Billy Donovan Press Conference Quotes
Monday, January 12, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Head coach Billy Donovan held his weekly press conference on Monday and addressed a variety of topics related to the team, as well as looking ahead to Thursday evening's game vs. Auburn.
On what has made Dorian Finney-Smith a more consistent player over the last month…
I think he performs and plays better when he is challenged. It was kind of a catch-22 with him last year. The one thing that I really respect about him is that he is really about as ultimate of a team guy that I have ever coached and been around. He is very much more concerned about the team than himself, and I think last year coming off the bench was one of those things where he wanted to fit in, and he did have a good year for us, and did play a substantial amount of minutes coming off the bench and had some veteran guys around him that helped, but he was never one of those guys that wanted to inject himself and do more. He never wanted to hurt chemistry, and at times last year we needed him to do more. I am not so sure if he ever felt comfortable, that giving [him] more and doing more would have been the best thing for our team. He has always been a pass first guy and an unselfish player. He has a good feel and knows how to play the game. I think this year there has been more pressure placed on him from me to be a little more aggressive and to do more, and he has done that and I think that is the one encouraging part, at least so far. I am a little hesitant to say he has it all figured out and resolved, but I think if you look at last year and the droughts, in terms of shooting percentages and consistency, it was so up-and-down . We started out this year a little bit like that, and now as you mentioned, he has put together a stretch here where he has been a lot more consistent. Now, whether he can do that for the remainder of the season remains to be seen. He has never done it before, even for this amount of time where he has put together consistent games. That has not been his M.O. since he has been in college, and hopefully he has taken a step in the right direction to doing more of that.
On what has gone into Finney-Smith's improved three-point shooting…
He can be at times what I would consider a lazy shooter. There are times when he doesn't follow through, there are times when he's a little off-balance and sometimes his legs aren't under him. [I'm] trying to get him to be a consistent guy, in terms of his reps that he gets up to the basket, that it's a good consistent rep where he shoots the ball in a fashion and in a way that gives [the ball] the best chance to go in. I think his focus to detail on that has been much better this year than it has been in the past, and it needs to continue – that needs to continue. I think the one thing about Dorian is he is not a guy that takes a lot of bad shots. He'll actually pass up some shots that you could see him taking for ball movement or player movement or getting someone else a shot, and I have always admired that about him, and I love that in him, in terms that you are never talking to him about team, never. He is totally a total team guy, but he has got to be consistent. I think if there is one word with him it is consistency in everything, consistency shooting the basketball, consistency in practice, consistency everywhere.
On defending Auburn's guard-oriented style of play…
[Auburn] is going to play a certain style of play and I think anytime you have a new coach coming in there is going to be some time and transition that those kids are going to go through. Bruce [Pearl] has got a system and a style that has been very effective and very successful. He is going to play a certain way. [K.T.] Harrell last year was one of the leading scorers in the country. [Cinmeon] Bowers is a tremendous rebounder and scorer from the front court. Some of those guys are back from last year and some of those guys are new. Obviously, [Antoine] Mason was a phenomenal scorer at Niagara and maybe has been a little unhealthy to start the season, and now he is maybe shaping into form there, so I think this is a team under Bruce that will continue to get better and grow.
Is Jon Horford back at practice today?
Yes, he is back. We have had some good conversations. As I mentioned, before the Mississippi State game he was lifted off his suspension and I think one of the things that Jon wants to do is in a lot of ways change his approach. When you're dealing with a fifth-year senior and a guy that really cares like he cares, you can get very, very self-consumed and self-absorbed about how you're being affected and impacted with everything. He needs to be part of our team, and he needs to provide to our team whatever he can provide. I think for him taking some time to digest and evaluate and figure where he can help was probably the reason why we both agreed that it would be better that he didn't play against Mississippi State. We have got a little bit more time on the front end this week because we play on Thursday to kind of get him back in practice and get him doing those things. Jon is a very diligent worker, so I think even the week that he has been out he has been in the gym shooting and working and doing some of those things. So, he'll get back with us and practice with us today. We had some individual workouts this morning and he was there for those, so as far as I am concerned he served his penalty and it's over and done with, and we move forward.
On asking players for input on suspensions to teammates…
One thing I always try to do as a coach when it comes to disciplinary situations and those things, is I never try to put that responsibility off onto the players. Like, 'What do you guys want to do? How do you guys want to handle it?' I think in any team situation in order to be a really good team, there has got to be a lot of forgiveness because none of us are perfect and we make mistakes, and maybe do things we wish we could've taken back. So, that will be important to our team as we move forward with him and that area. Certainly I have reached out with our guys in practice that there needs to be conversations with Jon taking place to try to help him there, but also for the guys to express how they feel. I think through communication, through dialogue, through actually expressing what you're actually going through for both Jon and our team only brings them closer together. Personally, I like a lot of confrontation on our team. I think sometimes people think confrontation is yelling and screaming back and forth at each other, and that's not it. Jon's behavior at times [wasn't like] an egregious, unbelievable thing, but it was just disruptive and detrimental to our team and he didn't need to be doing some of those things. Our guys being able to confront that problem is a good thing, rather than taking the easy way out and saying 'No, no everything is fine,” but, deep down inside you may still be harboring some feelings. That to me is the confrontation part that needs to take place in the team. Now, I think our guys will do that, and it doesn't need to be a yelling and screaming match, but it needs to be a confrontation of this is what I experienced and this is what I felt. I think Jon talking and being able to forgive and move on will help our team become a closer team through those situations.
On Michael Frazier's health…
Well, we didn't practice yesterday, but he [Michael Frazier] was feeling better. The doctor put him on an antibiotic. You know, he really couldn't really talk very much on Saturday and clearly he was not himself. I thought he looked really emotionally and physically drained from being ill. He missed two days of practice. He didn't practice at all, we just got him in some work during shoot around. You know, I didn't know what I'd get out of him. Michael's a tough kid. He's a guy that for the most part, he'll play injured. He got those stitches against Wake Forest and he came right back in. He's not a guy that enjoys sitting out. So you knew he was going to give his best effort to try and play in the game against Mississippi State, but clearly he was not himself. And I think the strep throat and the upper respiratory infection had a lot to do with that.
On coaching a point guard [Kasey Hill] who doesn't shoot the ball particularly well…
Well, I think for Kasey [Hill] and I together, it's a great opportunity for the both of us to grow. As you mentioned, the Erving Walkers, Scottie Wilbekins and different guys we've had, [Anthony] Roberson. We've always had guys back there who can really always stretch the defense. But it's a great opportunity for the both of us to grow because there's things that I can do to help him in those situations and there's things that he can do to help himself. Like Doe Doe [Dorian Finney-Smith], I'd say Kasey is a really good team guy. He always puts the team first. I've always, the same thing with Doe Doe, admired that about him. But there are things that I can help him with that he needs to see as well. Just because he's not this prolific three-point shooter, there are still ways and things that we can do inside of our offense to help him be effective and be a guy that plays to his identity in terms of his speed and quickness in getting into the lane. I think for Kasey, he did this a little bit against Mississippi State, I've got a lot of confidence in him when he takes 15-foot pull-up jump shots. That's a shot that he normally makes and I feel pretty good about him shooting that shot. For him, it's not like he's this prolific three-point shooter, but Kasey has had some games where he has scored. He has scored some points. He has never really been wrapped up in scoring but he's got the ability to do it and I think when people back off of him or give him that, I think he can still make good choices and decisions that can help our team.
On whether Kasey Hill can become a three-point shooter…
I think any time a player, the longer he's here on this planet, he's going to get better. He's just going to get better through his work. He's going to get better. The word 'prolific three-pointer shooter,' I don't think he'll be a prolific three-point shooter but he can get better at it. You know, he can get better. He can improve and I think it's our responsibility as coaches to help him get better and help him improve in those areas. Where he positions himself, where he catches the ball, how he attacks defenses, there are different things he can do to offset some of that stuff and I think that some of that stuff he is learning and getting better at. But I think he'll get better at shooting. I can't tell you that he's going to be Lee Humphrey.
On the outside expectations placed on Chris Walker…
The thing that I think is really hard for players, not just our players, all players. You know, I remember this with Udonis Haslem like it was yesterday. Udonis had an incredible role in our program right from day one. He was a starter, he was a low post scorer, he could do a lot of different things. There are certain things that a player has in college that does not translate up to the NBA. And Udonis has had a very, very long career in the NBA, but he plays totally different than he had to play here. He was able to dominate the paint. In the NBA, he's not able to dominate the paint like that so he's got to do other things. I remember because we had signed Kwame Brown at one point and while Kwame Brown was here and everybody was talking about him being a top-5 pick. And Udonis Haslem is like, 'a top-5 pick? If he's in the top-5 then maybe I can get picked in the top-30.' But it doesn't work like that. Chris Walker at the next level, I think when people see that, they're looking at production equals NBA player. And it doesn't work like that. A lot of it is these guys fitting into a box in terms of arm length, height, athleticism and those kind of things. So when people sit there and hear that all of a sudden someone is a first round draft pick or a guy's a pro.
People's normal reaction is, 'This guy should just be dominating because if he's not dominating in college, how can he play in the NBA?' And I think for Chris [Walker], Chris is not being evaluated on that. People use the word potential. Eventually potential runs out and then you've got to perform and you have to play. But that's why I think in the NBA they call it the lottery. Because that's what you're doing. You're taking a ticket and hoping you hit the lottery. So in a lot of ways, that has nothing to do with anything. People looking at upside, length, athleticism, running, jumping and those kind of things, that maybe he's being evaluated on. And I think because he did not play last year, because there was so much hype, it's impossible for him to live up to anybody's expectations.
Personally, I've been really proud of his growth. Now, I've got to do a better job to get him to understand how to do a better job of playing in and around the basket. Because he's got to be doing a better job of finishing plays around the basket, and I've got to do a better job of coaching that. I've tried to but I'm not getting through like I need to get through. And I've got to do a better job of helping him right now because he needs to be more efficient down there with his length and his athleticism, his size and those kind of things. But I don't think in my opinion, where Chris Walker was a year ago, to where he is now is night and day. But I can't and Chris can't have somebody's expectations be through the roof and then evaluate him and say 'Well he's not reaching, or he's not living up to these expectations,' because it's almost like the longer it is out of sight, out of mind, the more the legend grows.
I'm a lot better player today than I was when I actually played. It just kind of happens when you're out of sight. For Chris, that's what happened. You have these unrealistic expectations that people have placed on him. I've said from day one, and I know you guys thought, he's just downplaying this, and I'm not downplaying anything. I told you guys what it was. It's not Chris' fault. He is who he is. He's got to get better, he's got to improve, but he's worked hard, he's getting better, he is improving as I have seen growth. Is there things that I want to see him do better? Obviously, yeah. There are things I want to see our whole entire team doing better, but he's trying to get better. He's a good kid, he's a team guy but the expectation part for him was very unrealistic for him.
On Chris Walker's endurance compared to past Gators like Joakim Noah…
I would say this. When you get up there and you play up there, the best front court players that I've had that have made the transition to the NBA and have had really good success have had an unbelievable threshold for cardio-vascular pain. Joakim Noah was a freak of nature when it came to running through fatigue. He never gave in. [Udonis] Haslem, [Matt] Bonner, David Lee, those guys were freaks of nature in terms of their cardio-vascular toughness. Guys like Marreese Speights struggled with that at times, but he was so gifted offensively. Chris [Walker] has these spurts but he's got to get better at playing and sustaining intensity for longer periods of time. And that starts in practice. I'm on him all the time, like when he gets tired, he doesn't quite run the floor as hard and I'm on him. 'Chris you've got to push through, you're not getting better when you don't push through. You have to push through.' That to be honest with you has been part of the reason why his minutes were somewhat down and he hasn't played more. Because when he does get tired, there are times when he doesn't execute and do the things we need him to do. I think he is getting better. You know, [he played] 16 minutes in the first half against South Carolina was above his season average, so that's a big part of it there. As you mentioned it, his cardio-vascular endurance and toughness and those things have got to get better.
On ways Chris Walker can improve…
I think that's an area that he's learning and he's getting better at, too. I'm not so sure facing him up is the best thing for him or our team just based on some of the things that we've seen. I actually think Chris can shoot the ball fairly decently when he catches it and he can just turn, square and shoot, but when he starts putting the ball on the floor, that opens up a whole different set of problems for everybody. So he is not bad on the baseline catching and shooting. He can make that shot. The more dribbles he takes, the more he tries to take a situation and take a simple move and make it into something very complicated, that becomes difficult for him. And like I said earlier, I've got to do a better job of helping him.
On Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl…
For me as a coach, I always look at it in terms of the team we're getting ready to play against or whatever it is. I think the one thing [head coach] Bruce [Pearl] has done a really good job of even when he was at Tennessee was promoting basketball, promoting Tennessee, and I think everybody's different in terms of how they deal with those kinds of things. I think probably for people that are looking for some excitement, some enthusiasm, he's a guy that brings I think a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. But for me as a coach, you're always kind of trying to get prepared for the game and what we need to do. I'm sure he's doing the same thing as well. I think he's good for the league because he's had a lot of success at Tennessee, he's had a lot of success in this league. He's a very, very good basketball coach. I'm happy for him that he is back in coaching because I think there was a time when all that stuff came to an end for him at Tennessee, that he wasn't really sure he wanted to go back in to coach. And I'm sure he had some time to reflect and spend time with his family and he was doing a lot of different TV stuff and he and I had talked a little bit before he took the job there at Auburn. He felt really good about their commitment and what they wanted to do and what he thought he could do to help the program, so I think all the way around probably at this point in time in his life this is a good step for him and a good place for him to be.
On scouting Auburn…
Well, I think the misconception on that a lot is they play very, very fast, but once they get to half court they do a very, very good job of executing, so in a lot of situations the shot clock's going to get down to 10, 12 seconds in a lot of ways because they're going to run their offense, run their offense, then they're going to get into whatever kind of action they want to get into at that point in time. So I think for them, the look of them playing fast, I mean, we play fast too. But when you're playing against other teams in this league and it's a level of familiarity and teams get back in transition, a lot of times there's longer possessions because the defenses are good at the half court and I think Bruce [Pearl]'s teams have always been very, very comfortable having very, very long possessions, so you know missed shots, made baskets, you've certainly got to get back, got to balance the floor because I think every team, not only Bruce's team, but every team is looking to attack and push the ball in transition. They're going to be very, very efficient at the half court.
On Zach Hodskins' status…
He's going to be back with us, too.
On Dorian Finney-Smith's versatility…
He's able to do that. The one thing I think I said after the game, you know, Dorian on offense is such a good mover. He's got such a good feel. You know he's one of those guys where, like if I asked Brandone Francis or if I asked Devin Robinson or Chris Chiozza, freshmen, what does the five man do on this play? They'd have no idea. Doe Doe's one of those guys where, Jake [Kurtz]'s the same way. I think immediately, we're in timeout and we're in foul trouble and I think 'Jake, you've got to play the two spot here. And I could run any play and he knows exactly what he's doing. Doe-doe's the same way. He's just got a very, very tremendous knack and very gifted basketball I.Q. to understand everything and play everywhere and I think that's what makes him so versatile.
