Laura Ann Howard is now in her 18th season as administrative assistant in the Duke Basketball office. She works closely with the Blue Devil assistant coaches, coordinates player autographing, keeps tabs on former players, staff and managers, and delivers smiles at our offices on the fifth floor of the Schwartz-Butters Center. The Roxboro, NC native shares one of her former player in LA’s Corner as part of every issue of Blue Planet.
It only seems like yesterday that Jeff Capel was running up and down the floor of Cameron and stopping by our office for a friendly chat after practice. Now, the NC native is one of the finest young coaches in all of basketball. After four great years leading VCU, Coach Capel has led Oklahoma to 69 wins in three years, two Big Dance bids, and an Elite Eight spot this year. National Player of the Year Blake Griffin just completed a pair of amazing seasons at Oklahoma and will be the first pick in this year’s draft according to all the NBA experts out there! Blake helped Coach Capel’s Sooners win 30 games this year. It has been awesome watching all of Jeff’s coaching success and a special thanks to him for entertaining these questions!!!
We are expecting our second child at the end of May, so our summer is going to be very hectic! Besides recruiting and running our summer camps, we have a vacation planned for August back at the beach in North Carolina.
What made Blake Griffin the best player in the USA?
Blake has the most incredible work ethic of any kid I’ve ever seen. Also, he’s the most driven kid I’ve ever been around . When you match those two things with the gifts he’s been blessed with, its very easy to see why he has been so successful.
What is your favorite family activity?
Waking up every morning and watching Super Why and Clifford the Big Red Dog with my two-year-old daughter, Cameron. She runs in the room, climbs in the bed with me, and we eat pop tarts and have juice. The best part of my day by far!
How do you compare Oklahoma and NC?
There are some similarities between NC and Oklahoma. Both are very laid back places, and both have incredible people. Oklahoma is very flat, and there are not nearly as many trees, and I really miss the beach. But, we really like the people here in Oklahoma, and being a part of this great University.
What do you do to unwind after the season?
That’s an interesting question. My wife tells me I don’t know how to unwind. I try to get away, but that is hard for me to do at times. I’m very passionate about my job and the opportunity I have to help these young people. I do like the Caribbean, the beach, and getting back to NC to visit my family. So, that’s how I unwind.
Tell us something about Oklahoma Basketball that the common fan may not know?
The rich tradition of this program. There have been so many good teams, players, and coaches that have come through this program. I didn’t realize the level of excellence this program has accomplished until I became the coach here.
What is your favorite thing to do when you return to NC?
Just hang out with my family and visit friends.
Another baby girl is on the way for you guys. Are you concerned about the women in your life taking over the house?
I’m not worried one bit about this. The way I look at it, I will always have someone to take care of me!!!
Which former Duke players are you most frequently in touch with?
Grant Hill, Tony Lang, Trajan Langdon, Chris Collins, Wojo, Chris Carrawell, those are the guys I talk to the most. But I keep in touch with a lot of people in the Duke family.
What is the best advice that Coach K has given you?
The best advice Coach has given me is to be myself and trust my instincts. I’ve done that my whole life, but sometimes you need to be reminded of the simple things!
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