This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services insure your most prized possessions.
Big good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to IRO on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera and with me today is former U of A Hooper and star Ridgie Geary.
Reggie, how are you? I'm good, Steve, I'm good. I had to call You're like slash to meet you.
You know, former U A player, former NBA guy, former NBA well, NBA now you're a radio guy.
Yeah, Former assistant coach, former head coach and the G League, former head coach overseas.
What a life you've had. I've been very fortunate. You have you have? Did you ever think?
I don't know if you remember this, but I remember this because it affected me. When you were being recruited by Luke ninety two, summer of ninety twos ninety one, maybe you were at down gym and you were being recruited by you of eight. I think you had just committed with your team from Matater Day, or you had been here for the summer and you said, yeah, I'm coming to Arizona, So that was kind of started the process.
Would you have thought that it'd come to all this, this is thirty four years ago.
Yeah, I don't know if I ever thought it would come to this, but I think I hoped they would come to some type of relationship with the university, that I would be a student athlete, have an amazing experience, get to play for a Hall of Fame coach, got to play with just an amazing group of guys. I want to say, you know, probably ten twelve guys that went on to play professional at some level, and other
guys became professional with other areas. So just to be with this group and to kind of, you know, parlay it into a nine year professional career or a fourteen year coaching career now back in Arizona. I don't know if I envisioned all that, but I definitely was hoping to playoffs something like this.
Well, and the fact that you came in with a bunch of good dudes. You know, you kind of mentioned that with Joel McClain. There's probably some brothers of yours now right, jb uh, don't don't don't mess with me, because I'm trying to get this right, you JB. Corey McClain. Ray was not part of that group, was he? Who am I missing?
Kevin? No?
No, there was five of you there. Why it wasn't Edrick it was and okay was part of that group. So, you know, a player for every position and then dummy Eddrick. I could say that because he's one of my poker buddies, says you know that. I think he was a fantastic player by the way left, but that team all that potential. But then he got replaced by Ben Davis eventually, right.
Yeah, you know, you know, we we obviously hate to lose Ederick. Back in the day, Edic went went on to Tennessee some Tennessee then Lewiston Clark actually ended up playing the NBA for for a cup of coffee and happy his career played out. But yeah, we ended up getting Ben Davis All American from Kansas and Florida. So back in the nineties, a lot of good things were happening.
Yeah, no question.
And you know when it's a deep when Sweet sixteen had had Kansas by the Yankers and didn't beat them, uh you would played Syracuse next game.
Right now?
Yeah, we had played them earlier in the season.
They're going back to that ninety six year and uh, yeah, we had a good team. Senior Leyden had beat UH Georgetown in Michigan earlier in the year.
From the preseason in it, I think we.
Finished second in the Pac twelve, had a bad Bay Area trip and you know, unfortunately we go to Kansas. Joseph Blair at that time wasn't with the team, and he was a big part of what we were doing. Uh, future European Player of the Year a few years later,
showing his quality. So they I didn't know that, yeah, when he was with when he was in Italy, he was Turkey at the time he was he was a year League Player of the Year before going to Milan, and so just to show his quality and we missed him, ended up losing to Kansas.
But I want to say two two or three. I remember a Jared.
Hoss corner of three told Miles don't leave standing next to me and called a time out.
We went down the other way.
Coach as to call a play up and I did a little driving kick to Michael Dickerson, who was a freshman at that time. He had a lot of confidence in and he just didn't knock it down right. It's just one of those things.
Well, I still say this, and I'd probably talk to you about a thousand times. I thought that game helped that team the next year beat Kansas because they knew they could play with them, you know what I'm saying, because you beat them the week you you had them, because I think it was Dickerson who went two for
one on that final minute. They missed the shots, came back down the shot, mit whatever, But you guys paid Kansas so tight that ninety six that that gave him the confidence that they can beat him in ninety seven.
I'm gonna go with that. Steve. I like that.
I tell people we taught them well and there's play that same same plays. They had been to that stage before, and now they're not overwhelmed by it. So yeah, and and keep in mind a group did that for me, previous Arizona team ninety four. And so yeah, that's what's one of the great things about you know, playing in a program like Arizona.
You're gonna be on big stages.
You're not always gonna win, but you're gonna maybe really get some good experience you can use for the next year. And as to your mentioned ninety seven was able to get hot and English.
That one of the things that I think Loot did fantastically well. And you know this because you lived this, and I'm not sure it can be done anymore given the transfer stuff. And I almost see a cuss sword the transfer stuff where your first team and your second team could just go interchangeable and play each other tough to get ready for the game. You know what I'm saying, Your first team and your second team were not so much equal, but very close.
No very close, I mean when you look back at I think that was one of the secret sauces for Arizona, that that those second line guys and third line guys were really future NBA guys, and we pushed each other every single day in practice. You know, as a freshman, I get to go against damis thought of my callip reeves both individuals were future NBA right, a lottery picks, right.
And so I think even going forward now, looking fast forward to twenty twenty five, you know, and looking with some of the things that are coming out of the n C DOUBLA, with roster restrictions, we're no longer going to see twenty guys on the bench like we did last year with nine walk Ons. Gonna be a tighter bench fifteen guys. So I think there's gonna be more opportunities for first and second second groups. Yeah, the first
team and second team groups to play against each other. Really, you know, kind of iron sharpening Ireland.
As I like to say, without question, Yeah, how do you enjoy one?
I'm gonna ask you a lot of questions because well, first of all, let's go into the guest lineup today, because it's got a pretty damn good one thanks to you and to a couple of people that said, yes, we're gonna have Rocky Coyle, former U of A baseball player captain and in nineteen eighty two, who lose I think in the North Carolina area. He's I think he was at the game over the weekend. So we'll see what he says about this baseball team. And then one
of your buddies, what of guys? I know Kenny lofton last second addition, he's gonna be on at three forty. He's up to a lot of different things right in LA. He's got a lot of things going on. So three forty, that'll be a cool conversation. He's never been on the show before. And then at three at four fifteen, four seventeen, when your colleagues in what you do on the side, Brian.
Jefferies, so like old times A lot of times.
Yeah, I want to see if you have any stories about him, but maybe he is about you being it on the road?
Does it you must enjoy that?
I do.
I do.
It's it was one of the things that I was very flattered and honored to be asked when I first came back to the university as an administrator. Now six years ago. It's hard to believe, but six years and Brian came up and and I always laugh, He said, hey, man, would you like maybe jubbing on the radio with me and being our color analyst or expert analysts? And I said, yeah, that sounds great and so uh but.
You even before that, Reggie, I think if you can remember, maybe if I remember correctly, you said, you know, give me as many opportunities that you could come and do this, so you could do that eventually.
Yeah, I mean I always go, you know, just being a professional athlete, you're always kind of in front of the mike as a coach. I had done a lot of press conferences, so I was I was fairly comfortable in front of a microphone. It's just I never really called a game before, and so I always tell the story. We get to Oregon for my first game doing a broadcast with Brian and it's a top ten matchup between Arizona and the Ducks in Eugene and really no instructions kind of pushed me out there.
So is that what sean?
No?
No, that was I believe the year after okay, yeah, the year after that road trip. It's so ended up being an overtime game that we ended up winning. But that was kind of my baptism by fire in terms of our radio. And you said I could do this. I thought, if I, if I hold on to Brian very very tightly and this very very closely, then maybe I can. And it's been six years and they keep inviting me back. So it's great.
The coattails. No, he's he's a good one to do that, right.
No, No, And you guys have this great rapport, as does Rhino. You know, you guys kind of interchange that now, well, you know, professional stuff gets in the way. How do you how must time we have. You can tell I'm excited about today. We have five minutes. Well, waut your other role at you obey and how much you enjoyed that.
Oh so my other role as an administrator as I work in a Wildcat cl I'm a senior Development and basically we are the business development, the fundraising arm for the athletic department. And so I have the great pleasure to work in this community, to work with alumni, to work with letter winners, people that I love the university, and I can talk to them about about my story. More important importantly learn about their story and where their
passions lie and how they can help. And luckily there we have so many you know, just kind and generous people in the Tucson community at large in terms of the Wildcat family and the fact that like I said, we get to tell the story, raise some funds, provide some resources for today's current student athlete means a lot to me because someone I had done that for for me when I was a student athlete, and now I get to pay it forward.
Right.
Yeah, of no fantastic stuff. Yeah has it gone four years older? No?
I do not.
I mean I look in the mirror all the time, and I I'm hanging in there pretty good. So when people tell me, you know, you know, are remember you when I was a kid, or you played in the Golden Era, or I just remind myself that I'm in my fifties now, it's definitely an eye opener.
Yeah, and a lot of you guys turned into these great guys. You know JB doing what he's doing with the NBA and all the philanthropy he does. You and your situation, Joe McClain, this money guy for the stars. You know, I don't even know how to say it. Uh Yeah, Corey doing his thing locally and on TV.
Who am I ma? Then in dow in Atlanta, Alta?
Right?
Now?
See him every now and again, right and then I don't rick I see from time to time. I wanted to get him on the show. When the last time I saw you bet we were in Vegas, right, And he's a shy guy, he is.
If you could get Ebo on, that would be it. That would be pretty cool, pretty cool.
But I mean just I was really, like I said, We've been blessed and fortunate not only through the Ludolfson era, but through the Sean Miller and Tommy Lloyd of just quality people coming in here, people doing things even after basketball and supporting one another. And in his current role working in the Waka Club, I get to talk to a lot of these guys pretty And that's the.
Key, at least more recently too, that all you x guys have been embraced to come back to help. If you're around, go see go say hello your local. But you see that from the other dudes that come in.
Yeah, for sure, I'm encouraging these guys come on in. Tommy's encouraging them come on in. You know, this is where you know, we're one family. You know, we want guys coming back. We want to expose the path to these new guys. And yeah, and he does a good job of getting guys out in front of the team to talk for a couple of minutes.
Yeah, And so it's been great. And so that's one of the nice things to me coming back.
That's saying, hey, I reached out to not only basketball players, but uh to swimmers and divers and sitting you're nice swimming going back to the nineteen fifties and saying, hey, come back home, we got a one place for you here and I think guys are taking advantage of that.
Did you were you Have you been in those rooms with when the X guys come in and talk to Tommy's teams? Yeah, were you there a year or so ago when when Pete went in there and says, say, you're not just playing for You're playing for the guys down the road, you know, And I guess that was last week and he said that kind of made him cry.
I mean that that's the one thing we always try to impart with these guys is that there's such rich tradition here that you really are upholding something greater than yourselves. But at the same time, you have just an army of former players and coaches that are rooting for you guys and just wishing the best for you, and just you know, that's why we go actually so hard, because
we want you guys to do well. We want you to represent the A and and luckily we've had a lot of good players, a lot of good citizens.
Doing that right, right, No, good group and not just dudes, good dudes, you know, not just basketball players, but good dudes. Yeah, yeah, okay, anything else. I think we're going to take a break here, get ahold of Rocky on the other side is calling from North Carolina.
I think, and we'll see what happens.
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Streamy live on the Iheartsradio WIP.
This is Eye on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty eight.
Hey, welcome back to my LaVall Hero Fox Books fourteen fifteen. I'm Steve Rivera.
In with me today's former Ulive hooper Rejiguari, now in the admin department at Wildcat Club.
You're traveling all over the place because of that job. Yeah, I do. I get out.
I got out a pretty good much, you know, a good amount, you know, just obviously through their radio work and doing Big twelve road games and the Big Twelve Conference. But in my role as a regional guy because I'm even though I work here too, so I'm also regional. So I have groups in California. She's me in La Orange County, a couple of individuals in northern California. This summer. I'm looking to go to North Carolina in Illinois. So yeah, there's a man. That's one thing about uh being being
a wildcat. I've lived all over the world. I've lived in the States, I've lived overseas twelve years, seven different countries.
Everywhere I've gone.
If I'm wearing an Arizona hat, someone's walked by me and said bear down.
Or go cat right everywhere? Yeah, and recognizable. Did you learn Japanese?
Scouse?
You're very little?
Is that?
Is that?
What that mean?
That means very little. It's a difficult language. I don't have a great ear.
Well, you know, when we're older, it kind of comes and goes, right, you got to learn it when your kids must have.
My kids do pretty good. My wife has done well.
You know, she has some family in Japan and we had been there previously before I started working there, and so I think there was a little extra a little extra emphasis. I wanted to learn the language, and she kind of immersed herself with the children, and so they do much better than I did.
When you're coach there, what was the structure in terms of player roster, because you can have like a couple of Americans, right or what was.
The Yeah, so Japan unique.
You know, every country is different and it's changed over the years in terms of how many Americans or or players that you can have on your team. In Japan, you could have you could have four foreigners or four Americans. They could be from anywhere. Okay, so I usually have about four guys and usually that you have about eight or nine Japanese players to kind of fill out your roster. The interesting about thinking about Japan is that I get this correct. I think you can play your Americans six
quarters of some type of combination. I believe that's correct. So if you see, if I can do the math correctly, So if I started, if I start, if I start two guys, how does that work? It's either four quarters or six quarters? But no time, could you have all your Americans out there at the same Okay, you could have one four or you could have two on the floor. Never could you have three, And you kind of had to be strategic about when you were gonna have two on the floor or one on the floor.
That was because they wanted their guys to play.
Yeah, they're they're definitely for the you know, for the entertainment purposes and for the development.
They felt in Japan have their own players.
They thought it was important because if you go to Italy or some of the European countries, you can have five Americans on the floor, and I think they they just didn't want to see that where their naturalized players just weren't getting the minutes sure to kind of draw and they're growing the game there.
So that's a big part.
Who were you Americans? So we know who they are?
Yeah, So, I mean the one I had the longest was a guy named Justin Burrell, justin Saint John's, Saint John's. He was a big East six six Man of the Year, had gone to camp the Golden State Warriors. It's about six foot nine. It was really right there on the edge. We almost become the NBA.
Guy, give me the time frame for you, give me the time frame home.
So I was there as in Japan, that is, I was there from twenty eleven.
Oh so right after right after luds is coming gone and it just started.
Yeah.
So yeah, I was on coach Coach Alston's last staff, and so when Sean came on, I tried to remain on staff.
Had some good players that I was working with.
Had recruited Solomon Hill at Abdul Gaddy, who was the number one point guard the country that Mike Morris kuld out of Modern Date end up going to Stanford, and I thought, you know, when Sean came in, you know, I show him I was still working. But it just didn't work out at the time. So I was fortunate enough to get a job here in town for a little bit. Worked for Cody Ritchie or at krestin Senards. Yeah, you coach to my coach. I was a Calian Foot
Hills High School. So I was trying to like you know, starting to getting my chops going while I got my degree, and and yeah, it just kind of all worked out.
Okay, So for okay, who's the other guys.
The other guys I had had Paris Horn, another guy from Saint John's. I had Draylen Burns. So I ended up Dreylan actually he was out of Milwaukee, ended up having a really nice career over in Japan. Actually had a game winning shot for me and a semi finals getting us to getting us to the finals of my second year, which we won.
Had Jordan Pachinski people.
Might remember him at an as Uh seven foot three Guy Uh, and so Thomas Kennedy Detroit Mercer. When you know, a lot of these individuals in there staying in Japan for a long time, so really good pros. The Japanese market or league has got better, better and better every year. And the great thing about it is you play eighty games in Japan, so it's it's it's second only to the NBA in terms of amount of games.
So and it goes from when to win. I mean I was about six months schedule.
That's like eight months sched and so I did that for six years.
Ten ten games a month for eight months.
Yeah, well I was out there ten months. I was I'd be in Japan for ten of the twelve months.
The year we won a championship, I was there eleven months, and so our turnaround time was about three weeks.
Yeah, so I spent a lot of time there.
So you you're like one of the many guys, are some of the handful guys at least that I know. Uh, you're from La right, southern California. You come here to school, but True Line's your home.
Why.
I mean, there's a lot, there's a lot. There's a lot to and not because.
Your John, but you made purposely you left and you made this was home base.
True Song was our home base. It was my off season home. You know, even at my time as a player and a coach. Close proximity to California, cost of living, the weather. The big things are the people here. You know, this is a warm place for me and my family, for everyone. We just we just love the people here. We just love the vibe of Tucson, how it's laid back, how people are kind and people do care, and that
resonated with us. Yeah, and we thought thought about do we go back to southern California or do we move somewhere else? Having really been all over two songs, that wasn't easy. It was easy, antiws.
Yeah, now I'm gonna kind of jump all over now that you're in the wildcat of the club club and doing what you're doing. How does how does the success of the baseball team help or like basketball or you know the other sports.
All of them.
I mean anytime obviously, uh, you know, do you have your Tucson faithful that you know, whether they're winning or losing, everybody's on board, and I know sure how most people are. But when things are going well, you know, there's an excitement in the room. And so when Wes Johnson and try out the lawn wins the national championship, hey, all of a sudden, you're going to meet some individuals that want to meet the coach and want to give some
money and support that program. When baseball is on a run like they are right now going to the you know, the World Series, you know, yeah, that's going to resonate. People are going to go out to Omaha and and or or you know, watch from home and they want to get involved. So there's you know, being successful in in your sport and going on runs in the tournament and bringing home hardware.
Yeah, people want to get behind that.
And then through that we have an opportunity to to kind of educate and say you know, yes these are for you know, pursuing championships, but the big the big picture is, you know, these are student athletes and future leaders of the world.
Yeah yeah, let me just say, we're expecting to get coiled Rocky coil here on the phone, but he hasn't called yet, so we'll just kind of here he is, I might like, you know, that's PCT timing.
Rocky is issue. How are you good?
Good?
Right on time.
When I was saying we haven't heard from you, let we got about seven minutes with you.
How are you?
Yeah great? Thank you for following me and wanting to be a part of your show.
Yeah, yeah, you were. You were at the games this weekend, weren't you?
Yes, all three?
What did you What did you get? What was your impressions of the team.
I felt that they were very resilient and they you know, they just even when they were getting blown out, they were still, you know, they didn't quit. I saw that in them, and I was able to They didn't know me, but I was cheering them. I mean I went down right by the field and I was telling each of them not to quit fighting. And you know, like I was a captain again back you know, right, I lived here, So I mean, like dream come true to me. That the Cats. I was expecting him to come last year.
Then West Virginia came instead of us last year.
You know.
Yeah, I lived fifteen minutes from the ballfield at in Chapel Hill there at Boshington Nice, so I live here now. So I was like so thankful they were coming.
So nineteen eighty two, coach, you were the captain, right and Chip arrived yet no team.
He came right when I left, because his last year was eighty six. You know, he won it in eighty six, and so he would I think he came he three or eighty four, and I and I in fact when they won it, when they won the championship, I had signed professionally. I was in Double A in the Southern League, and I can remember I was in Chattanooga on the road. I stayed up and I saw him win the championship Florida State and I was jumping up and down in
my room all by myself. Really, but so I was, you know, and I grew up.
Jim Wing was is interesting.
I lived and I was from Phoenix, born and raised in Phoenix, but my dad played basketball at the Universe. I just passed away that she was the oldest living member of.
The University of basketball program for the Well you're breaking up a little, Rocky, let me ask you real quick, so say that about your dad again.
Yeah, my dad. My dad was the last, I think one of the last oldest living members from the University of Arizona basketball program.
Who did he play for?
He played for Fred Ink.
Wow, So he had to be. He had to be in the nineties.
He was eighty nine, eighty nine, right, because, friend, you're talking about nineteen fifty something.
Yeah, my dad was Player of the Year his senior year and I didn't even know that un till he died. They put it up on the wild Cat you know, on the Alumni you know.
Wow, I have Reggie Gear with me here too today as my co host, so you know there's some connection with basketball.
Yeah, Rocky, how you doing great?
How are you doing?
I'm doing good, man, It said. Sounds, first of all, fairly cool. Store about your really cool story about your dad playing for Fred. There he ever sharing any stories with you of how he was as an individual or a coach.
Oh, yeah, he was. My dad played with him at the end of his career, you know, and he you know, he had a you know, had a great run and my dad played the Old Border Conference. Yeah, and you know it was a cool thing because they had one of the first African American players in the country and they played for them.
Haiti Reid Red Yeah read you read.
But my dad played. My dad was a really good ball really he was. People told me that, you know. But he uh, he went to West High School won a state championship there. He had come from Ohio and he played for West High and they actually won the state championship at bear Down at the gym at bear Down, and then he ended up playing uh three years for you know, starter for he was good. He was this point guard during those years.
You know.
So he was a really good and he was on a baseball scholarship too. But he hurt his arm, so he actually would have played against Jerry in the national championship in fifty seven, you know, but uh, you know it's one of those things that got hurt, so he couldn't play.
Is that how Jerry found you? How they find you?
Oh?
No, I was.
For me, you know from you know you remember coach Wing, Yeah, Coach Wing and my my dad and well they saw me play in high school, you know, I was the I was the State of Arizona High School player of the Year when I was at Coronado High School in Scottsdale. So I was the State of Arizona player of the year. So I was getting recruited by everybody. And uh, I verbally committed to as you because I grew up by there.
And then coach Kendall flew me to Tucson and said, hey, uh this you know, and and and you know, Craig Leffards picked me up at the airport and they took me there. We were playing. They were playing Stanford, and Coach Kendall walked me out to the outfield and said, this is yours for as long as you're here. Man, he goes, don't be a sun devil.
You know.
I really liked him. I liked his character. He was a wonderful, wonderful Christian man, you know, the good guy, you know, and just a wonderful guy and a great leader of men, you know. So I'm glad I played for him and he ended up. In fact, he was supposed to call me the weekend my dad made this Sports Hall of Fame in Phoenix. Uh, and Coach Kendall was there to see his brother get into the Hall of Fame, and he told me. He went up to my dad and said, hey, tell Rocky. He always called
me and checked on me. He said, tell Rocky, I'm gonna call him tomorrow. And the next day he had a stroke and he died. Yeah, that was he was supposed to call me. And it was Christmas. It was like December seventeenth, eighteenth. My dad called me and said, coach Kendall is going to call you tomorrow. And then I got worried that he had had a stroke.
You know, well, you're you're a man of great faith too, right, So you you have played pro ball now, played pro ball back in the day, and now I think maybe you maybe have been a lucky charm out in North Carolina because are you still preaching?
Are you still a Well what I.
Did was i was at the peak of my career and I'm the last guy in the world. I should have had a bit of preacher. But what happened was I was in the middle of my baseball career. I was in Triple A, and I didn't really grow up in church or anything, you know, but I through Fellowship of Christian Athletes, I had come to faith. And it's funny how God picks the people that are least likely,
you know. And I was one of them. And a guy came to me and said, Hey, why don't you come help me at the inner city here in Huntsville. I played in Huntsville in Double A, and I had a career three twelve average in pro ball, and I got hurt in Triple A, and then I was I went to spring training in eighty eight and the guy called me up and I told my wife, I said,
I think I'm gonna leave baseball. And plus my son Josh was just starting, just starting kindergarten, and we were playing in Toledo and Triple A, and I went to go to the salad bar and he was holding onto my pant pocket scream and Daddy, you leave it again, And you know, I looked at his little face and I said, no, you know, I'm not gunn And sometimes in our lives as men, we have to make a
choice for our children. And I, you know, I walked away from the game and went and started working with kids in the inner city in Alabama, and then went back to school. I had learning disabilities and I didn't know I didn't want to tell anybody, but it was really hard for me to go to school. And then I finally finished up in nineteen eighty nine ninety and then I was ordained, and you know, I started working with kids, and I now I have a nonprofit. I'm
not at a church serving him. I really love being a youth minister, working with children, trying to help save kids lives out of gangs and drugs and things like that. That was my to coach with those there. And then I started a nonprofit. And I really liked teaching skills because I think a lot of kids lacking in skills because all the travel, ball and everything, and trying to make a difference in people's life and speaking hope and
life my heart. What I'm good at is encouraging, and that's what I try to do with the cats they walk by. I don't think they really understood what I was doing, but I was just when they lost that first game, I go, hey, a couple of years ago, my son played at mc State, and I said, a few years ago, MC State lost nineteen nothing Arkansas, and then they beat them twice. I said, you guys can do it, you know, and they were just kind of staring up at me, and you know, like, who's this
guy and so? And you know, I went down the dugout and with Chip and I sent you a picture of that, and you know, but my my heart is to see a difference in kids' lives. And that's what I dedicated my life to when I started, you know, working with children and kids, and that's what I do every day. In fact, I'm I'm in a batting cage right now with a young man that originally from Puerto Rico and stuff out here. And so but I just, uh, you know, I I just knew they could do it,
and I believed. I said, it's one game. And I was the only guy in the stands, you know, I was with my daughter. And when we got that base hit and got the lead, I stood up and I was like yes, yes, And I turned around. Everybody was staring at me because I was sit in the middle of bunch in North Carolina.
And they let you live, right, They let you live.
They oh, they they go, why don't you go sit in your seat?
I go, this is my seat.
I made this seat nice.
Nice last minute we got one minute left. Uh, you must have been very proud just just overall proud of how they did it.
Now where they're going, yes, I was very proud. You know what I like about it is they're winners. Chip Hale is a winner, and a lot of people when we first got there gave my heart. But that guy's a winner and he's a champion. You know. One of my sayings is champions are not those never fail to those that never quit. And the bottom line is that Chip Hale is leading a bunch of men that will not whatever happens. They're winners. And and that's what I love.
That they go out there and they they they don't ever give up. And if you remember what happened, you know in the in the Big twelve tournament, they look dead and then a kid, that least likely kid comes up and hits one end of the seats and ties it, you know, and that's what you got to do to win.
It's got to be you know, everybody's got to be you know, on and then finally their their cap, their their main guy got the key hit the other day, even though he struggled most of the day and hit you know, so I mean, hey, bear down, it's great to be a wildcat. You know in the middle of the enemy. Here, I'm wearing my Arizona stuff. I got Arizona socks on, I got Arizona shorts and a baseball Arizona. The people coming in to hit are going, why did
you wear that today? I go because we're the champions.
Buddy, keep your phone, keep your phone on nine to one one and just hit pressed when you need it.
Thanks, Thanks, Rocky, appreciate it.
Yeah, Rocky, bear down, be well, thank you bear Down.
You're here. Bye bye.
Let's take a.
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This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera.
On Box Sports fourteen fifty.
Hey, welcome back to my I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, and today with me is Reggie Geary and now on the phone, we have the great Kenny Lofton, Kenny, how the heck are you?
I'm good man, I can't complain.
Thanks for having great to be on with you.
You and Read's longtime friends.
Right.
How proud were you over the weekend of your bat Cats?
Well, you know again, you know, anytime you have that opportunity for the Arizona Wildcats to get to the finals on any sport in Arizona, I'm very proud and for
the baseball team to get to the finals. And you know, during the time where who won one of the championships in nineteen eighty one of my best friends, Clark Chris played on the team, is sitting there watching it, you know, with the little trauma he went through, but for him to be able to enjoy this time of Arizona baseball team going through the World Series in which he won it in nineteen eighty, So it's pretty cool.
Did you bring up that name?
He must have been He must mean the world to you given that, I guess was he the one that kind of pushed.
You, Well, it pushed me.
He was the guy who signed, the guy who took a chance on my.
Ability or the nonability at the time, and he saw he said I saw something there that I knew with time, you're going to be something special.
And he was right, did you when he's telling you this, are you believing? What are you talking about, arbur What are you thinking?
Well at the time, because again, me being.
An athlete, me being this guy with this drive, and if you tell me something that I can't do, I'm going.
To show you that I can, right, And.
I think he saw that from me, and then he was just, man, you just need to put some work in. And I know I had the ability, but hadn't played baseball for a while at that time. I knew if I just put my heart and soul in it, I was.
Going to do what I had to do.
Well, obviously he was correcting what he saw. Yeah, you had an incredible career. I want to say, sixteen years is in the Major League Baseball.
I know you have a real argument. We've discussed this.
I know it's been discussed nationally as as someone who should be in the Hall of Fame, and obviously we're all rooting for you there. But having said that, just me knowing you and knowing your history, was it hard to make that switch going into baseball. Do you ever think basketball wise, I still have some runway here where I can still play this out a little bit longer. Or did you know and baseball was kind of a natural switch.
Well, well, baseball, I think was my natural sport, but where I grew up, I had to get a full scholarship and baseball wasn't given that full scholarship. And I knew basketball was a I mean, I was good at basketball, but once I got to Arizona.
And started playing, and the teammates that I had, I mean I pretty much didn't get the ball.
You had Sewn Elliotts, t Kerk, Jeff Buchler, Tom Tobert, Sean Rooke. So you had all those guys on your team.
So basically, you know, you know, you got to get the ball to somebody.
I gave it up. Once I gave it up, I didn't get it back.
That's funny, Kenny, because when I talked to Reggie every now and again, any of regrets.
Uh ready, yeah, I wish it would have shot should more? I should have shot him more. Again, go ahead, so again, yeah what do you wish?
Well?
Again, you had those great teammates.
Again. The tough part about it is a point guard supposed to come down and passed the ball. And once you passed the ball to one of those guys. So talking about you know, I was have to come down and start doing the Steph Curry for the hash point. That's the only time I was gonna be able to shoot.
Yeah, And you know, Kenny, what are you doing with the court shot?
Oh? That was loot for you passed the ball.
Well, Kenny, I probably should thank you.
I probably should thank you for the fact that you came through the program and then kind of player an athlete in which you brought to the table all the intangibles you know that you brought a table. I think, uh, when I came around, I think I was kind of another version of you. I think coach I had recognized that and knew how to use me. And so I should think you just kind of setting away kind of being undersized guards, you kind of could do everything you
could put anywhere. And we've seen you know that play out with other players even after me. So I think a lot of that goes back to your play.
Well again, with you coming in after me, I looke pretty much didn't want the point guards to shoot at all, you know, the guards so and he just wanted us to play deepense. At least you had a chance to shoot.
It.
Took a couple of years.
I had, damn it, Chris MILLSID some guys that can put it in the bucket. But uh but yeah, you know when it was my turn, I wish I would have sat a little bit more. But I was a fitting guy like yourself.
But again, like you said that lout wanted he wanted.
Because again it's almost like I always.
Look at the Bulls basketball team with Dennis Radman being that specialty player.
I think you and I we would have specialty player because you need somebody to play defense. Like you said, I had guys on my team didn't play no defense.
Steve didn't play a lot of Seawan didn't play a lot of defense. So you did the same things, Reggie.
You had to go out there and play defense.
But the other guys on there didn't want to play defense. They didn't want to shoot this hoar. We were in the same boat that way too.
And you know Tom Tobert didn't play any defense.
Oh yeah, Tom caught him the black hole, got down there and never came back out right.
Well, the one thing is you, Reggie, Brian Williams probably three of the better athletes ever under loot O.
Dude, I'm telling you, I keep telling people I believe I keep throwing myself in the front of this, but that Brian Williams boy, that vice and daily boy, he was an true athlete.
For him to be that tall and be that fast and be.
That adzible, I mean we used to do like the sprints and the on court the suicide. He was second behind me, So I knew this dude had so much athletic ability.
And he used to play deepense on the guards, that's how quick he.
Was with his feet.
So he was one of the best athletes.
I've seen come.
Come through Arizona.
I mean, yes, he was.
No.
I definitely credit I definitely agree with that, Kenny.
You know, I got a chance to see him in high school while you guys were playing, and then he would come back during the summers, and I mean, he's a guy you could put in today's NBA game and could switch one through five and could run the floor, and he you know, he could do so many things.
And he had a great career.
Obviously, you know the kind of the tragic ending there, but just a special young man really eclectic and and I think he hit it on the head. One of the top athletes ever in Arizona history.
Yeah, what are you up to these days? Because I know you're like an entrepreneur now you're doing a lot of different things.
Well, you know, I'm a house here in LA.
I have a primp production company. I'm doing that most of the time. I'm doing also doing some hitting with with kids.
Here and trying to teach them to stay stay away from the launch angle stuff they're doing it in baseball. But you know, I'm just doing some small budget films.
We do.
Some editing as well.
And I'm also working on the project here in LA to help some housing with some people in the Altadena area that happened in eating fire. Trying to help find housing for people who are who who lost their homes. And because Pasadena, I mean not Pasadena, but the Pacific Palisades are the people who are upper class people who had a little money. But Altadena where a lot of minority single family homes, people who had their their their first home got destroyed.
So again it's little stuff like that that I'm.
Trying to mh. What when you are you ever taking think about writing a book.
Somebody talked about it once before. I do have a compelling story. It's very interest things to do where I started to where I you know, I ended up in my career, and I just got to find that right, you know, the right writer to you know, to can help pick my brain to figure out how to put it out together.
I would.
I wouldn't mind it.
Hello here, I am no, they originally asked us, because you're right, you do have a compelling story from from where you started to how you got to where you got to because come on, what you're an after school special?
Yeah?
I mean again, I mean I can look at it that way and from where I came from and how I grew up and to be able to because a lot of people.
Don't understand that.
When I see me in basketball Arizona, a lot of guys didn't know I played baseball, and then when I started playing baseball.
Some people didn't know who I played basketball.
So it was one of those one of those things that.
I just had to make a decision at the time.
And again I think it was the easy decision. Like I said, when the teams I played on and the players that I was on a team win, everybody couldn't go.
To the NBA. So yeah, so I ended up making the right choice and.
Going to a sport where I could be looked at a one on one and have an.
Opportunity every single game to where I can show my talents. And that's what I wanted to do.
Well, you did an excellent job of that.
When you when you talk to the kids that you're working with, or young professionals or kids in the minor leagues or young pros, what are come with some of the messages knowing how far you've come and how successful you've been, what are some of the things you share with them?
Well, again, I can almost tell them that, you know, even though from where they come from, they don't have.
To end you know, they can end up being successful. And then just trying to show them. I think the biggest thing in when I try to show younger kids is that be who you are, don't try to be someone else. You know, when I played in the game, I always tell people I'm no Albert and.
I'm not gonna be an Avabel.
I want Kenny Lofton to have to stand on his own, his own lader, staying his own lane, and I always try to make sure these kids understand stay in your lane, don't go. Once you go outside your lane, it's gonna be tough for you to get back because that's not who you are.
So it's gonna take them.
A longer time to get out of their.
Lane to get back, you know.
So when I think, you know, I said.
The straightest you know, the straightest line, the two points, it's a straight line, you know, A and B. These guys going all over the place and then they figure out later on in their career.
Oh shoot, that's not who I am.
I should have stayed there. So I'm trying to teach some of these kids nowadays to stay in your lane.
Yeah, well you have a chance to. Or do you ever look back on your time at Jove And if you do, what do you think?
Again? I'm when every time.
I look back at my time in Yuova, I am so glad I did. I am so glad I because I being under Loot and the Arizona basketball team. It taught me to be in the way the core of the team that we had together. It showed me that, you know, it made me become a man. It showed me how to grow up and be a man, And that's what it's all about.
You know, you're going to be an athlete and do all this, but it teaches you the right things to how to be a man and growing up because that.
Is a pivotal point in your life. It's your Always tell people your colleague years is that pivotal twist or that pivotal turn who you are as a person those years And it taught me a lot and I'm glad. I will never take it back. I will do it over and over and over again.
Yeah, and then you met guys like Reggie and your brotherhood, the guys you played.
With right, Sean and Steve and Craig and all these guys.
Well again, you know always you know, gave respect to the basketball organization.
Of recruiting good guys.
You know, That's what I like, you know, guys and guys that you can just tell from their upbringing even though they're there there we are not in the same upbringing, but that personality of being a genuine person. That's what I love about my teammates and the guys before me and the guys after me, And how I felt like, you know, Loot recruited they recruited.
Just genuine people and I love him for that.
Right, No, Reggie, you're talking about good guys do good things. Yeah, I do that.
And like I said, we are so lucky, like so many decades of players have come to this program, have done things not only in basketball but outside of it, and it's just great to celebrate them and be around them, and everyone just has an ease about them.
And so I just love being a Wildcat, you know.
And and like I said, Kenny is the epitome of that, you know, in terms of just a quality person individual. And then in speaking of that, last year in twenty twenty four, you go into the Ring of Honor here at the U of A.
How much did that mean to you and your family?
But No, that meant a lot because again, just being.
Able to be in you know, being you know, being rewarded for your accomplishment.
And sometimes people got to look at it as it's not always the big hype in the big glory that people feel like, oh, yeah, he was a guy who scored eighteen points in a game in fourteen rebounds. You know, it's always say give the little guys credit as well,
because that's part of the game. That is also important that some people overlook, you know, always say, if it wasn't for me playing defense on a lot of guys on the courts at that time, I don't think Arizona, you know, just trying to shoot myself, you know whatever. But at the time me hustling and doing the defense, it helped Sean Elliott, Steve Kurr.
Be able to do what they can offensively because they didn't have to.
Worry about the defense, of of regarding Reggie Miller and Pooh Richardson and Gary Payton.
And Mookie Bailey Lock, those guys didn't have to.
Worry about that because they had a guy like me was out there tacking up the slack. And I felt like when I got that honored, I'm like.
Okay, I got you know, rewarded for what I did, for the little things in the game.
That a lot of people overlooked.
Yeah, I was very honored.
You in the back court in ac near the basket and all that good stuff, Kenny, Thanks so much for joining us.
Great stuff, No problem. Okay, playing golf again with you soon, all.
Right, We okay, let's do it, Okay, all right, we gotta.
Go, We gotta go. Back on the other side. I think