I’m excited about the journey to a national championship, that’s what we’ve been missing. I think that we have the tools to do something big like that. We’re going to keep working hard and see what happens. Starting the ACC regular season is the next step and it will be very tough. There are so many great teams in this league.
How do you think you personally have grown since last season?
Well, I think that I’ve definitely become a better leader and especially in the captain role. I think that’s good for our team. I think I need to be a more explosive player.
Have you noticed any changes in the coaching staff since the Olympics?
I would never say Coach’s confidence has ever been down because he’s always positive and he’s had so much success but I think definitely, after winning the Olympics, he really wants to get another one. I think that his passion for doing that has rubbed off on us as well.
Tell us about the Coach K you know that differs from the intense coach everyone sees on ESPN all the time.
I think the one thing about Coach K is that I always take from him is his honesty. He’ll always be truthful with you. He’ll tell you when you’re playing badly, he’ll tell you when you’re playing well. I think that’s the biggest thing in becoming the player that you’re going to be, it’s being truthful to yourself. Not just in basketball but in life — the kind of person you’re going to be. The most important thing is to be truthful with yourself.
What is something specific that Coach K has stressed this season for you in particular?
Well, definitely, I’ve worked on having a bigger ego. Something with all our guys, we really have to understand how good a player each of us is – and can be. So if you think you’re going to be a certain player, which is a good player, it gives you a better start to becoming that player.
How would you describe Coach K’s coaching style?
I’d call him a players’ coach. He’s very personable. He can relate to a lot of things we go through, he’s played the game at the college level and he’s been coaching for 30-40 years or so. Is that right?
Not quite 40… This is his 29th year at Duke.
Well, he’s been doing this for a long time so he’s had a lot of different players, a lot of different men come through here and he’s been through a lot of experiences. He can really relate to anything that we’re going through.
Describe Coach K in three words…
I think the best three words to describe him would be honest, passionate and tough. Not only on himself but tough on us, in a good way, to push us to higher levels, I think. That’s one of his biggest attributes that’s helped me individually.
We are about to start ACC play with the students coming back from winter break. Talk about that.
With ACC teams here or tough non-conference games, there is so much on the line. Anyone who’s been in here or played in a game here understands it gets louder than any stadium that you could ever be in. Just the intensity of all the games we play in here is really high and to me, it’s the best play you can play, in college basketball. And the Cameron Crazies are great — they give us a lot of energy during the games. They like to come up with some kind of new chant or something funny that helps to keep things loose before the games. They’re a lot of fun for us, they’re a lot of fun for the rest of the fans, and our games wouldn’t be the same without them. It will be good to have them back.
Is there a point during a game where you guys talk about a funny chant or something funny you see in the crowd?
Well, before the game, when the away team comes out, they always create something new. Before a big game, you might be nervous or real serious. It’s a pretty serious atmosphere but they lighten it up a little bit with some of the stuff that they say.
You’ve played in a number of other loud and intense environments at this point in your career. What makes Cameron different?
I think that we do our stuff in a classier manner than really anywhere else out there. Some places are pretty tough, pretty tough. We focus more on us. Also, Cameron is more intimate with the students right on the court in a small arena.
How has the team adjusted to the coaching change with Nate and C-Well coming on board?
Well, Nate specifically was on the national championship team, a four-year player — he’s a guy that has been there. He’s been there where we’re trying to go this year. He knows what it takes. Just him being around everyday, not even being a coach, just him being around is so valuable. With C-Well, the same — he didn’t get the national championship but he was on some great teams and they’ve both been through everything that we’re going through. Even Nate played for Coach Collins, Coach Wojo — coaches that we play for today so they’ve gone through everything that we’ve gone through. We can come to them about anything and they can just relate to us a lot.
What are your thoughts on the team’s style of play this year?
I think our style of play is great. Me, individually, I like to play fast. Getting out on the break is something I probably do best and guys like Nolan and Kyle like to play that way too. It’s just something that makes me better and makes them better. Coach likes to play that way and so does really the whole league. It should be an exciting ACC season.
