Arizona Basketball: 2018-19 Wildcats Media Day highlights

Arizona Basketball held their media day highlighted by Coach Sean Miller’s press conference. Here are the highlights.

Media Day! After the first official practice for the revamped Arizona Basketball team, Coach Sean Miller answered questions about the upcoming season. He spoke about everything from his thoughts on the new and returning players, defense, frontcourt, backcourt, and players that have made the transition to the NBA. As Miller has done before, he provided some powerful statements to the media.

This year’s team versus last year’s team has a completely different look and Miller knows that. He knows he has his work cut out for him. But what’s different from this year than last year is that there is a lot of unknowns and each player has the opportunity to step up, earn playing time and have a big impact on the overall success of the team.

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Last season the Wildcats were big on the inside having two 7-footers . This year they don’t have the size and lack the depth up front. Miller will be counting on the experience of Chase Jeter and transfer Ryan Luther to make up for that. They will also need Ira Lee to step up and play a big role to fill the gap on the inside.

The Wildcats have a strong backcourt this season with transfer Justin Coleman, incoming freshman Brandon Williams, and sophomore Alex Barcello. Plus, they have Dylan Smith and Brandon Randolph who can shoot the ball. Combination of experience, skill, and versatility is what this backcourt will bring.

Here are some other highlights mentioned during the press conference:

• “It’s up to us to be better then people of the outside expect us to be.” When asked how he feels about his team’s expectations this season, Miller indicates his team will need to step up to the challenge of not having high expectations his team had last year.
• “A unique combination of new players, not everyone is a freshman”. A brilliant Coach Miller response on how he views his transfers roles this season. Yes, they may be considered freshman because they are new to the team, but the experience and leadership they bring can’t be taught.

• Lee has been through a lot and Miller indicates his staff will be there to support him through this difficult time. “No question he is a young person that has been hit with more in the last three to four months than a lot of people are going to be hit with in their entire lifetime.”
• “Really work and be the best defensive team we can be.” Miller replied when asked about his team’s defense this year. Watching Coach Miller answer this question, he seemed very optimistic this year on how the team will be overall on defense. Not having the size they did last year is a disadvantage, but will open up the opportunity for others to step up to play that “big man” role.
• On William’s role this year, “We were always going to play him in more than one position and that is still the case. He can play the one, two, he can be the part of three guards.” Besides Jeter, Williams will have an immediate impact on this year’s line up.
• Later in the press conference when asked his thoughts on Rawle Alkins and Allonzo Trier, Just like Wildcat fans, Miller was disappointed that Alkins and Trier weren’t drafted. “I would be surprised if they didn’t have any NBA career.” Well said coach, well said!
• Miller also felt like Deandre Ayton is going to take the NBA by storm. Storm, more like a powerful storm. With all the attention he has received of late from Shaq and Joel Embid, expect to see Ayton step up to the plate and prove why he will be one of the best big men in the league.
• Of course, you know it was coming. When asked four times about the upcoming FBI trials on college basketball and what happened last year his response was the same, “You know I made my statement I made a year ago, I would ask you to reflect back on that statement.”
• Towards the end of the press conference, Miller talked about how much the program puts a lot of pride into their strength and conditioning. Their stats and how these young men transform their bodies year after year shows that. This past offseason, he indicated that two players stood out: Emmanuel Akot who benched185lbs 18 times and Luther who broke the record in bench pressing 1851bs, 25 times.
• On Dylan Smith, Miller is happy he’s coming back as an experienced player.

The Wildcaster also interview each of the players during media day and found out everything from who is the best at Fortnite and NBA 2k19 to their favorite places eat in Tucson:

See the full press conference here, Miller mentions that Oregon is the team he is concerned most about, he also mentioned UCLA, USC and almost every team:

Many questions and not too many answers. This is the time of the year as a college basketball fan is the most excited because you are that much closer to see your favorite team back in action, under the lights inside McKale Center. Bear Down Arizona!