WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.799 Richard Smith forty years with the Jazz front office, Smitty. 2 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:06.360 As I sit here watching George Washington, Boise State, and 3 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:11.039 the College Basketball Crown, there are more scouts than actual fans, 4 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:12.839 and so I know, you know what it's like to 5 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:15.080 sit in basically empty arenas and watch a lot of 6 00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:15.919 college basketball. 7 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:19.879 Yeah, I'll tell you what says. When you're in those 8 00:00:19.960 --> 00:00:23.920 kinds of environments, it seems like you're in a vacuum 9 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:28.679 because it's really hard to feel any energy from the games. 10 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:32.560 And I don't know how that translates to the coaches 11 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:34.799 and players when they're actually in the middle of the action. 12 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:38.679 But it's a tough get when you've got a place 13 00:00:38.679 --> 00:00:42.280 at seats twelve or fifteen thousand, and there's two hundred and 14 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:47.079 fifty people scattered around and half of them are you know, 15 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:49.119 a they after because they don't have anything else to do, 16 00:00:49.399 --> 00:00:53.079 you know, So that's a tough gat sometimes, Yeah. 17 00:00:52.759 --> 00:00:55.320 For sure, for sure, But you know, fun to be here, 18 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:58.920 and I always enjoy being around the atmosphere of college basketball. 19 00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:02.159 And we'll start with the the game that took place today. 20 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:03.960 You know, our plan was to be here as long 21 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:06.319 as the utes were and that only lasted one afternoon 22 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.239 and the Butler Bulldogs take care of Utah eighty six 23 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:13.959 to eighty four. So I understand and respect the desire 24 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:16.519 to continue to play. And as I reference Smittie, there's 25 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:21.079 as I was walking past media row, I counted at 26 00:01:21.159 --> 00:01:25.120 least a dozen pro scouts. We've got guys in Knicks 27 00:01:25.159 --> 00:01:28.159 shirts and Sun shirts and there, and they're also a 28 00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:32.359 grip of college you know, assistant coaches and probably college scouts. 29 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:35.840 Now that's probably a thing. So ultimately, you know, it 30 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:38.239 gives these players a chance, you know, maybe a player 31 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:40.959 like a Jake Wallen in a transfer portal situation, or 32 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:44.439 Ezra Asar or lost and lovering to showcase their talents 33 00:01:44.439 --> 00:01:47.040 to other coaches if Alex Jensen isn't interested in bringing 34 00:01:47.079 --> 00:01:49.719 them back next year. So what are your thoughts on 35 00:01:49.799 --> 00:01:52.959 this many little postseason endeavor that Utah basketball just took, 36 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:54.319 just under undertook. 37 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:57.959 Well, it's interesting, you know, it's it's really something that's 38 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:01.599 born out of the nil age that we're in the 39 00:02:01.640 --> 00:02:05.040 middle of right now. For for college athletics. It's really 40 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:09.120 a tournament that's set up to try and buy promoters, 41 00:02:09.560 --> 00:02:13.919 to try and get get players some extra money. At 42 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:16.759 the end of the year. You know, there's like a pool. 43 00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:19.639 I forget how much it is, but but that the 44 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:22.360 winning team is going to get the school gets some 45 00:02:22.439 --> 00:02:24.719 of it, the players get some of it, and it's 46 00:02:24.759 --> 00:02:28.560 really just a money making venture for a promoter, you know, 47 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:31.439 to get college teams who still want to play a 48 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:35.639 game and and listen. It's great for the kids, the players. 49 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:39.479 It's an opportunity for the coaches to have opportunities to 50 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:43.319 have extra practices with their players, to maybe make final 51 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:46.879 assessments on what their roster is going to be going forward. 52 00:02:47.240 --> 00:02:49.960 And then it gives it the school and opportunity to 53 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:53.080 to showcase itself. I know this is all being broadcast 54 00:02:53.240 --> 00:02:56.319 on Fox Sports one network and they're involved in the 55 00:02:56.639 --> 00:02:59.800 in the promotion of it, and and and uh and 56 00:02:59.800 --> 00:03:02.479 and just giving everybody a one last chance to get 57 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:05.080 some to get some money really out of it is 58 00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:07.039 what the end of the day is what it's all about. 59 00:03:07.080 --> 00:03:11.400 And give the players a chance to showcase themselves one 60 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:15.159 more time, whether it's two NBA scouts or European scouts 61 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.039 or some other college coaches that might be looking for 62 00:03:18.520 --> 00:03:22.159 and then il transfer portal kind of guy. So so 63 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:24.840 it serves a lot of a lot of people, a 64 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:26.960 lot on a lot of different levels. 65 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:31.000 Yeah, and the paycheck would have been three hundred j 66 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:33.280 if they were able to go win the thing. And 67 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:35.000 and you're right, a lot of this now, all of 68 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:37.719 it quite frankly, I suppose in college basketball, maybe in 69 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:39.479 life is driven by the almighty dollar. 70 00:03:39.639 --> 00:03:40.879 Maybe you just need to accept that. 71 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:43.680 But I want to move over to the space now, Smitty, 72 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:47.039 of what comes next for Utah basketball, now that this 73 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:50.000 season has ended and Alex Jensen has already been on 74 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:52.280 the job. You know Wes Wilcox to hire that We 75 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:54.800 talked and you were great to give us some insight 76 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:57.520 into who Wes is. Maybe one of the only guests 77 00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:00.000 we could have locally, it actually knows Wes. And of course, 78 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:02.599 of course Raphael Chiles coach Chill as he's going by. 79 00:04:02.759 --> 00:04:06.680 So Alex has been busy, he'll continue to be busy. 80 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:08.800 And Smitty, I want to be clear, I don't know 81 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:10.719 this to be true. It's just what my gut is 82 00:04:10.759 --> 00:04:13.919 telling me. Because a lot of the conversations since Mark 83 00:04:13.960 --> 00:04:17.519 Carlin elected to move on from Craig was okay, you know, 84 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:20.160 Josh Eiler moves his wife and children out to Salt 85 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:24.160 Lake City, and he has twenty years of experience combined 86 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:26.680 with playing and coaching in the Big twelve Conference, which 87 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:29.839 is home for Utah. Now, a player like Ezra A Sar, 88 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:33.040 a player like Keanu DAEs, a player like Jake Kalleen. 89 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:35.519 You know, the conversation has been who will be back 90 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:38.240 that is here right now? And I'm starting to feel 91 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:40.839 like the answer might be nobody, coaches and players that 92 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:44.040 Alex might want that blank canvas to paint his own 93 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:45.160 picture and make. 94 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:47.639 His own creation. What are your thoughts on that? Like 95 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:48.560 I said, I don't know. 96 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:52.040 That's not coming from any place of sourcing or inside information. 97 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:54.560 That's just me talking out loud. Tell me what you think. 98 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:57.959 Well, I would think that at least with the current 99 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:01.439 coaching staff, that Alex and We'll take a look at 100 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:04.439 that and see what makes sense to them. If there's 101 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:08.279 anybody on the existing staff either that they have relationships 102 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:12.000 with or that have a particular niche in the game 103 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:15.360 that they think can serve the program going forward, if 104 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:18.319 there's somebody on that staff that's really known as a 105 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:22.680 defensive wizard and they feel can help them, you know, 106 00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:26.399 with that part of the growing the program. Then that 107 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:28.639 would be someone that they would I would think they 108 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:31.920 would lease it down and talk with. There'll be a 109 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:34.519 lot of people coming at alex I'm sure there already 110 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:37.920 has been guys who are either out of jobs or 111 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:41.040 guys who are trying to transition from one job to 112 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:45.759 the next, you know. Couge basketball nowadays, you know, withy 113 00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:49.560 with few exceptions, seems to be a very fluid situation 114 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:53.480 on all levels, whether it's the coaching staff, whether it's 115 00:05:53.519 --> 00:05:56.600 the players, whether it's the people that you have and 116 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:00.399 your support staff. And so they're gonna look to try 117 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:03.399 and get the best people possible. I'm sure there's people 118 00:06:03.480 --> 00:06:07.079 on that staff now UH that that that are doing 119 00:06:07.079 --> 00:06:10.360 an excellent job. You know, look, I think Craig Smith 120 00:06:10.439 --> 00:06:13.959 and his group UH are were very good coaches. I 121 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:16.680 think Craig Smith is a is an excellent coach. He's 122 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:19.279 shown that before. You know, their their issue in the 123 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:22.839 last few years has just been and not having enough 124 00:06:22.839 --> 00:06:25.480 horses to be able to run with the with the 125 00:06:25.480 --> 00:06:27.759 rest of the group when you're talking about getting into 126 00:06:27.800 --> 00:06:30.920 the uh UH the Big twelve, especially even the Pac twelve. 127 00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:34.439 The US has been a mediocre, you know, middling team 128 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:37.759 in in a very good PAC twelve conference before that, 129 00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:41.720 So they're their real concern is going to be who 130 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:45.680 can we get as players that can really help to 131 00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:50.480 elevate the program in that regard. That's what they're going 132 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:54.439 to be looking at their current Utah players that could 133 00:06:54.439 --> 00:06:57.519 serve in that role. I think there are there are some, 134 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.720 but it's gonna be something with it trying to piece 135 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:04.360 together a team, a group that makes sense to them. 136 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:06.959 They got to look at, you know, their backcourt and 137 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:09.120 who their ball handlers are going to be. They got 138 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:10.839 to look and see, if you know, if there are 139 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:14.759 shooting wings that are available that that they can go after. 140 00:07:15.480 --> 00:07:18.560 I have no idea, haven't heard anything about, you know, 141 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:22.279 what the current situation is relative to high school recruiting, 142 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:25.079 if the U has any high school recruits that are 143 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:27.639 already committed to coming in, or if they have, if 144 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:31.439 they've if they've backed off commit So so, all that 145 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:34.959 that thing is is a broad canvas for Alex and 146 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:38.040 Wes and and the rest of the group as they 147 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:41.000 try and formulate that and try and figure out where 148 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:42.920 they're going to get players. It's going to be top 149 00:07:43.639 --> 00:07:46.079 at this stage of the game. I would think to 150 00:07:46.120 --> 00:07:49.920 put any kind of a group together going forward for 151 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:53.759 at least next year. That's going to make any sense 152 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:57.480 in terms of being highly competitive, you know, very quickly. 153 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:00.279 So that's going to be the challenge for them is 154 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:03.879 trying to identify guys that they think might be able 155 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:06.120 to help them immediately. 156 00:08:07.399 --> 00:08:10.519 Yeah, it's interesting when you and all of this could 157 00:08:10.600 --> 00:08:13.759 change because of the landscape of this sport and players 158 00:08:13.800 --> 00:08:16.240 coming and going and changing their minds and decommitting. 159 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:19.560 But Houston is loaded. Of course this year. 160 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:21.800 They're a final four team, and when you look at 161 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:24.120 who they could have coming back. We'll wait on some 162 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:27.800 of their player decisions. In addition to what their recruiting 163 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:30.319 class is thought to be per the ESPN one fifty, 164 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:34.799 they're going to be stacked. Kansas has right now one 165 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:36.879 of the top three recruiting classes in the country. 166 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:39.639 Arizona, you know they'll lose Caleb Love. 167 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:42.360 You look at the Big twelve landscape and we'll get 168 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:45.279 to BYU in a moment. I don't know what to 169 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:48.639 expect from Utah basketball next year for two reasons. One 170 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:52.159 Nice outlined the difficulty of filling up a roster in 171 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:54.639 time for next fall that actually looks like it can 172 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:57.080 compete with the best teams of the Big Twelve. And 173 00:08:57.120 --> 00:08:59.039 the other is the best teams of the Big twelve 174 00:08:59.080 --> 00:09:00.799 are only going to get better or and a team 175 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:02.879 like Kansas who had a down year will be back, 176 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:06.240 So it is impossible to analyze who they will be 177 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:08.720 year one under Alex. But I wanted to ask you, Smitty, 178 00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:10.759 and the course of your career. I think one of 179 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:12.799 the coolest things, at least from my vantage point, that 180 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:17.600 you experienced is watching great coaches put together great teams 181 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:20.840 then lead those great teams to great heights Jerry Sloan, 182 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:24.120 Quinn Snyder, among others. And you know I was talking 183 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:27.679 about this with Seon Mooney, who stopped by last segment. 184 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:30.600 As far as the staff that Alex will build and 185 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:34.440 the type of communication structure he will encourage and inspire. 186 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:36.559 And in a lot of rooms that I've been in 187 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:39.519 in pro basketball, the best leaders that I've seen on 188 00:09:39.559 --> 00:09:46.080 the personnel side, like at Dennis Lindsay, encourages conversation, encourages debate, 189 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:48.759 right Like you were in rooms with Dennis for years 190 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:51.200 and he'll point to you and say, Smitty, I want 191 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:52.600 to know what you think, Like, what's the deal? 192 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:52.879 Right? 193 00:09:53.240 --> 00:09:55.320 So what sort of communication structure. 194 00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:57.559 Knowing Alex the way that you do, would you think 195 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:00.440 he'll put in place with you know, of course he's 196 00:10:00.440 --> 00:10:03.159 the head coach and Wes Wilcox, the general manager, reports 197 00:10:03.159 --> 00:10:05.039 to him. It's a different dynamic than it is in 198 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:08.600 pro basketball, and then allow his assistant coaches. But Alex 199 00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:10.519 doesn't strike me as the type of guy that will 200 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:14.039 say this is this is a monolith. Okay, like I'm 201 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:16.679 the guy, you have to listen to my ideas. He 202 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:20.159 he strikes me more of like a collaborator with his 203 00:10:20.360 --> 00:10:21.879 staff once he has that in place. 204 00:10:21.960 --> 00:10:23.879 Is that kind of driving with your understanding of who 205 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:24.200 he is? 206 00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:27.840 Yeah, well that's that's who he is. He's a uh 207 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:32.600 you know, Alex is a thinker and he's he's someone 208 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:37.159 very thoughtful person, someone who's going to analyze the situation. 209 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:42.759 You know, he's more of a studier if that if 210 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:45.120 that's the right term to use of of what's going 211 00:10:45.159 --> 00:10:49.679 on and trying to analyze the situation and then trying 212 00:10:49.720 --> 00:10:53.840 to gather information from all different aspects, you know, before 213 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:58.120 making a decision. Remember he was he worked for one 214 00:10:58.120 --> 00:11:02.000 of the best coaches ever and Rick Mjerriff. You know 215 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:05.600 who and and and Rick was. Wash was very much, 216 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:07.679 you know, the man on the top of the mountain, 217 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:10.759 and he was he was the guy who directed everything 218 00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:14.440 and he demanded excellence. And that's what That's what alex 219 00:11:14.600 --> 00:11:17.720 Is has been used to now only as a player 220 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:21.200 at Utah under at Rick Mgeris, but then working with 221 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:24.559 them at Saint Louis University as an assistant coach, so 222 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:27.519 he knows he knows what it takes in terms of 223 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:31.279 the uh, the x's and o's, but also in relation 224 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:36.080 to making sure that everybody who's involved understands that they 225 00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:38.759 have to have all of their bases covered and they 226 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:42.000 have to have everything on the page so that they 227 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:45.559 know that what they're trying to get get done going 228 00:11:45.639 --> 00:11:50.159 forward makes sense based on all of the circumstances that 229 00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:52.840 are at hand. And so to do that, you have 230 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:55.399 to rely on the staff. You have to rely on 231 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:59.200 people who have a different viewpoint and a different perspective. 232 00:11:59.720 --> 00:12:03.440 Ali you know, has that kind of personality where he's 233 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:07.360 gonna listen and he's gonna take in what other guys 234 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:09.720 are saying, and then he's gonna be able to he's 235 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:12.799 gonna be able to transfer that onto the floor in 236 00:12:12.919 --> 00:12:15.960 terms of educating the players and training the players to 237 00:12:16.039 --> 00:12:19.200 play the way they want. So it's gonna he's gonna 238 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:21.840 have a staff that's gonna have that kind of an 239 00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:25.120 approach and that kind of a mindset, and they're gonna 240 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:28.559 need that right out of the shoot because again, they're 241 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:32.279 gonna have players whoever they end up with come next 242 00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:35.840 October on the on the practice floor. They're gonna be 243 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:40.080 guys from all over the place, and so coordinating them, 244 00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:43.240 getting them all on the same page and making sure 245 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:46.559 everybody's headed in the same direction is really gonna be 246 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:49.960 a major task for the group that they're gonna have there. 247 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:54.519 So what is the what's the selling points, Maddy? Because 248 00:12:55.320 --> 00:12:58.159 this will be brick by brick, and if they return 249 00:12:58.360 --> 00:13:02.799 zero players and zero coaches, which I will continue to reiterate, 250 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:05.519 I do not know if that's the deal, then this 251 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:07.480 will be. 252 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:08.320 There's not even a foundation. Lake. 253 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:10.879 You have to lay the foundation, and you know, the 254 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:14.480 Jazz oftentimes will talk about, you know, this whole idea 255 00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:17.120 that they're not rebuilding, they've actually been tearing down so 256 00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:19.960 they can rebuild, which I think is beyond silly. But 257 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:23.039 you've got to put a foundation in place. So if 258 00:13:23.080 --> 00:13:26.080 you're Alex Jensen, if you're Rafael Chilius, if you're Wes Wilcox, 259 00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:28.759 and you're talking to talented players, because as you always 260 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:32.399 remind us, there's no such thing, not Jerry Sloan, not 261 00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:35.120 pat Riley, not Phil Jackson, there's no such thing as 262 00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:38.039 a great head coach who simply didn't have great players. 263 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:40.840 So as Alex and coach Chill and West and they're 264 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:43.240 they're hitting the road, what do they say, What's what's 265 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:46.039 the selling point to get these young men to consider 266 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:49.080 playing for University of Utah program that has not been 267 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:51.919 a destination in basketball, if we're frank for over a 268 00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:52.720 generation now. 269 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:57.120 Well a couple of levels. One is they're going to 270 00:13:57.240 --> 00:14:00.399 lean on the history of the University of Utah a 271 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:03.559 basketball program, and they're gonna lean on what it has 272 00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:08.039 been and how it's how it's been built up over 273 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:12.159 the years, going back to Arnie Ferron in the forties 274 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:15.840 and and UH coach Gardner in the in the fifties 275 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:19.000 and sixties, and and with Jerry Pim in the eighties 276 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:21.759 and and UH and Rick Jeers. They're gonna they're gonna 277 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.080 lean on a lot of that to say this is 278 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:27.519 what what we're capable of doing. We need to have 279 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:30.679 the horses to come into the stable to help us 280 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:33.480 do that. You're one of the guys we want to 281 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:36.919 bring in to help, you know, resurrect that. Okay, So 282 00:14:37.000 --> 00:14:39.720 that's gonna be one approach and the other the other 283 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:44.120 level is gonna be leaning on their own experience and 284 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:46.720 what they've been through. Alex is gonna be able to 285 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:49.600 talk about, this is how we did it when I 286 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:52.519 was a player at Utah, This is how we did 287 00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:55.279 it when I was the D League Coach of the 288 00:14:55.360 --> 00:15:00.279 Year in Canton, uh uh when he started and in 289 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:03.159 this NBA track of working in the G League for 290 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:05.039 a couple of years. This is how we did it 291 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:08.759 when I was with the Jazz and working with Donovan 292 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:11.960 Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, and this is how we set 293 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:16.639 things up. Wes Wilcox has all of that experience, having 294 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:19.519 been in a lot of different levels, including being a 295 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:23.279 GM of an NBA team for several years. So they'll 296 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:27.559 be able to talk from the perspective and advantage point 297 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:32.039 of having had that experience of knowing what it takes 298 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:36.120 because they've been there, They've been on the battlefield. They've 299 00:15:36.279 --> 00:15:39.320 known what it takes to do it, and they've shown 300 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:43.159 that they have the ability to do that as a 301 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:47.000 head coach, as an administrator, and we want you to 302 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:50.799 be part of what we're trying to put together here. 303 00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:53.679 And when we do that and we have that rolling, 304 00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:57.559 we're going to be on the same level as Kansas. 305 00:15:57.639 --> 00:16:00.320 We're going to be on the same level as Arizona. 306 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:03.360 We're gonna be on the same level as a BYU, 307 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:07.440 which has a very good program now and it's shown 308 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:09.919 that they're that they're in it for the long haul 309 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.240 in terms of competing in the upper level of the 310 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:16.320 of the Big twelve, and so uh that's those are 311 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:18.799 gonna be the selling points that they'll have to make 312 00:16:18.919 --> 00:16:22.639 with recruits. And then you're gonna find some players who 313 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:25.159 are gonna say, hey, if I go to Utah, I 314 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:29.279 can be one of the main guys right away. You know, 315 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.559 I don't have to come in like maybe at a 316 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:35.399 Kansas or maybe at an Arizona, where maybe I have 317 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:38.919 to sit behind someone or have to battle someone for 318 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:42.679 playing time or that kind of thing. They they can 319 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:45.320 sell the idea that you're gonna come in and you're 320 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:48.559 gonna be one of our guys right away. And and 321 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:52.200 for some players that's a big deal because they feel like, Hey, 322 00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:54.960 I'm just as good as the other guys at those 323 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:58.519 other schools, and so Utah is gonna give me a 324 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:01.759 chance to get on the floor and play twenty five, 325 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:05.519 twenty eight, thirty two minutes, whatever it is, and show 326 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:08.079 what I can do and also show that I can 327 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:12.920 compete for that program against these other schools. And so 328 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:15.480 those are going to be the things that they're going 329 00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:18.039 to use as some of their main selling points when 330 00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:20.440 they get out on the road and start trying to 331 00:17:20.839 --> 00:17:23.279 trying to get in the homes of guys to see 332 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:25.319 if they can get them to come to Salt Lake City. 333 00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:28.960 Let's move over now. Richard Smith is our guest. 334 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:31.160 The show is live on the road in Las Vegas 335 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:35.319 at the MGM Grand Arena. The MGM Garden Grand Arena. 336 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:36.319 Shout out to the sponsor. 337 00:17:36.359 --> 00:17:37.039 Let's get it right. 338 00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:40.759 We got Boise State and George Washington Game two going 339 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:43.400 on right now. The Utah men's basketball season came to 340 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:46.720 a close at the hands of the Butler Bulldogs. 341 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:48.720 Earlier today eighty six eighty four. 342 00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:52.759 So, Smitty, since you and I last spoke the BYU 343 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:58.160 Cougars ran into a buzza namely Mark Mark Sears in 344 00:17:58.200 --> 00:18:01.359 the Alabama Crimson Tide, and you know, let's talk about. 345 00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:01.839 The game for a moment. 346 00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:03.519 Then we'll get to the news that you know, Cannon 347 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:07.240 Catching's four star kid transfer portal, and you know the 348 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:10.119 decision that Yegor Demon has to make. And you know, 349 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:14.200 before the game, the one number that hit me right 350 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:17.039 in the face as I was doing some prep and reading, 351 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:18.839 you know, as far as what these teams do well 352 00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:22.319 and where they struggle. BYU two hundred and thirtieth in 353 00:18:22.359 --> 00:18:25.119 the country at Guardian the three and Alabama one of 354 00:18:25.160 --> 00:18:26.359 the better teams in the SEC. 355 00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:28.440 At Guardian the three. They were not a. 356 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:33.000 Physical Houston type defensive basketball team. So you give Alabama 357 00:18:33.079 --> 00:18:35.519 a lot of credit for simply knocking down shots. And 358 00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:38.400 the Sears kids sat a personal best making ten threes, 359 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:41.440 and they broke the NCAA record held for a number 360 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:43.839 of years from that great loyal team that Los Hank 361 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:44.799 Gathers and had Bo. 362 00:18:44.839 --> 00:18:48.039 Kimball former Nick so Yes. 363 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:50.839 Alabama made a lot of shots, but I thought defensively 364 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:54.039 BYU on the perimeter really showed why that three point 365 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:56.640 percentage number is one of the worst in college basketball. 366 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.200 So what did you make about BYU's run of the 367 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:02.160 Sweet sixteen and the way they got trounced by Alabama. 368 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:04.920 Well, they just they just ran enter the team. They 369 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:08.880 had a historic night. I mean, there's that's the first 370 00:19:08.920 --> 00:19:13.799 thing that glad to me. They Alabama took fifty was 371 00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:17.960 a fifty two fifty two threes in that game, and 372 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:22.319 they only took fifteen two point shots, So you know, 373 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:25.079 it was it was such a disparity and where their 374 00:19:25.079 --> 00:19:28.119 shots were coming from. But you're taking the shots and 375 00:19:28.119 --> 00:19:31.480 when you're making them, you getting the flow. And when 376 00:19:31.480 --> 00:19:33.880 you're getting the flow like they were in you know 377 00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:38.279 that that's just that's just a big downhill slide that 378 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:43.039 is hard for any defensive team to put a stop to. 379 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:47.240 Alabama just had it going that night, and that's you know, 380 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:50.359 you gotta tip your hat to them. Alabama's a better team. 381 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:53.640 They're better team than BYU. So BYU was gonna have 382 00:19:53.720 --> 00:19:57.559 to have the kind of night that Alabama had shooting 383 00:19:57.640 --> 00:19:59.759 the ball if they were going to have a chance 384 00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:02.839 to in that game, in my opinion, and they didn't 385 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:06.119 have that. Alabama at it and UH and so you know, 386 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:08.799 b YU just showed you know that that they were 387 00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:12.880 they were just outclassed in that game, and they had 388 00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:15.880 a you know, you have to sometimes you just come 389 00:20:15.880 --> 00:20:18.240 back to the locker room. You just you just tip 390 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:20.240 your hat to the other guy and said they were better. 391 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:22.599 And that's that's the way it was. And then you 392 00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:24.319 try and figure out what you can do. But the 393 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:26.720 one thing you don't want to do as a program 394 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:31.720 is overreact to a singular game. Now, now, a week 395 00:20:32.039 --> 00:20:35.759 or so earlier, UH b YU had been manhandled in 396 00:20:35.799 --> 00:20:40.720 a different way by Houston, which is a terrific, suffocating 397 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:44.119 defensive team, and they showed that that b YU has 398 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:48.079 to be a more physical defensive team, UH for a 399 00:20:48.119 --> 00:20:51.599 physical team going forward. And so those are the things 400 00:20:51.640 --> 00:20:54.599 that that Kevin Young and his staff can take and 401 00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:58.759