It's time for Coffee and Company, fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven nine day. Now here's Nick Coffee.
All right, let's get it started hour number two here on a Thursday afternoon, as we come to you live from Charlotte to the ACC basketball tip off. Currently Pat Kelsey wrap it up his live television segment, I believe, I assume that's on the ACC Network Extra, maybe on the ACC Network itself, so he will be over here shortly.
But again we're here for the next couple of hours, taking you up until six o'clock, and you know, very heavy basketball today on the show as far as just you know, us being here and we're gonna talk to coach Kelsey coming up in just a minute. But I do want to remind you that on Saturday, we've got you covered for all your game day coverage for Louisville football. Pregame show will start at two thirty with kickoff being
at three thirty. We'll go for an hour. It's the Louisville Football Pregame Show, hosted by my self, Nick Coffee, and it is sponsored by Jefferson Animal Hospital as well as Pella Windows and Doors of Central Kentucky. And I'm anxious isn't the right word. I don't really know what word to use to describe sort of how I'm feeling about the postgame show. Obviously, you never know what you're going to be reacting to until you get a result, and with the show starting quite literally as soon as
the game ends. Sometimes I start those shows kind of processing live on air, like you know how I feel.
Sometimes it's pretty easy, like sometimes you know, these game these shows will start, and I knew that Louisville was gonna end up winning big because you know, it was Jacksonville State, it was Austin p But then you know, you have these last two weeks where you're watching it till the very end, and you know, I mean, the Notre Dame game one was was was really just I mean I was almost speechless, just because you still were there with a chance to win. You were super close,
and yet you know, you came up short. And then with SMU, even if they would have been able to hold on to win, we would have to give them some credit for, you know, finding a way to win again and being able to overcome the mistakes that they had made. But you know, they didn't win, and It
was just a really disappointing you know. I think we went from being kind of stunned frustrated against Notre Dame to really disappointed and having to realize that at that point in the season that this team has already taken some l's that have really adjusted probably what expectations are for most fans. And now you've got Virginia where you are supposed to win. I mean, let's be real, there's
really not a ton to gain here. I mean, you do, I mean, what you're gaining is you're avoiding a three game losing streak, and you are, you know, getting a second win in conference play. But you know, it's what you're supposed to do. Virginia, make no mistake about it. Despite their four and one, despite their four and one start, this is still a game that Louisville on paper, is supposed to win and should win. And I hope that
that's the case. But if in fact that's not what ends up happening, the post game show will certainly be interesting on Saturday, and we'll have it for you again, so as soon as it ends, as soon as the game is over, we will go live right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. It's the Louisville Football postgame Show presented by Alex Rwhite, Lawyer's suit Distracted driver dot Com. So you know we'll see I mean, are you Are you with me on Saturday?
John? I am with you on Saturday?
Yes, yeah, I mean it was a very interesting vibe last week. And I wasn't with you for the Notre Dame game because of Louder than Life. But yeah, I can't imagine it being worse than what I was here for. But apparently it was based on what you were saying it was.
It was something and hopefully we can we can avoid that on Saturday. But joining us now, Coach Kelsey here at acc tip off. Yeah, I just grabbed the headset. There, We're good to go. It's up coach. How we doing?
Hey?
Nick?
How are you buddy?
I'm doing well, man. I appreciate you making time for us. And then you've got a lot of interviews to be doing today. I'll ask just a few of them. Yeah, I mean it's NonStop. You go straight from live television to hear do you do you?
And Joy?
This is a coach? Or does it seem like you know work? I'm sure what you do every day is a lot of work, but it's probably something you love. Is this something you love? You can be honest, Yeah, I actually do. Okay, I mean, obviously I believe you.
At this point of our season, like where we're at, like my mind is at the Keeper Center, My mind is on recruiting. My mind. You know, there's a lot of things going on. So obviously when you prioritize as a coach, this might not be the number one thing that I would have on my list for today. But doing these interviews, selling our program, promoting Louisville basketball, I enjoy those things. Well, some coaches may say it's a
little bit of a necessary evil. I don't feel that way, whether it's being on campus and throwing T shirts out to students or doing interviews or speaking engagements. I mean, I'm a human being and I only have so much bandwidth and can't buy, locate and be two places at once. But it is aspects of the job that I do enjoy.
Well, it's good that you because it's very important. I mean, those things definitely matter your first year in the ACC. I know you guys have had spring meetings and whatnot. How familiar are you with the coaches in this league. I know, the coaching world is kind of like a fraternity. Are you familiar with a lot of these guys everybody?
Yeah? And I think we have a group of coaches that are as good or better than any conference in the country. I have the utmost respect for the level of programs and coaching in the ACC.
Now, before we get to your personnel this year, let's talk about this schedule. Really challenging in the non conference slate and of course a lot of really tough ACC games. As a coach, are you someone that wants to have a challenging non conference schedule every year, regardless of your personnel. Are you somebody that's more so going to, you know, schedule based on what you have coming back. I mean, it's tough to know what your roster's going to look
like this day and age. But when you see this non conference schedule, I mean a lot of big opportunities, but certainly challenging.
Yeah. I think when it all was said and done and it came out, you looked at it and its totality, it was like, holy cow, one of.
The toughest I've seen at Louisville. Maybe ever sparse non conference.
It's probably the toughest non conference schedule in the country for sure.
At this point.
It's the advantage of no choice, is what I like to say, is the way to look at it. Yeah, and the silver lining would be, you know, obviously we're gonna be battle tested by the time we get to the guts of the ACC season like no other program there sure isn't going to have gonna be any questions about any quad one type games or anything like that, like there is with some teams when it comes to their resume with the NCAA tournament. But I think it's
obviously very challenging. Our fan base is obviously excited about it, and all we can do anything about is tomorrow's practice at three pm. So can't worry about the game on January something or December something or November something. It's just let's just get better tomorrow.
Coach bet Kelsey's our guest joining us here live at the ACC basketball tip off here in Charlotte. Obviously a brand new roster for you, and you talked about this a few times since you got to Louisville that at Charleston, you guys were already having to adjust to the new world of losing players to the portal and having to go out and fill those spots. Very unique situation here where you have really almost an entirely new roster. I know you brought some guys with you from Charleston, but
how has practice men? I know you guys have been working out for quite some time, but how is it as a coach to know that the majority of the guys you're going to be utilizing. You know, I'm sure you're acclimated at this point, but these are guys you've never coached before.
Oh yeah, like you said, it's been a while now, June fifth now.
So it doesn't feel new anymore.
No good.
And you know I really felt from when we first started our workouts in early June, it was a connected group. It was a group that picked stuff up very quickly, a group that connected off the floor very quickly.
So and it's a.
Veteran group, right, They've logged a ton of minutes, they've had a lot of success, they've won a lot of games at the Division one level, at a high level of Division one. And you know, it was an easier kind of process than I thought it was going to be for the group to come together. The advantage of having the ten additional days of practice because of the Bahamas trip was very helpful, which allowed us to get
in mid season mode. For about ten days. We were able to play against another opponent, which was nice, even though they weren't the best teams in the world. We played against two other teams, so our guys were able to kind of feel how it is in the game setting. We did some preparation, and then you know, the fall practices have been awesome in the last two weeks or so since full practices start. I love where this team's trending.
When I look at your personnel and you know I'm not in practice every day, I feel like you definitely wanted to emphasize shooting, versatility, experience, as you mentioned these guys who played a lot of basketball. But what I hear more than anything from anybody who has watched you guys play, and even watching you playing the Bahamas, is the ability to shoot the ball. You know, you got
to make shots and games. You guys haven't played a game yet, But is it crazy to say this could be one of the best shooting teams that you've coached or the best? I mean, is that a stretch.
I don't know. I haven't thought of it in that respect. You know, I think it's definitely a team that has skill. We have a lot of guys on the floor that can dribble, pass, and shoot. Whether it's one of the best shooting teams I've ever coached, I think it's way, way too early to say, but we have a lot of people that a lot of guys that can put the ball in the basket.
Obviously, So from a leadership standpoint, You've got a lot of guys on this roster that have been leaders elsewhere. Is it Is it collective? Are you guys that have kind of emerged?
Yeah, you know, I've been asked that question about leadership, and I really think, you know, it comes from a lot of guys in different ways. You know, some guys are more vocal, some guys are more lead by example guys. But we got a team and a roster full of guys that are about.
The right things.
You know, we talk about elite results, right, which is what we want to do. We want to be the best version of ourself that we can be, And I think it starts with leadership that drives your culture, that drives your behavior. And that gets your results. And if it's backwards, you got bad leadership, then you're gonna have bad culture, you're gonna have bad behavior, and you're gonn to get bad results. So they've done nothing but prove to me that they're the guys that I thought they were.
We recruited them by how they've gone about their business. My message resonates in the locker room and is echoed by our guys, which you know you got great leadership when guys are selling your message when they're not around you.
What's it like to see a group of mostly veterans, guys who played a lot of college basketball and one freshman. I know you talked about Canai and they're in the press conference. That's a that's a very unusual situation to see that. But from from what I can gather, it seems like he really embraces that as a young guy who wants to compete and get better, and it seems like the older guys seem to really really you know, look after him and try to make him better.
Yeah, I think like Canai and James, Although James sus heck doesn't want to be called a freshman because he's not he's a sophomore, but he was a very very young freshman last year. So to quote younger guys on our team and Canai and James both have kind of old souls. They're they're they're very mature for their grade level or their age level. Both are extremely mature in their approach.
They're both gym guys.
They're both high basketball IQ guys. They both love to watch film. They ask a lot of questions. They're the type of guys you have to tell them something once and they got it. I told the story and there in the press conference, how can I almost got offend it early on when I was kind of, you know, holding his hand and saying an eye on this set, you need to come here, and he looked at me. He's like, come on, coach.
I got it.
And that's going to make you feel good, right, Yeah, yeah, I love that.
So you have those older veteran guys that really are grizzled veterans, some of them are twenty three, twenty four years old, and then you have these younger guys that are you know, that have those veteran qualities, which is which is a blessing for a coach.
A couple more questions for you head to your next stop. I know you've got a lot of just endless interviews going on today. We certainly appreciate you making time for us. When it comes to recruiting, I know you can't talk about specific recruits, but you know you're in a position now where you have the ability to use the portal to build your roster. But obviously you're always going to
recruit high school kids. Have you found yourself maybe a rusting when you pull the trigger and say, hey, we really want to put all of our focus on this this incoming freshman because we think he's that special. I mean, maybe it depends on what the class looks like. But now that it's there are two different ways to build your roster. It wasn't like that a few years ago when you were coaching. How have you maybe made any adjustments as a coach when it comes to that, Yeah, you know.
I do think like with freshmen, like you can really really focus on certain.
Guys and go all in.
And if for some reason you would miss on a certain kid for whatever reason, whether he picks another school or he becomes you know, too expensive, based on kind of like the the you know, his nil type stuff. Then you know you have that, you know you have that safety net by being able to go into the portal and you know, add some guys with experience and veteran guys that that that can supplement your roster and make you older and more mature and things like we
have this year. So our staff's killing it. I love where we're at from a recruiting standpoint. We're on the right guys, and how things fall into place over the next several months in terms of the freshmen that we're recruiting, will dictate, you know, our approach to the portal come apron.
So I got to ask you this, and I'm sure you're not going to give us a direct answer, and I understand, But when it comes to lineups and whatnot, I mean, how many may have to give me a number, But do you feel like there's you know, a variety of different combinations you can put on the floor, Maybe not to play different styles necessarily, but just you know, you've got a roster where I feel like the bulk of them in any moment could give you big minutes
if needed, if the matchup was there, if somebody's out or whatnot. I mean when it comes to personnel, like, there's a lot you can do.
I think, so you know, I mentioned experience, you know, and I think versatility. Depth and versatility would be another word to describe one of the big strengths of our team. There are a lot of different kind of you know, lineups that we could put together that brings certain to the table. I feel really really good going very deep
into our roster and getting production from from everybody. So you know, we're still in that process where over these next several weeks, I mean, we still have three and a half weeks or so till our first game, official game. We have two exhibitions obviously, you know, roles are going to continue to be defined as we go through over the next three weeks, and we've always been that way.
We want practice to be cauldron of competition where guys are always pushing each other and it'll be interesting to see where the pieces fall into place three and a half weeks from now.
Well, coach, I know you got to run to do your next interview. I appreciate you making time for us, and we'll see you when the season gets rolling. Thanks Nick, Thanks coach. All right, that's Pat Kelsey joining us live here from acc tip off in Charlotte, as we're just gosh, it's crazy to think we're that close to college hoops getting started. Man, it's good stuff and good stuff there from coach. And if you just now happened to hop in the car, you join us a little bit later.
We'll have this up as a separate podcast a little bit later on. But yes, I mean, just when it comes to the personnel conversation we had there in regards to what he can do, you know, what kind of you know, lineups and whatnot. And I don't feel like I got the you know, I was gonna ask him to tell me essentially who the lineup's like. If I wanted to ask, hey, if this was the type of matchup, if you're playing this team, what personnel grouping would you
use this and that? And you know, that would be a terrible question, and he probably wouldn't give me the answer because he's probably still trying to figure that out. He's probably trying to figure out the answer just said question. But there's no doubt about it when you look at this this group on paper, and you know, when you say on paper, it's still it's still indicates that you. You have to wait and see how it all works out, how it all looks, you know, when it matters when
you're playing in a real game. But you know, veteran, veteran leadership, just veteran presence. You know, that word veteran was mentioned quite a bit there during our conversation with coach Kelsey, and to me, that makes you not as worried about you know, will have to wait and see.
I mean, some of these guys that have come to play for Louisville this year that are on this roster, in fact, many of them have had prominent roles with really good programs or programs that are considered considered mid majors. But you know, one thing that hasn't gotten brought up that at least haven't mentioned in a while when talking about this roster is that nearly all of them are coming from programs that won that that you know, they
had a winning culture. Maybe it wasn't going to a Final four or winning national championships, but they they're used to winning, right They that's something they're familiar with, right and if that can be the culture in Louisville with all these guys by an end, you know, I don't think there's as big of a question mark as far as how it all works, because I don't think you're necessarily questioning the ability of these guys. I think more than anything, you'd be questioning, you know, how to make
the pieces all fit together. And clearly that's what Coach Kelsey and his staff have been working on, you know, since since he got here, since the roster was put together. He was pretty quick to tell. And I think that's just kind of his nature of being somebody that very high energy, you know. I mean, the guy ever stops working, I mean never, and if he does get tired, I
don't think you'll ever see it. But you know, they the majority of this roster's been in place for for many many months now and nothing, I don't think anything feels new, and that's refreshing to hear, not to go back to the previous regime or anything like that. But you know, there's little things that like I am excited about that I take notice to as a loisvill fan myself, that that, you know, makes me feel, you know, pretty good about where things are going to be in year one.
But you know it's more so just because that wasn't that wasn't in place previously. All right, all right, we've got Chucky Hepburn joining us here on the show. From Coach Kelsey to Chucky Hepburn. Chucky, how are we doing? Brother? Appreciate you, Appreciate you making time for us. How's this day been for you? Man? A lot of talking, a lot of probably the same questions. Do you enjoy it or do you dread it? You can be honest.
Yeah, honestly, I've been to two Meedia days already at Wisconsin and I've had fun.
I've had fun today.
You know, I've had some good laughs, you know, some good conversations with people.
So yeah, I'm excited about this one.
One of the questions I as coach, I'll ask you. You know, you played at Wisconsin the last couple of years and now you're here at Louisville taking advantage of the portal. But you are with all new players and it's not just you're joining a group that was already put together. You guys, are most of you all coming from from different programs. How do you feel as far as how things have gotten acclimated because this is you know, the portals made it to where there's a lot of
movement going on. But this is a different scenario here with as many new pieces as you guys have.
Yeah, you have a great coach of players, coach leading the charge, and then you just have a good group of guys who just want to win, you know all who they care about us winning and taking that next step to bringing Louisville basketball back. So when you got guys like down the team and who just care about winning and want to do whatever it takes to win, it's really easy to play with.
You know, it's fun.
We went down to the Bahamas and you know, we got a little glimpse of what we could actually be, and you know, I believe that we're gonna be a really good team.
So when you are running the show, there is the point guard. I mean, do you feel as if you've got you know, at any moment, anybody on the floor, you could find them spotting up and they can. I mean, you guys, clearly that's one of the strengths of your
team is being able to shoot the ball. But as somebody who's a facilitator also a shooter yourself, I mean, it's got it's gotta be good for you to know that, you know, if you can make a play, you can probably find one, two, maybe three guys that can knock it down at any moment.
Yeah, that's what that's what's exciting about this team one through five.
You know we could stretch the floor. You know, that's what exciting.
You know, I didn't shoot the best of my last year that I shot like thirty two percent, but i shot forty percent the year before. And I'm very feeling, very confidable about my jump shot this this upcoming year.
So you know, I've been putting the work we all have.
You know, we all been putting the word to be able to get shots up, and you know, we trust each other to be able to knock those shots down. So and I trust my guy, my teammates to be able to knock the shots down when I find them and make plays for them.
So, you guys have a ton of shooters. I know we've said that. It's it's well known that it's going to be on the scouting report for every team that plays you guys, But who would you say, in practice and workouts since you guys have all been together, has shot at the best?
Ran Smith?
He answered that within I mean, it did not take him any time to answer that question at all. Yeah, I'm the hype is real. Yeah, I mean the proof is there. He was a great shooter Charleston. But everybody says Rain Smith.
Yeah, I'm in the shooting groups. You know, there's times he doesn't even miss. You know, he probably goes five percent in a shooting workout. And you know, just to be able to witness damn like, it makes me better as a shooter because I'm witnessing somebody who does the same routine, the same thing every time. So it helps me be able to get that routine of doing the
same thing, same, the same thing every time. And you know I just gained that that that routine and you know it's just the automatic.
You may have answered that question any quicker than any question I've ever asked anybody. But that's what everybody says. Rain Smith can fly out.
Night, but do not sleep on no waterman because he can shoot the ball really well too. I believe that's some somebody I'm very excited about playing with, you know, finding finding him and opening an open opportunity to be able to knock that shot down.
You know, he shoot I think I think.
Like sixty percent transition last year at BYU from three point.
So you know that's an easy assist for you, right, just get it right there.
Absolutely. You know, I'm very excited to play with him as well.
Chuckie, Hepburn's joining us here live at the ACC basketball tip off, your coach who just joined us you know before, because we're getting to know him here as well. He's he's new to Louisville, I mean, not really new anymore, but high energy, always on, never stops working. That was what a lot of folks who have known coach Kelsey for many years, those who have covered him, those who have played for him. Is that check out? It is all that accurate.
Yeah, what whatever you see about him on social media, he's like that in person. He does he sleep no. I genuinely do not think he sleeps well. You know, he's up up all night watch your film. You know, I've heard that when he first got the job here, he didn't sleep for a whole week.
You know, I believe just sleep.
He was probably just staying in the in the Cubit center where we practiced that, you know, just trying to find dudes, you know, And that's what he did a really good job with that, you know, he hasn't really rested a lot. And you know, I bet that the Bahama's trip was really good for him because he was able to play games. But then after after we got done playing, I bet he was able to kind of take some time and relax.
If he ever does get tired, he certainly he certainly does not show it. A couple more questions for you, Chucky from Omaha, Right, so Omaha, and then you spend some time at Wisconsin. How have you adjusted to Louisville the city, not only not just the school of the program, but what do you make of the derby?
Say?
Yeah, Omaha, alright, Louisville kind of reminds me of Omaha. It gives me some Omaha advice a little bit. You know, you got Crane downtown. You know, Louisville's right downtown or near it. You know, just just like the people are nice, you know, very outgoing.
You know.
The only thing different is Louisville is very very very very passionate about the basketball, very very passionate.
And I've never seen anything like it.
And I'm very excited to go play for fans that that cherished basketball.
All Right, I'm not going to put you in a tough spot. I was going to ask you, what what about Louisville? You know, could they improve on? But I won't put you in a tough spot because you're not, because you're you know, You're You're you know.
I'm still trying to But.
What do you what would you say? Maybe you missed most about omahall from or at.
Home, Omaha, just being around family, you know, makes sense.
I've missed my family, talk to them about every week, So I think that's the only thing i'd say I miss you know, yeah, that's only that we Chuckie.
I appreciate you making time for us. Best of luck this season. Thank you, and we'll be seeing you soon. Let's get a quick break out of the way. We will come back here on the other side and hopefully chat with Jevon Hadley. It's coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's as we come to you live from Charlotte here for the acc tip off. That's right, it's coffee and company fueled by Thornton's here on a Sports Talk seven ninety.
Appreciate you hanging out with us. Don't forget you can listen live on the iHeartRadio app also listen live at seven ninety Louisville dot com. We're now joined by Javon Hadley, one of the members of Pat Kelsey's first team here at Louisville, and Javonicus. I'll ask you the same question that I've asked Chucky and Coach Kelsey as a player, and you could be honest with me. I think both those guys were honest, But I don't really know for sure. Is this something you enjoy? Do you dread it? Is
it fun a little? Is it maybe maybe all those things combined?
This is fun?
Okay.
I mean that's as genuine as it comes. Just from my last year. This is the place that I really want to be. I mean after coaches, you know, held true to everything that he said on the phone, you know, in the when I was in the portal. You know, he was the by far the most passionate coach that called me most energetic. I mean, I had turned the volume down a little bit when he was he was calling me like he's trying to do the phone.
And and he's never off. It's it's it's the same, like you know, I've everybody said that as soon as he was we knew in Louisville he was going to be the guy those who didn't know him had familiarity with him. That he's just so high energy and he's always on and I don't think he's ever I don't think he's ever been off. So is that hard to match? Though? As a player, like knowing that, you know, it's a player, you got expectations, you gotta you got to bring that kind of energy every day.
Yeah, And I mean that's what comes with the leadership a little bit. I mean he's the he's the top leader, he's our head coach. But at the same time, it's a typically in today's age, you know, the player led programs are you know, typically the better ones. But obviously we're ran by you know, head coach back Kelsey. And he's done a great job with his energy pass it. I mean we feed off of it.
You know.
I've said that in you almost every interview today. I mean we feed off his energy. And that's as true as it comes. You know, every day in practice, like he's running in the gym, like and then we're all running up and down his eye line.
Now, like we just feed off his energy.
You may have just answered my next question. But I was gonna ask because I saw this in the Bahamas with you guys. I feel like you all were a reflection of him on the floor, meaning you could think, you know, the way you guys were playing, your energy, your effort, it was you could look at the guy on the sideline and think, Okay, that's clearly where they
get it from. But that sounds like that's exactly what you just said when it comes to the recruitment process for you, and I want to talk about your whole story here just a minute, but when you were deciding where you were going to spend your last year, talk me through that process a little bit. You know, you were somebody that at least US fans knew Louisville was
in on. But it seemed to me like it went pretty quickly that you your mind was made up pretty quickly that you wanted to come play for Pat Kelsey Louisville.
Yeah.
I mean the portal is obviously a crazy place to be in, especially you know, being the college basketball player.
Uh.
You know, you have call you have calls, texts, DMS, all types of antytypes of contact they're going to contact to you. And it's not just the head coaches, all types of coaches. So I mean it's a crazy, crazy experience. But like I said on a little bit earlier, I mean he was the most by far, the most passionate, energetic coach that called me.
He told me, it's playing.
He told me to plan for Louisville to you know, the revival, to bring Louisville back. And who wouldn't want to play for a head coach with that much pass and energy and as well as the rest of his staff and then just the community in general, Like who wouldn't want to bring back a basketball rich history back to you know, the revival, back to Louisville.
So that was a selling point for him throughout the process.
I would say, So yeah, I mean who wouldn't want to play for?
It's got to make fans feel good because yeah, as you likely know, things haven't been as great here lately, but still a program with a lot of tradition and a lot of resources to have success and here's to hope and you guys can can certainly do that this year. So I mentioned Javon's story, most people who were super excited to see you join this roster and give Pat Kelsey a commitment. They went back and watched highlights at Colorado.
Obviously you had a big impact for them there, but they may not know that that was your third stop in college. So was it junior college then North Northeastern? Yeah, yeah, so you basically did a bounce back of JUCO. So let's just go back to when you were at Northeastern for a year and you were deciding to go the JUCO round. Imagine telling you then that you'd be in this position. I mean, it's it's a journey for.
You, right Yeah.
I don't know what I would if I would have known that, if I'll be here right now. I don't know about a smile. I don't know, like what to expect if I do, right, Yeah.
I would have it.
Yeah, But at the same time, I mean Northeastern coming out of high school, being highly recruited, you know, one of the best ending the state. One of those type of guys to go to Northeastern and have it not work out for you, you know, whatever whatever the turns may be.
You know, older guys COVID you know, eligibility like whatever it may be.
You know, just having that the growth and maturity is what I kind of just wanted to deprive myself on to know that I wasn't ready for the Division one level ultimately, and to go to, you know, a junior college and learn about myself and grow and mature and grind and you know, junior college is a grind.
It's not for the week. It's not for the week at all.
And you got to get comfortable being uncomfortable, right right, And.
That's that's literally what hey coach steel like tell me to this day, Like, you have to be uncomfortable being uncomfortable.
Where do you think you you know, did you or you somebody that broke through a little later than maybe others. Obviously you were a highly recruited guy coming out of Minneapolis, played with some great players. But where do you feel like you kind of took off throughout this journey to where obviously you were making a big impact in the Pac twelve for Colorado and now you know you're you're
gonna have a big role here at Louisville. Was there a certain moment post your first stop at at at Northeastern that you feel like you really kind of blossomed into being the player you are today.
Yeah, I was a junior college honestly, that's that's where that's really where I found myself and you know, kind of just became like a different like animal.
Like you had to live in the gym, right else to do?
There's nothing else to do literally in Iowa. You know, not no knock on Iowa at all.
Shout Indian Hills.
Yes, out of Indian Hills Community College. Yeah, that's no knock at all.
But yeah, yeah, So when it comes to all of your new teammates here, it sounds like everybody's gott acclimated with each other pretty well when it comes to like lineups, and Coach Kelsey's obviously not gonna give me any kind of an insight into what what you guys are gonna do. From personality point, he's probably still trying to figure out You guys got a lot of practice before you get
to your actual game. But is it safe to say that when it comes to like different groupings you could see on the floor, like it seems like it's almost endless, like you guys could play a lot of different styles with a lot of different players, for sure.
I mean a lot of people are going to look at our roster and now see a traditional five man either.
I mean, we have a lot of fours, threes, two ones.
But we don't have a traditional the bulb of the rosters could all be either two through four. It seems like.
Yeah.
So, I mean we have a lot of depth. And that's one of the things that coach Causey has prided you know, recruitment on is having a lot of depth. You got to be deep to make a deep run in the tournament.
So with you as a player, I feel like just looking at you know, your career at Colorado specifically, you were somebody that did a little bit of everything. Is that is that safe to say? Kind of a jack of all trades, somebody who can you know, if you need me to go get a boards, I'll go do it. You need me to be more of a factor scoring, I can do it.
You know.
Obviously defense is something you're you're big on. I mean it's my assessment fair as far as your game, yes.
Sir, Yeah, I mean anything to coach asks me to do, I'm gonna go out there and you know, try to my best to do it. Like like you said, tells me to go grab ten boys, I'm gonna go out there and you know, take them from everybody. You know, I'm just that type of guy, and you know, that's what I probe myself wanted. I know that, you know, people that I've trusted closely. I told me, like, that's what That's what it takes to be professional. And that's what I want to do when I grow up, is be
a professional. You know, whether no matter where that that's at, I want to be professional my aspect of the game.
Shavon Hadley's our guests joining us here on Sports Talk seven ninety So. Born in Minneapolis, had a few stops before you ended up here in Louisville. What let's go back in time. If somebody mentioned Louisville, Kentucky to you, not even just basketball the program, when you were you know, eighteen years old, what would it come to mind for you? Did you have any familiarity with the city at all. I would say that Kentucky Derby makes sense, that's what we're known for.
Yeah, I would say that for sir. But I mean also the you know, the red history of basketball. I mean, when I was younger, Louisville was also like obviously one of the you know, the top the top dogs, and you know, right there along when you know, do Kentucky the other blue bloods.
So I mean, just like having I don't know what.
I would if I had told myself that I'll be at Louisville, you know, one of the arguably the blue bloods, Like, I don't know what I would do, honestly.
All right, more question for you. So when it comes to being out in front of the fans at Louisville Live this past week, I mean, that's just a little bit of what you're gonna see when you guys are I mean, you guys get a couple of really big home games in the early slate of the season. Is that some of you guys talk about as teammates as far as just understanding that, you know, you've got a chance to play in front of a big crowd and a fan base that is so hungry for Louisville basketball
to get to get back to where they belong. I'm assuming that excites you and your teammates this year.
Yeah, for sure.
I Mean we all come from different winning programs, but nothing like the KS the Young Center. I mean, it's a you walk into gym, you walk in that arena, and you see you know, you look up and it's never ending, like there's gonna be twenty two thousand in there. You know, we appreciate and you know, we appreciate everyone that comes out, you know, and everybody that supports us, because none of that would happen without any of the
support that we have from everybody. But at the same time, we know that like we have to perform at the same time for you guys to come and watch and enjoy your so so we understand the role that it comes with that as well.
Well.
Javon, I appreciate you making time for us.
Thank you.
Y know, it's a very busy day, a lot of talking, but certainly appreciate you making time. Of course, that's the luckless season that Jevon Hadley joining us here live at acc tip off here in Charlotte. Some good stuff there, and we need to go ahead and get our actually we got a little bit of time, but we have to go to uh to our last break here in the four o'clock hour, and yeah, a very heavy basketball
hour here, which is awesome. I know, uh, you know, for me as a fan myself, you know, I can just tell you first and I'm sure it came across when talking to both Chucky and Javon. Obviously, you know Coach Kelsey, you know these everybody's got a job to do. But with Coach Kelsey, I feel like he's more as you could expect, focused on, you know, making sure his guys are ready to play, making sure that this team comes out and they that they're competitive and they win games.
That's that's that's the name of the game. That is the job. But with those two players specifically, you know, as somebody who has been a Louisville basketball fan my whole life, I've covered the team and I was telling Javon this during during the break there, and you know, first of all, him calling me sir makes me feel old, but like you know, that's that that happens now, he's an old he's an old guy in college basketball and
he calls me sir. But you know, I was telling him just how long I've been, you know, covering the team, and you know that I've been a fan my whole life, and you know, to see that these guys are happy to be here, not just because you know of an anil deal. And I'm sure that was a factor of him getting here, getting in them here. Trust me, I'm not trying to say that that doesn't matter at all, but like they, you know, louis basketball has gone through
a really rough stretch. And you know, really after Patino, there was a few years there where things were in a good place and then that quickly kind of started to fade a little bit, and then there was a global pandemic. In fact, really the global pandemic is when it kind of all started. But you know, since then we're talking, I mean, this will be the fifth season since that, since all since all that happened, and Louisville basketball has been in a you know, we all know.
I don't need to tell you, and I hate saying it over and over, but it's just true. Louisvill basketball has been in a really rough spot, a place that we never thought we'd be in. And yet these guys, you know, they're here not only because you know, they value Louisville the brand and what it. You know, what you get when you were a part of a program like this, but they are energized on bringing this fan base kind of back to life, and they already are as far as you know, being excited showing up to
events like Louisville Live, supporting with nil. I mean that matters in a major way, and clearly fans have done that, and you know these guys appreciate it. But you know, I don't know, just I'm kind of in my feels a little bit here as a fan because you know, it'll be a different level when you actually watch this
team play in real games against really good opponents. I mean, I'm not even I can't even give you any kind of a of a feel for what I expect to happen when they play Tennessee in their second regular season game. But if they are able to win that, again easier
said than done. Can you imagine what this fan base is going to be like when it comes to basketball, because yes, as we all know, winning games like that, I mean, had Tennessee's a top twenty, top fifteen caliber teams, So I don't care who you are, those are always viewed as good, solid wins that have value, even if it's what you're supposed to do, even if you are
the favorite. So that's where we once were, but we have been We've not been that in a long time, and we have been in fact, I feel like a billion miles away from that. So that adds to The excitement for me doesn't mean I'm like, if Loleiville makes the tournament this year, I mean I'm gonna be It'll probably be the most excited I've ever been about Louisville making making UNSTAA tournament. And it won't mean that that's the new expectation and that's just the bar and that's
what we do. But you know, the recency does in fact matter, and I think we all know it. Some are afraid to say it. I don't hear it as much, but I remember, you know, I think it was the sadder Field era or even the beginning of Mac Like when when when Chris Mack in his first year. You know, they were kind of going through you know, it was
I think they were head of schedule. But if you remember, they beat Michigan State tom Mezo, they went and beat North Carolina on the road, gave Roy Williams his worst loss ever at a game in the Dean Dome. You know, those are things that always, you know, feel great as a basketball fan when your team can do it, and you're not totally stunned when you do it overall, but because it was new, because you you know it, I'm just rambling here. But I was traumatized by the last
two years, as every other fan was. So there's gonna be little things that I'm probably just gonna have to at times hit pause. Maybe John, you maybe we can come up with some kind of like sound bite that's like the warning where Nick is losing his mind because you know, they covered the spread against one of the worst teams in the country. But those are the small victories we didn't used to have, John.
Yeah, And did I know you just interviewed all three of those guys, Pat Kelsey and the two players. But was this the first time since the hiring of Pat Kelsey that all this really felt real to you?
Oh?
Yeah, moving into this new basketball regime.
Absolutely, I mean I felt good about things really since you know, he he couldn't have done better in his presser when he got the job as far as not you know, as far as just delivering and bringing the energy that was infectious. But also and I think this really mattered. I mean I shouldn't say I wasn't going in saying, hey, he better do this, he better do this,
he better say that. But I will tell you him reading the room was a big deal to me as far as understanding, like, hey, I'm aware that you know they were talking to Dusty May. You know, he's aware that Scott Drew was somebody that fans were clamoring for and he he didn't run from that. He he leaned into it. And you know that that made it seem as if, Okay, this guy is very appreciative of the job that he has and he's either going to win here and have a lot of success or he's going
to die trying. This is not going to be somebody that isn't going to give it. I mean, he's he's not comfortable right, meaning like he's he's constantly working, and with him having this job at Louisville, I mean, it's a big step up from where he was. So that was a good sign for me. And then it comes down to can you assemble that, you know, can you go get players, because that matters just as much as anything, and you know, on paper and from what I saw
in the Bahamas, he did that. He went out and put together a team that I think fans are justified and being really really excited about. I know, I'm a broken record because you do have to kind of wait and see what it looks like whenever you do get
into real games. But as I talked about a little bit earlier, although that is certainly still the case, it's I just don't have as much worry about you ended up finding out that all these guys are not what you thought they were, because again, the majority of them have played a lot of college basketball, some of them at a really high level. I mean Chucky, Hepburn, who we just talked to. I mean John, you're familiar with him.
He was a Wisconsin for a couple of years, and you know he was a big factor in what they did. So you know, I'm not sitting there thinking, Okay, we'll see if this guy's any good. I think we know he's good and we know what he's good at. So again, it all working together, putting the puzzle pieces together. That's part of the challenge. But you know, I think many coaches have shown they can do that, and I think coach Kelsey it seems confident that he's going to be
able to do it as well. All right, let's get to our last break here in the four o'clock hour. Don't forget we're taking you up until six o'clock. Live here at the acc tip off here in Charlotte on Sports Talk seven ninety. Final segment here in the four o'clock hour Coffee and Company fueled by Thornton's on Sports Talk seven ninety. You know, from from what I've gathered, and I know it's still you know, a big, a big talking point nationally. Is this this hurricane Milton is
you know, one of the worst we've ever seen. Uh, it certainly sounds like. But I have I have found myself all over this story of the guy that they're referring to as Lieutenant Dan who really blew up on TikTok because he lives on a boat. Uh and he you know, in the water, and he's in Tampa, and he has ignored multiple warnings from the Tampa police to leave his vessel, all while a category for storm remains
on track to you know, smash where he is. I mean just I mean it's they're they're they're telling people to evacuate you know, the region, and this guy won't leave the water in Tampa, which is you know, is crazy. But he goes by Lieutenant Dan his real name is Joseph Melanowski, and he's told people he's gonna he's gonna stay on his sailboat. Uh and and he he apparently this is this is where it made TMZ here recently, because he yeah, let me back up just a second.
Here.
It all started on TikTok. There's a guy named Tampa Terrence, who is a big TikToker, who is the one who randomly just decided to, you know, figure out who this guys walk up on him and interview him. And of course, you know, Lieutenant Dan delivered. I mean, he's got he's got one leg, he's he's you know, he's he's I mean, looks. We'll put it this way. I'm gonna try to be as politically correct and respectful as possible. He looks like he's lived a life, if you if you know what
I'm saying. But the chief of Tampa Police, Lee Burkhall, apparently told a representative I guess at TMZ that they that they told him that that that they he said he was going to leave. But then people who are following as this on their own, I guess you know these independent uh you know, journalists or whatever. I mean,
they're not really journalists, they're just TikTokers. They they're you know, they're getting out on the water themselves before this big storm hits and going out there to see if he's still there, and sure enough, this is the video that's probably it's probably get more views on TikTok than any video that has been published in the last two days
because here you are. You see this boat just kind of like, you know, when the storm hadn't really picked up yet as of when they were getting this video, and he's kind of, you know, the boat's kind of like wavering. They're going out there to see is he still there? Is he still out there? And sure enough, he just pops up out of the boat and you know,
won't leave. So I don't know where it is now, but apparently Tampa police have have you know, have said that if he does not leave, then they'll have to come back and forcibly remove him and you know, make him evacuate, which then it turned into where do they actually have the legal right to do that? Which I don't. I don't think they do, not that I'm an expert on any of that, but it's just been fascinating. You know, there's gonna be probably a lot of really tragic stories
unfortunately when it comes to what this storm does. But this story about this dude in his boat who goes by Lieutenant Dan, who has one leg that won't leave his vessel despite a Category four hurricane coming his way, I mean, is it kind of sick twisted to say that that's entertained me? Probably? I mean, the dude's got some resiliency, Yeah, he certainly does. So shout out to Lieutenant Dana. I hope he's safe, and in fact, I hope he leaves. But if he doesn't, it's certainly gonna
be something people. Actually, if he doesn't and we never see him again, I think we just kind of know what happened, which is awful, but it's his choice, all right. We got another hour to go. Stick with us, we'll finish strong.
Here.
As they're turning off all the lights, it looks like the party's over for them, not for us, though we're still still rolling along here. It's coffee and company fuel about Thornton's right here on Sports Talk seven ninety