April 14, 2010

wasn't involved with the program, An Interview with: obviously, but he was always very impressive about the way he went about his job, about the way he treated his players, about the dependence COACH a head coach had upon a young assistant like Jeff Bzdelik. THE MODERATOR: Good morning. When he went to UNBC as the head coach Thank you all for coming out this morning. Again from Northwestern, he did a great job in we will be using a transcription service, the quotes transitioning that program from a Division II will be typed up for easy access for you all when program to a Division I program. The year after this is over with, so we do have a couple of Jeff left that program they were in a position to microphones, we would like you to ask your complete at a very, very high level in the Division I questions into the microphone as our person is in a level after just transitioning to Division I. remote location. At this time it's my pleasure to He then went to the Washington Bullets, introduce the director of athletics at Wake Forest, where he was an assistant for , and he Mr. Ron Wellman. sings Jeff's praises, and after that he went to one RON WELLMAN: Thank you, Steve. of the best coaches maybe in NBA history, Pat Thank you for coming. We call you out at various Riley, and was his assistant for seven years, and times of the day, early morning, and so forth, and Pat had a similar comment about Jeff and his we do appreciate your attendance today. preparedness, his ability to X and O, his ability to It gives me great pleasure to introduce our prepare a team, his relationship with the players. new Wake Forest basketball coach, Mr. Jeff After that Jeff went to the NBA, Denver Bzdelik, from the University of Colorado. After a Nuggets in various capacities but eventually long review of various coaches who had interest in climbed to become the head coach of the Nuggets. Wake Forest, and in whom we had interest, Jeff He was there for a little over two years and the quickly rose to the top of that list for many, many experience led the Nuggets to one of the best reasons. First and foremost, I believe he turn­arounds in NBA history, when I think they won understands Wake Forest. 17 games the year before, and then the next year If you look at his background, he was an led them to the playoffs with over 40 wins that assistant coach at Davidson College, he was an particular year. assistant coach at Northwestern University ­­ and After leading the , he went the sprinkler systems are ready to go on we're all to the Air Force Academy where he was 50­16. going to take a bath in a minute! He was the head Unfortunately, I remember one of those 50 games coach at the Air Force Academy, three institutions when Wake Forest went out to play Air Force and that are similar to Wake Forest in terms of their we came back with a defeat. approach and in terms of their athletics. Then he went to Colorado, and Colorado I didn't realize I had this affect upon the was a very difficult job. Anybody in college system but we'll get it straightened out here in a basketball will tell you about the challenges at that minute, but that background certainly did give him particular time at Colorado. He took a program the understanding of what Wake Forest is looking that had many, many challenges to it, off the floor for. If you look at his career, it's a storied career, I and on the floor, and he improved that program believe. If you look at what he did at Northwestern, each and every year to the point where next year which I had the opportunity to observe as a they have everyone coming back, they should be a baseball coach there, and I observed it from afar,

Coach Bzdelik – 04.14.10 1 visit our archives at asapsports.com contender for an NCAA Tournament birth, so he the community with their citizenship, and the way did an outstanding job at Colorado as well. they embrace the values set here at Wake Forest Jeff's uniqueness and attractiveness to me University in the classroom as well. go way beyond what he has accomplished as a I'm excited about the staff. We can start coach, and what he has accomplished as a coach with Lynne Heflin, who has been here for over 30 is significant and impressive, I think not only to me years, and she runs the place. I've actually offered but to our fan base as well, eventually, but it goes her my office and I'll take hers, because she is well beyond that. He is a person of integrity, he is "Ms. Wake Forest basketball!" We appreciate her a person of values. If you talk with his former staying on. players, they have a deep appreciate for what this Of course in creating stability a couple of man stands for and how he has treated them not other people, Jeff Battle, he's been extremely loyal only as a player but as a person. He develops a and a big part of Wake Forest basketball history relationship with his players that very few coaches here, and I've asked him to remain. I told him he's have the ability to do. not going anywhere unless he wants to go He loves his players. He treats his players somewhere and fortunately for me, and all of us, as family. At the same time he has very, very high he is staying, so welcome, Jeff. expectations of his players, both on and off the Rusty LaRue is another one that I ­­ Court. He expects them to be gentlemen, he second thing after talking to Jeff was to go see expects them to be tenacious competitors, he Rusty and say, "Hey, Rusty, I need you to stay." I expects them to represent the University in the heard they might change the name of Wake Forest manner that we all want to be represented. University to Rusty LaRue University, because he We have found a coach that will lead us to means so much to this school, but he is going to what we believe can be accomplished at Wake stay and that's a welcome thing for me as well, Forest University and it gives me great pleasure to Walt Corbean is another one who is going to introduce our new head basketball coach, Jeff remain on our staff. Bzdelik. Jeff. We have created stability here, we want to (Applause.) move forward in the vision that I said that we would JEFF BZDELIK: Thank you. Thank you set here, and I am really looking forward to this very much. I can tell you this, it's an honor and challenge. My introduction to Wake goes back privilege to be the new head basketball coach here many years, 17, 18 years ago when I was first of at . Heartfelt thank you out all on the bench with the Washington Bullets. We to Dr. Hatch, Ron Wellman, Jim Williams, our had Frank Johnson and Muggsy Bogues, our two chairman of the board, for giving me this players that I was able to coach and have an opportunity, and everyone else in the Wake Forest opportunity to meet and develop a relationship Community who has embraced my wife Nina and with. Frank used to sit next to me on the bench our children, Brett and Courtney. because I was like the third assistant, and he was The vision that I have for this program is the sixth man, so we had a chance to interact quite simple, clear, we want to win, go to postseason frequently, and he would always talk about Wake play, advance in post­season play and do so Forest, and so would Muggsy. without compromising the moral and academic My wife and I, family, we vacationed down integrity of this great university. It's plain, it's here in North Carolina at the beach, and my son at simple, it's clear. the time 9, 10 years old, he's a golfer so we would I pledge you my unbridled effort in making travel to the state, play in these junior golf sure this happens. I'm going to roll up my sleeves tournaments and we always came to the and do the very best job I can to see this vision Winston­Salem area, and one time my wife said, through on a daily basis. Our style of play is going "Hey, let's look at Wake Forest!" So we drove to be something I think our fans will really enjoy. through the campus, and we immediately fell in We're going to be aggressive defensively, love with Wake Forest, it's beauty, what it stood hopefully culminate those defensive possessions for, Winston­Salem, what a beautiful city, and my with defensive rebounds, get out and go, pass the daughter who was just a couple of years younger ball, play team basketball. than my son at the time, she got her introduction We will be unselfish and play in a way that into Wake Forest, and she's a very intelligent gal, people will embrace this team because of their great effort on the court and also off the court, in

Coach Bzdelik – 04.14.10 2 visit our archives at asapsports.com and low and behold, when it was time to choose a So we will score points if we have a good college she said, "I want to go to Wake Forest" and skill set of players who can pass, dribble and she's a student here right now. shoot, have a high basketball IQ and, you know, So it goes full cycle and brings us home to share the basketball. We look to run. a place we really want to be. This is my dream job Another example is when I was the head and I'm looking forward to the challenge and I will coach of the Denver Nuggets. We led the NBA in embrace it with all I have. Questions? fast break points. Doesn't mean we're going to run and gun, we're going to run and attack and take Q. Welcome. I was wondering in terms the first good shot that we can get and then get our of ­­ you talked about your style of play. Would tails back on defense and dig in. To me that's how you talk about your recruiting philosophy, what you play the game. types of players you will be looking for and how you will get players to come to Wake Q. Had a chance to talk to the players Forest? yet, returning players and how did that meeting JEFF BZDELIK: First of all, if you find go? And what was your reaction to them and passionate, coachable, high basketball IQ players theirs to you? who have a skill set to be able to pass, dribble and JEFF BZDELIK: We met last night briefly, shoot that care about their future as a student, I'll met with them individually here as soon as I'm school is a four to five­year investment in one's life, done with all of you. They seem very excited. I as we all know, Wake Forest is the perfect place. shared with them that I know it's been tough, I'll be The education that you'll receive, the honest with you, and one thing you'll know about opportunity to play ACC basketball, the highest me is I'm very straightforward. I will tell you the level in the nation, and we will take those types of truth. So I said to them, I know it's been a real players and mold them into a team, and that's challenge here with probably more tough things what's important to me. I want gym rats who are happening to you than really ­­ it's almost unfair also high­quality students who care about their with Coach Prosser, Mrs. Battle, and a couple of future in the classroom. When you have that the other assistants leaving, and Dino's situation. combination, usually you have young men who are So I know you've dealt with a lot of stuff unselfish, willing to get out of themselves and into that really is quite a lot for anybody, let alone a other people, and you can mold a really good team young man in college, I understand that. Life isn't together with those characteristics, character traits. always fair, but it's a lesson to be learned and The style of play is simple, like I said, that's the value of athletics, there are life lessons to tough defense, culminated with defensive be learned. rebounds, get out and go, attack the rim quickly in But with that there are expectations and transition, you know, people ­­ I know I hear this responsibilities to go to class, to take care of your stuff about the , well Princeton is responsibilities there, to understand that this is in New Jersey; we're in North Carolina here, and I your future and take advantage of a wonderful, think if you investigate my background, my teams wonderful opportunity here at Wake Forest, to have always shot well and scored a lot of points. prepare yourself for your future, and trust me, my When we were at Air Force, we had the 17­plus years in the NBA, I've seen All­ACC most 30­plus point margin of victories out of players and All­Big 12 players and All­Americans, anybody! We beat the University of Georgia by including one time the player of the year in the over 30, we beat Stanford by over 30, we beat nation, not complete their degree, and I don't think Santa Clara by over 30, we beat Wake Forest by players understand how good you need to be to over 30. play at the highest level in the NBA, and even if We scored a lot of points. This past year you do, there are all sorts of variables about at Colorado we were, I think, 23rd in the nation in injuries and also with the fact that, you know, hey, percentage, and we scored a lot of at some point you can't play forever, so you need points. We scored more points on average than that degree. Wake did last year. If you take what we scored ­­ I can't tell ya how many players I've seen and we were in the Big 12, it's a high­level league that right now are in their '30s, early '40s that don't itself ­­ but if you put us in the ACC, we would be have a degree. They spent all their money and second in the ACC in scoring.

Coach Bzdelik – 04.14.10 3 visit our archives at asapsports.com they really don't have anything. So your education above other NBA players by the way they handle is so important. Take advantage of it here. Get themselves, what great representatives of this yourself a degree. Then we talk about what we're University. Believe me, when the University going to do in terms of working out, we're going to produces people like that on a consistent basis, start on the court tomorrow, I'm looking forward to that's a great testimony to the people here. that and I've shared with them the vision that I have and they seemed very engaged. Q. In talking to Mr. Wellman ­­ (No microphone.) Q. Coach, congratulations. My JEFF BZDELIK: Listen, this is how I view question goes hand­in­hand with the one it. I want my players to get better every day. Just asked. Have you spoken with Dino about the get better every day, that's always been my set­backs, in order to help you for next season philosophy, and I think if you look at my career I've in order to avoid those? taken a lot of programs like UNBC, they won 11 JEFF BZDELIK: I've spoken to Dino, and games in two straight years, six wins and five wins, he's been absolutely awesome. We have a Division II. They decided to go to Division I out of relationship, and I've never asked him anything the clear blue sky and I got the job, probably about anything other than, "Hey, hello, how are because I was the only one brave enough to take you? I have tremendous respect for what you it, and my first year we won 10 out of our last 12 accomplished." Division I games. Our players got better, and that Listen, in this profession there are a lot of ups and third year, the year that I wasn't there, when I left, downs and stuff happens, and I wanted him to they won 20 games. know I'm here for him and reached out to him as I When we were at Northwestern, I talked do with anybody, anybody, because we have a about that, our fourth year they had their best year relationship, and it's a positive one, and Dino is an they ever had. I think they won more games this awesome, awesome man. That's it. We move year, but they also played more games. We went forward. to postseason play and beat Digger Phelps, Notre Dame, in the first round. Q. Coach, previous coaches that have We went to Air Force, we won 50 games in been introduced here at Wake Forest were two years, got up to the top in the nation with a done so because the previous guy left or didn't bunch of cadets. We beat Pac 10 teams, Big East succeed. You're succeeding a guy with a great teams, Big 12 teams, they got better, they record. Does that raise the bar in your mind? improved. JEFF BZDELIK: No. Nobody puts At Colorado I inherited a team that won anymore pressure on me than I put on myself, seven games. They had an APR in the 800s, a period. Wake Forest ­­ I know I have a team GPA of 2.0. This past year attendance went responsibility. This is a storied program. This is a up 40%, the APR is set to go to 920, we had great, great school. If someone said to me, Jeff freshman of the year in the Big 12, 6'6" player who Bzdelik, if you could pick one school in the country led the Big 12 in field goal percentage, we won to go to, where would it be? To me it's Wake four out of our last 12 games. My point is about Forest, because I believe in everything it stands getting better every day. You need to ask yourself: for. What have I done to improve myself today and Great academics, great integrity, great Wake Forest University for tomorrow, and if you people, it's in the ACC on top of that. You answer something positive every day, that means compete and you're competitive in a great way in you're building, and it's about getting better, and the ACC, I mean, what, 5 out of the last 10 national the winning and the losing will take care of it's champs have come from this league? Yet I can't itself. think of a better school that combines academic excellence, athletic excellence and with the people Q. Welcome, Coach. You have a class and the location and the tradition and the history, of fine recruits and a transfer student. Do you and throughout my NBA career, Frank Johnson, anticipate they will all be coming despite the Muggsy, , Josh Howard, Chris Mullin, change? and I know all these guys. JEFF BZDELIK: I wasn't able to call the It's interesting the way they handle themselves, they distinguish themselves among ­­

Coach Bzdelik – 04.14.10 4 visit our archives at asapsports.com recruits yet until this press conference is over. So Wake Forest is a national institution that has a as soon as all these questions are over, I can great, great name that you can go anywhere in this answer your question, because I want to get on the nation, and I can too, because I've been all over phone and talk to the recruits and their parents and the place. I'm anxious to do that. And Jeff and Rusty have done a great job of stabilizing everybody and Q. Two things: The origin of your holding the fort, and I'm anxious to get on the name, can you tell me about that? I'm sure it's phone and talk to them and once we do that something of a curiosity, how to pronounce it, everything will be fine. and the other thing you mentioned, learning from coaches. What did you learn from Pat Q. Most of your recent career has been Riley? out west; you're not a household name to this JEFF BZDELIK: First of all, Bzdelik is area. Are you prepared for the reaction of the Slovak; my wife is Lithuanian and Polish, so we fans and that kind of thing and having to win have a melting pot of heritage. these people over? How do you do that? What did I learn from ? I learned JEFF BZDELIK: How do I do that? Just a great deal from him. Attention to detail, teaching, being me and getting out there and working. First excellent, excellent teacher of the game, very of all, Wake Forest is an easy sell, that's number detailed. one, and I think anyone who looks at my I did every game plan for him for every background knows, number one, hey, 17 years in game for seven years, and believe me, that seven the NBA, I've been around the greatest players in years seemed like 21 years to be honest with you, the game. because he is so detailed. The game plans I can't say I've been at X amount of Final consisted of our opposition, the personnel Fours, but there is nobody that can say they've tendencies, the keys to the game offensively and been to the NBA playoffs nine times as an defensively. I would have to do a practice plan, assistant and as a head coach. I separate myself what we would have to do in order to practice for in a positive way from a lot of people in that regard, our preparation for the team offensively and so if a player wants to get a great education and defensively, I would make those suggestions, I he wants to develop and get better as a player and would work closely with Stan Van Gundy on that, have an opportunity for me to impart my but it was my responsibility to give Pat all the knowledge that I learned from the greatest names preparation information they needed. in this game, here is the opportunity. In addition to individual development with To do it in the ACC is even better! So I players. Jamal Mashburn, Bruce Bowen, P.J. don't worry about that; people do their homework, Brown, we would spend a lot of time with him they'll know. And you know what? I've been before practice, the list goes on and on and on. around all over, too. It's not like I haven't been on Pat's attention to detail, his teaching ability, ideals, the east coast here. I was at Davidson and, hey, I you see the greased back hair and the Armani was just telling Ron the other day, we talked about suits, but he's a grunt guy, he is a worker. Trust how you stay in touch with players. Sidney Lowe me. Many, many, many hours. Wes Unseld, and when Derrek Whittenburg played at professionalism, Wes is a great teacher in Dartmouth, they had a guy I know, John Caroll on rebounding and setting screens. that team, and he's a dentist out in the Maryland I draw upon ­­ I will call these gentlemen to area, and there are a lot of players that I coached get their ideas about things, but you learn a little bit with the Washington Bullets that are coaching on from everybody, and I was fortunate to have that the east coast. opportunity to be around great coaches, Coach Michael Adams, for example, we were Popovich played at the Air Force Academy and he together in the NBA, and I just got a text from him coached there, and I would have him come and this morning, he's a high school coach in speak to my Air Force teams, and I have spent a Washington, D.C. and he said, "Coach, give me a lot of time talking to Coach, and I've spent a couple call!" of weeks with him, following him around, the way John Caroll, who used to coach the Celtics, he he approaches the game, teaches the game, I called me this morning as well and he's up in mean, there are so many things that you can draw Boston, Massachusetts, he coaches his son's AAU team, and he's talking to me about players already.

Coach Bzdelik – 04.14.10 5 visit our archives at asapsports.com upon and use. And, again, to talk in the home of players to play fearless, I don't want them looking recruits, who else can do that? So it's an edge in a over their shoulder, you play through mistakes, as positive way for me when I go into homes. long as they're playing hard and giving me their best effort I know you can't be perfect. My point is Q. What sense are you getting about this: You make a mistake, play through it, most the recruit class incoming? How confident are important thing is the next thing you do, so what's you that all five will be here? the most important game? Their first game, and JEFF BZDELIK: I'm very confident. I'm after that the next game, whatever it may be, so anxious to get on the phone, and once we sit down every day let's just get better. and visit and I explain ­­ everybody's anxious. That's me, it's just every day let's get These kind of situations are not comfortable; better in a positive way, and it's like a snowball they're uncomfortable for everybody. For starting at the top of the mountain and it gets everybody, including my family. We've got to pick bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger and up and move, it's uncomfortable, so everybody is bigger, you know, as it picks up steam. That's the anxious. I just need to get in front of them and way I view it. calm everybody down and let 'em know who I am, and I think everybody will be fine, and I'm anxious Q. Will Walt Corbean be promoted, and to do that. Any other questions? if not who do you have in mind? JEFF BZDELIK: You know, I just got here Q. Ron described some of your best and I'm just ­­ I'm trying to get my feet on the and difficult situations. How does Wake Forest ground. Walt is not going anywhere, I have to rank in that regard, is it a difficult job? assess everything and there are some people that JEFF BZDELIK: You know what? Every I haven't ­­ Mike, for example, I haven't even had a job is difficult in so many ways, some are more chance to really say anything other than a hello to, challenging than others. I embrace challenges, I and other people on the staff. So I just ­­ once we know that ­­ I have both eyes open, we're in the get through with this I'm going to ­­ I've got to get to ACC, Dino did a wonderful job in getting this team the recruits, and I want to get to the players, and I to win games. Every job is difficult, we're in the haven't even talked to the players that are leaving ACC, great coaches, great programs, great and I want to do that. I feel bad that I haven't players. As we discussed, 50% of the national reached out to them yet. championships have come in the last decade from That's another thing that I want to do today the ACC. is to make sure that they know, as with any player I embrace those challenges and that's why who has ever played here, I want to get on the I took the Colorado job, a job that had very little phone and somehow communicate through letter tradition at all and the poor facility, and they're in a or note or on the phone to everybody that's ever great place right now, they're in a great place. played here that my door is always open, that we You talk about player development, for play for the name on the front of the chest and not example, maybe this is an opportunity to talk about for the name on the back. that. We took a player, Alec Burks, who was not a Again, we play and wear that uniform with 5­star guy or a 4­star guy, and in one year became great pride about the tradition that's been here. So freshman of the year in the Big 12 over some we just, through time, will reach out to everybody. great, great high school All­Americans. Led the Big 12 in field goal percentage. So you talk about Q. There are three opponents on the development, I really enjoy teaching the game. schedule because of the nature of basketball, There are a lot of young players in this program, North Carolina, UNC, Duke and N.C. State, are and I'm anxious to get on the court and get workin' those more special or just another game, or with them so they can get better on a daily basis. have you had a chance to think about that yet? JEFF BZDELIK: No, I mean, it's just like Q. Coach, which game of the season Colorado or Air Force, when we played Navy, hey, are you most excited about? Is there one that you know what? That was a big game. I know stands out? that! Colorado, we play Nebraska or Kansas, JEFF BZDELIK: The first game because that's a big game, and I know Carolina, Duke, N.C. that's the first game on the list. It's just like possessions in a basketball game, I want my

Coach Bzdelik – 04.14.10 6 visit our archives at asapsports.com State, those are big games, and those games will come in due time. When we come to those games we know they're big games, there is no question about it. I would be lying to you if I said they're just another game, no they're not; we know that. We all know that. It means so much to so many people for a variety of reasons and we all know those reasons. We embrace that challenge. To me that's the beauty of what we're in this business for, the competitiveness.

Q. Coach you had success at the college and pro levels, how would you describe the difference between the two? JEFF BZDELIK: I don't think there is a whole lot of difference. To me it's about bringing the best in people, developing your players individually and collectively and having a team concept. If you go watch any great college coach who has had great success, or you go watch Coach Popovich or Coach Sloan, who has been another mentor of mine, Coach Riley, why do those people always have success? It's the relationship they have with their players, it's the way they develop their players individually to get better and the way they collectively mold those players together in a system that works for them. And to keep them motivated and moving forward in a team way is a skill set. The skill set might be a little bit different because in the NBA you have more players that are more skilled and more experienced, but to me it comes down to the relationship you have with your player. As Pat Riley would say, there is always an ongoing tension between you and the player, and you always work on that edge right there. If you don't push hard enough they don't get better, if you push too hard then it fractures, so you've got to work the edge and keep it positive and keep them motivated and keep them gettin' better. Keep 'em fresh. Now in college you have that ­­ the other part of it, which I enjoy very much, different than the pro's, and that is to help mentor them as a young person off the court as well in creating opportunities for them.

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