the previous five years of runs,
07:57 the Final Four, the undefeated team,
07:59 all those things that he had been a part of.
08:01 And he did a great job battling
08:03 to make his senior year finish strong.
08:05 I think Graham and Ryan got more and more comfortable
08:08 as the year went on, their play improved.
08:11 We started to see more leadership out of those two.
08:14 And then you touched on Ben,
08:15 obviously just kind of the zag effort that he brings.
08:18 And I don't think people know how badly he was hurt
08:21 down the stretch those last WCC tournament NCAA,
08:24 so what's that, like five games?
08:26 He was battling and had some really good moments,
08:29 but he was playing through a lot of pain
08:31 to give this group everything he had.
08:33 And then we touched on earlier the leadership
08:35 that Nolan provided for Brayden and Dusty,
08:37 but those two were the bench as freshmen.
08:40 And so obviously they had some really big moments
08:43 throughout the year that they had to play in.
08:45 And I even think to Dusty's game against McNeese,
08:47 I thought he was so good in that first half
08:50 to help us blow that game open,
08:52 which for a true freshman NCAA tournament isn't easy.
08:55 So those two really, I think,
08:57 showed that they're gonna be a huge part of our future
09:00 and continue to grow.
09:02 And with how many bodies we played this year,
09:05 we needed every guy.
09:06 We couldn't have anybody really have an off day.
09:10 So the overall growth is one of the things
09:12 I'm most proud of.
09:14 - So Gonzaga, you have to balance personal aspirations
09:17 'cause you recruit such high-level players
09:19 as well as team aspirations
09:21 and give them a map, a blueprint to how to maximize both.
09:25 What is that conversation like
09:26 when the season ends with players?
09:28 We had a great season.
09:30 If the core of the group stays together
09:33 or if everybody comes back,
09:35 as it's already been projected
09:36 with a way too early top 25s,
09:39 I mean, you guys are top 10
09:40 in pretty much everyone I've seen.
09:42 What's that conversation like to help guys understand
09:45 where their value really may lie at the next level
09:47 to test the NBA waters versus knowing,
09:50 hey, these are the things that Gonzaga,
09:52 if we keep focusing on these,
09:54 your opportunities are gonna grow
09:56 through your evaluation process from front offices,
09:59 but also through your maturation process
10:01 that just happens as a player
10:02 if you work on things diligently.
10:04 - Yeah, I think this group,
10:07 with how the season finished,
10:10 had a good feel for what could be possible.
10:12 I also think they're mature enough to realize
10:16 that we lost a really good player in Anton.
10:18 I mean, I think you could ask everyone
10:20 on this year's roster and they would tell you
10:21 what a special player Anton is
10:23 and how valuable he was to this team.
10:25 I know in the locker room after the last game,
10:27 some guys shared some stuff just about
10:30 how they feel about his place in Gonzaga history
10:33 and how important he is to this program.
10:35 So the loss is massive,
10:37 but the group that's coming back was really excited
10:42 and really wanted to attack it.
10:43 And I think that it's a mature enough group
10:46 that they understand we did have success.
10:48 They had individual success.
10:49 We had some team success,
10:50 but we can't just be satisfied
10:54 and think that's automatically gonna repeat next year.
10:56 They know that we have to make huge jumps
10:58 and I think they're excited about that
10:59 and willing to work on that.
11:01 And then you touched on it.
11:03 It's the balance of,
11:04 what do they need to add to their games to help Gonzaga
11:09 and also to help them get to where
11:11 they wanna be professionally.
11:13 I think at Gonzaga, we have a history
11:16 of obviously balancing those
11:17 and what helps them individually helps us.
11:20 And I think that obviously is shown
11:23 at Gonzaga and our team success,
11:25 but then obviously with the amount of guys
11:27 that have moved on and I think
11:28 that's part of why people come to Gonzaga
11:30 is for the winning, but also they know that
11:32 there's a path for them to play at the highest levels.
11:35 Obviously the NBA, but we've also had a lot of guys
11:37 go on to EuroLeague, those types of things.
11:39 So I think they know that if they come in and they work
11:43 and they kinda go along that path
11:48 that there's a really bright future for them.
11:49 And like I said, just so far,
11:51 I've been really, really impressed
11:53 by this group's maturity of that balance of,
11:55 hey, here's what I'm gonna work on
11:56 'cause next year it's gonna help the team,
11:58 but I know long run, that's gonna give me a chance
12:01 to get up on that wall that you're on
12:03 and whatever there's 28 guys up there now
12:05 or whatever there is, 'cause that's obviously
12:08 all their goal and it should be.
12:10 - Let's talk about Anton real quick.
12:12 Obviously he's been a huge part of the program
12:14 for five years, came in with unique expectations
12:19 'cause he's a local kid, battled some injuries early,
12:22 but he became a tremendous player.
12:25 His stats showed it his maybe last year and a half,
12:27 but his impact wasn't always felt in the box score.
12:31 What are you guys gonna most miss about Anton
12:33 and what do you value most about having coached him
12:36 for five years?
12:37 - Everything.
12:38 (laughing)
12:39 I think Coach talked about it.
12:41 He's a problem solver.
12:43 Like his feel is just so good on both ends of the floor.
12:48 I know I'm gonna miss, and you touched on a little bit,
12:50 his unselfishness.
12:52 He came in, he was fantastic his freshman year.
12:55 He had injuries from day one.
12:56 He literally sprained his ankle in the first game
12:58 in the Bahamas.
12:59 That led to the shoulders.
13:00 So you had a guy that was starting as a true freshman.
13:02 We know how rare that is to being out for the year.
13:05 That next year started some, and then Andrew Nimhard,
13:08 who we all know what Andrew's about now, came on,
13:11 and Anton, for the betterment of the team,
13:13 came off the bench, was the sixth man on a team
13:15 that was historically good, undefeated to the final game.
13:19 Then Chet comes the next year.
13:21 I mean, you're talking a top two pick in the draft.
13:24 Ton was the sixth man behind him and Drew,
13:26 and did whatever we needed that year to balance
13:30 the strengths and the deficiencies of Chet and Drew.
13:33 Helped us be another number one seed.
13:35 And then these last two years, just kind of slowly
13:38 but surely, stepped up his aggressiveness,
13:40 continued dad to his game.
13:42 I think last year his statistical value
13:46 was a little bit underrated, and then this year,
13:48 I mean, just you can go game by game.
13:51 The UCLA game was one of the better games
13:54 I've seen someone play.
13:56 We obviously lost it, but he was the only guy
13:58 that kept us in the game at Santa Clara,
13:59 so kind of for a guy that had been a reluctant scorer
14:02 to have two 30-point games.
14:04 But more than that, our offense could flow through him.
14:08 He could break presses.
14:10 We used him to break presses.
14:12 We used him to guard one through five.
14:14 When we needed a basket, we could go to him.
14:18 When we needed someone else to get set up,
14:20 we could go to him.
14:21 Just he was our main guy against a zone.
14:25 Just his feel and his willingness to do
14:27 whatever it takes to win.
14:29 And then I think the way he continued
14:32 to develop his skill set, you just touched on it
14:35 with the last question, helped us win a ton of games.
14:38 I think he's the third winningest player
14:39 in program history, which if you do that,
14:41 I think puts you in the top 10 in NCAA history.
14:44 But it's got him, he's gonna have
14:47 really, really good pro prospects,
14:49 which I'm super excited for him as an individual
14:52 'cause he's earned that and he deserves that.
14:54 - Yeah, Adam Morris and I talked about that
14:56 earlier this week about his growth, his evolution,
14:59 and what he might need to do to,
15:01 he might not make it day one,
15:03 but the way that he approaches it,
15:05 if he approaches it the way that we all think he will,
15:08 he's gonna be a big-time pro.
15:10 Big-time meaning make it at the NBA level
15:12 by focusing on the right skill sets for that league
15:16 because that league is completely different
15:18 than the college game and how you have to play
15:20 and how you have to understand the game.
15:23 - No, it's, yeah, it's totally different.
15:25 I think it's gonna take a lot of work.
15:28 He's gonna need some breaks, like you said,
15:30 but his game, to me, fits the modern NBA.
15:34 He's so versatile defensively.
15:36 He can do a lot of different things on offense.
15:38 His shooting has really progressed.
15:40 It's gonna have to continue to progress.
15:42 But I talk about it to people all the time
15:45 when they ask me, "Well, what about this guy?
15:46 "Why didn't that guy, why did this guy make the NBA?"
15:49 And I try to explain to people it's not the same game.
15:53 What the NBA's looking for
15:54 and what a successful college player, there's no,
15:57 it's a totally different deal.
15:59 And where the NBA is right now fits Anton Watson.
16:02 And that's really cool that he's hitting it
16:05 at the right time from that standpoint,
16:06 what the NBA wants, and I think he'll attack it
16:09 and end up playing in that league.
16:12 - So let's move, talk WCC, big picture.
16:15 St. Mary's had a terrific year.
16:17 San Francisco continues to improve already,
16:20 although they've already got a couple guys
16:21 that have entered the transfer portal.
16:23 But there's two new additions,
16:24 Oregon State, Washington State.
16:26 They're both programs that come from a bigger conference.
16:29 Washington State had a tremendous run,
16:31 but they lose their coach and almost their whole roster,
16:34 not knowing exactly who's gonna be a part
16:36 of those programs right now.
16:38 But I'm sure you know Wayne Tinkle well.
16:40 I know you know David Riley,
16:41 who was at Eastern Washington well.
16:43 What's the expectation of those two teams joining the league?
16:48 - That they strengthen the league from day one.
16:51 Just they're not, they don't fit the model
16:53 of the rest of the league,
16:54 and I think that's their advantage.
16:56 They're massive state schools, huge student populations.
16:59 They're coming from Power Five leagues
17:01 with Power Five money, Power Five facilities.
17:03 They're gonna strengthen the league.
17:05 I mean, obviously, WSU was a quad one opponent this year.
17:09 I think they'll return some guys
17:11 from a really good NCAA tournament team.
17:13 Coach Riley will do a great job down there.
17:15 He's obviously been super successful at Eastern.
17:18 And obviously, that'll add some local rivalry to that
17:21 with Spokane being a large WSU fan base as well.
17:26 And Oregon State, Coach Tinkle can really coach.
17:29 They do a lot of different things defensively.
17:31 Obviously, they knocked off Arizona this year.
17:35 So I think, again, them being from the Pac-12
17:40 and what a good coach Coach Tinkle is,
17:42 I'm expecting both those teams
17:44 to be right in the thick of it.
17:45 Santa Clara's been absolutely great the last few years.
17:49 They're gonna have a lot less turnover, I think,
17:50 than they had last year,
17:52 and they still took fourth, beat us with all that turnover.
17:56 They're gonna have a lot of guys returning.
17:57 St. Mary's is St. Mary's.
17:59 Saxon's coming back.
18:00 Those guards are a handful.
18:03 We struggled with their guards.
18:04 Coach Bennett's obviously awesome.
18:06 And then the biggest thing is USF's gonna be really good.
18:09 I mean, Thomas and Williams
18:11 are two of the better guards out there.
18:13 Mogbo and Newberry are an elite front court,
18:15 so they're set.
18:16 I thought they were a team
18:18 they probably should've won an IT game this year,
18:21 and for them to return their core,
18:22 I'm expecting the league to be,
18:25 especially now that you add WSU and Oregon State,
18:27 that top portion of the league,
18:28 to be really strong next year.
18:31 - Coaching turnover has been wild so far.
18:33 Obviously, by being in the college basketball industry,
18:37 you keep an eye on it,
18:38 but Cal Pari leaving for Arkansas was unique.
18:41 But there was a funny domino effect
18:43 of one coach leaves, gets fired from SMU,
18:45 Enfield goes to there,
18:47 then Musselman wants to go to USC.
18:49 Who would've thought Cal Pari would take Arkansas
18:52 in these crazy times?
18:54 - Yeah, you know, I think historically,
18:57 that would be really unique, right?
19:00 You don't leave Kentucky.
19:02 I think it shows you where the college game is right now.
19:07 Arkansas is gonna be real now.
19:09 He's gonna have that thing rolling.
19:11 Obviously, we were fortunate enough to play his teams
19:13 when he was at Memphis, they're great teams.
19:15 We've had the series with Kentucky.
19:16 Everybody in college basketball knows
19:19 what kind of guys he brings in.
19:21 Arkansas is about to have a lot of pros
19:23 and a lot of really good teams.
19:24 Obviously, we have the Kentucky series.
19:26 It's Kentucky, that's a blue blood.
19:28 We talked a little bit about UConn earlier.
19:31 It's still gonna be Kentucky.
19:33 So that's gonna be interesting
19:36 to take on kind of a new look Kentucky team next year.
19:39 - With us sitting here recording,
19:42 there's about 1,500 names in the transfer portal
19:44 before it closes in two and a half weeks or so.
19:46 I would expect it to get over 2,000.
19:49 I mean, that's more than last year.
19:51 You can't expect a coaching staff like you guys
19:54 to know exactly who's in the portal,
19:57 who you would have interest in, how you would reach out,
20:00 strength, weaknesses, how they'd fit, all that.
20:02 But obviously, you have to have a process.
20:07 What's the process looking like for Gonzaga
20:09 and sifting through the portal?
20:11 Because you might see 50 names linked to a school
20:15 and then you're scratching your head like,
20:16 that's impossible, there's three openings.
20:19 But every staff approaches it differently.
20:21 How do you guys approach it?
20:23 - Each year's different based on what you need
20:26 and how many you need, right?
20:27 And we've been fortunate so far to avoid that.
20:30 I mean, I think I heard on the,
20:31 maybe it was a Final Four broadcast
20:33 that Alabama had nine new guys.
20:36 So you have these teams that are having to get eight, nine,
20:41 what was Utah State, like 12 or 13?
20:43 - They had zero returning points.
20:45 - So whatever, 13 guys out of it last year,
20:48 which is unbelievable.
20:49 I mean, the way you have to approach that
20:51 versus this year where we don't need much,
20:55 especially at this point,
20:59 is a little bit different, but you touched on it.
21:02 I mean, you got a massive amount of names,
21:04 you gotta sift through by need.
21:08 And that's where we can be really specific this year.
21:11 But I think that's the biggest thing is by need,
21:16 what position do you need?
21:17 What age do you need?
21:18 Do you need a grad guide?
21:19 Do you need a freshman?
21:21 And you just kind of go through and sort it by that.
21:25 And then it's all hands on deck,
21:28 trying to watch film, trying to look at stats.
21:31 If you think you get a lead,
21:32 do you know somebody maybe in their league
21:34 that you could talk to about the guy?
21:36 And then it's just a lot of calls,
21:41 a lot of reaching out to people to gauge interest.
21:45 But yeah, it's a busy time of year
21:49 and it's a unique time of year.
21:51 And I think why we're gonna see so many more,
21:54 I agree with you, I think this will set the record,
21:56 is the two-time transfer being gone.
21:58 I think in the past, when you and I were around,
22:02 you did it, you had to sit when you transferred.
22:05 And I'm sure when you were making that decision,
22:08 it at least made you think.
22:11 Then that went away, you got the one free transfer,
22:13 so everybody did that.
22:14 There was no, I don't wanna call it a penalty,
22:17 but there was no repercussion.
22:19 So everybody transferred, played once.
22:21 Well, guys that wanted to transfer a second time
22:23 at least had a pause.
22:26 And now that's gone.
22:27 Two, three, four, doesn't matter.
22:29 And so you're just gonna have so many more now
22:32 'cause you're gonna have these two and three-time transfers
22:34 that aren't concerned about having to sit a year.
22:37 They know they're gonna get a play next year.
22:39 So I agree in the next couple of weeks,
22:41 I think that number is gonna blow past 2000
22:44 and end up a record.
22:45 - Well, good luck to you and the rest of the staff
22:47 about getting some rest
22:48 and figuring out exactly how to navigate it
22:51 'cause that is a chorn in and of its own.
22:55 Off-season workouts, summer practices are always important,
22:59 but they're unique in the fact
23:00 that you can test different things, try different things
23:03 without it being too close to the season
23:05 where it really impacts a lot.
23:08 This year will be a little different though
23:09 'cause Coach Few's got Team USA responsibilities
23:12 with the Olympics.
23:13 I guess, what's that excitement level like
23:18 to having him being a part
23:20 of the highest basketball level in the world?
23:24 And then, are you gonna try to get tickets
23:26 and get back there yourself somehow?
23:28 (both laughing)
23:29 - I wish.
23:30 I think the family's a little young for that,
23:34 but boy, going to Paris for the Olympics sounds pretty nice.
23:37 I mean, the excitement level is amazing.
23:39 I mean, and obviously he's earned it
23:41 with his Hall of Fame career,
23:42 but to be the only college coach associated
23:46 with a US Olympic team is really special
23:49 and a really unique opportunity.
23:51 And I think you and I being basketball people
23:54 know how hard the world championships are,
23:57 know how much other countries outside of the US value that
24:01 and that the US does not at the same level.
24:03 So what they did last year was a really big deal,
24:07 but the Olympics is even bigger,
24:08 especially with the United States,
24:10 especially now with the roster
24:11 they're gonna take this year.
24:12 I mean, he's gonna get a coach,
24:14 the best players in the game today,
24:17 future Hall of Famers.
24:18 I mean, some guys you could argue might be up there
24:20 with the greatest players of all time.
24:22 So just an incredible opportunity
24:24 and really, really cool for him and cool for our program.
24:27 So it's gonna be a fun summer.
24:30 - So I would imagine practices and workouts
24:33 will be scheduled around those games.
24:36 So you and staff and hopefully players
24:38 can sit back and watch that.
24:40 - Yeah, and I think we'll do some things.
24:41 I think we'll try and get a lot of time with the guys
24:45 while coach is here too,
24:46 'cause obviously Olympics aren't until quite a bit later
24:48 in the summer.
24:50 And actually in August, we give the guys a break anyways,
24:53 'cause there's no summer school.
24:54 So I think by the time the games get here,
24:56 the guys will definitely be gone,
24:57 but I think we'll do a good job
24:59 trying to work around coach's schedule so that he's here.
25:02 'Cause obviously having him here in the summer
25:04 is really, really important.
25:05 And I think it's a little bit of a benefit
25:08 that we are gonna have a more veteran team.
25:11 Whereas last year you were bringing in Dusty was a freshman,
25:15 Braden had never played in the game,
25:17 Ryan, Graham and Steele were all new.
25:19 I mean, there was really not a lot of continuity
25:22 last summer.
25:24 And so we didn't get to work maybe on as many things
25:26 like you said, we had to be pretty streamlined
25:28 'cause everybody was new.
25:30 This year, I think the roster continuity helps with that.
25:34 - Well, this table's set to have another great season.
25:37 It just kind of seems like it's plug and play
25:40 with Gonzaga basketball.
25:41 And I know it sounds funny to say that,
25:44 but again, nine straight sweet 16s,
25:48 another 25 win season,
25:50 you finish in the top 10 of pretty much every poll,
25:54 shows just how good this program has become,
25:57 how good it continues to be,
26:00 the expectations that are out there.
26:02 It's pretty impressive, as a former player
26:05 and someone who follows the program closely,
26:08 it's impressive still to this day.
26:11 And I know you are very proud to be a part of it
26:15 and you guys do everything you can
26:17 to live up to those expectations, to meet and exceed them.
26:21 And it's been great to have your insight
26:23 throughout this season.
26:24 - No, I appreciate you guys having me
26:26 and it's been fun to do this show
26:28 and obviously to be involved and to get to do it with you
26:32 is awesome, someone I respect so much
26:34 and was a great teammate
26:35 and a huge part of the program's history here.
26:37 So it's a great end to another year
26:40 and I'm glad it feels like plug and play.
26:42 It doesn't feel like that on my end,
26:43 but the consistency has been remarkable.
26:47 It's one of the things we're most proud of
26:49 and obviously we're just gonna keep fighting
26:51 every single day to get the best product we can
26:54 out on the floor and to continue that success
26:56 and chase championships.
26:58 - Awesome, well, I'm sure we'll have you in
27:00 at some point over the summer,
27:02 just to continue to talk hoops.
27:04 Look forward to continuing this next year.
27:07 But for Gonzaga Nation and the Coaches Show,
27:10 Brian Michelson has been a tremendous guest
27:13 throughout the season.
27:13 So thanks again to Brian.
27:15 Thank you to the viewers.
27:17 Until next time, thanks for listening.
27:20 (upbeat music)
27:22 (upbeat music)
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