Historic day, the introduction of Alex Jensen, the seventeenth head coach of the Utah men's basketball program. Our next guest is well qualified to talk about the hire.
He worked with him at the Jazz.
Smithy also knows the bio arrhythms of the University of Utah. Richard Smith on a Monday afternoon, Smitty, Happy Monday, sir, how are you, Spence.
We're doing good. I appreciate you having me on. It's fun to be able to be on with you on a day when one of my good friends is getting introduced as the head coach of the University of Utah. It's a great day for him, but even better day probably for the university.
So let's dig into it, Smitty, as I referenced, you spent a number of years with the Utah Jazz forty in total, and I believe nine of those you were a coworker with Alex Jensen, who was the lead assistant under Quinn Snyder, and then Alex spent one year with Will Hardy before.
Heading down to Dallas. What do we need to know?
What should we know about al Alex Jensen, the coach and the person somebody who work closely with him. What would you say to our community about the what what they should know about their new head coach.
Well, first of all, I've known Alex ever since he was a player after you for for Rickmy Jerris, and of course then he went to played overseas for a number of years, and then when he came back and got into coaching, he actually was working with Coachman Jerifs at Saint Louis University and then uh and then ended up going to the G League and being an NBA G League Coach of the Year while he was there, before he got to the Jazz and he's he's not only got a great basketball resume, but he's got all
of obviously his roots, uh, you know here in the state of Utah. He's uh, he's a Centerville guy, Wumont grad, University of Utah grad, all all whack player. He's just a he's a solid guy. He's a solid basketball guy. He's a guy who's going to get into the homes of a lot of a lot of recruits, especially in
the western region of the United States. And I think that's probably one of the main things that the University of Utah needs right now is someone who's you know, as you're looking at what what BUYU has been able to do the last couple of years with Mark Pope and now with Kevin Young in their recruiting base, and with all of this nil stuff going on, you know, one of the things that the University of Utah probably has has fallen behind on is just the ability to
recruit the players they need to compete uh at a conference like the Big Twelve and and and hopefully for them and be able to get themselves back in the national stage at some point. And I think Alex Jensen has all the credentials and all the back background to be able to be able to do that.
UH.
And that's been the I think the big crux of what the US issues have been for the men's basketball program in recent years.
So a lot of good stuff there, Smidia.
I wonder how you would characterize because we've been talking about reasonable expectations right away for Alex And this is a question as we sit here on Saint Patrick's Day. It's difficult to fully answer because there are a number of months before the start of next year and we have no idea who's going to play for Alex. We don't know how many of these young men that are on the roster now will come back. We don't know who's going to bring in transferport or recruiting, what have you.
But from your perspective, as somebody has been around this game for decades and decades, what would you say to the community about what a reasonable expectation is year one as Alex's the head coach.
Well, you'll see a team that's going to be steeped in the fundamentals. That's what that's what he grew up on playing for coach mcgarritt's and then when he you know, in his coaching career, when he was in the G League, he was not only the G League Coach of the Year, but he also they had the best defensive team in the G League. And so, uh you combine that with then his his work with Quinn Snyder and the Jazz
and and when they had the Mitchell Golbayer teams. Uh, you know, those teams really got after they were top five defensive teams for a number of years. And so you're gonna see a team that that works hard, team that has all the defensive fundamentals in place. The thing that they're going to have to you know, solve is the issue of getting talent, and and that's really what it is. Craig Smith, you know, is a terrific coach. You know, he had he had hard working teams at
you and his four years there. He obviously showed before that his ability to be able to win games at Utah State and the previous schools he was at. He just didn't have the horses, uh, you know, to be able to compete, you know, at the big twelfth level at the way that they wanted him to. Uh. That's what Alex's biggest deal is going to have to be is to surround himself with a group of people, coaches, nil people the keep on your staff that can help you to get the players that you need to be
able to compete. The coaching will be there, the basketball component will be present. They're gonna just going to have to be able to get the players they need who have the talent and the skill level to be able to play and be able to, you know, to to win at that level. Once they get the personnel in place, then you'll be able to see a team that's making progress and a team that's going to have the chance to have a lot of success.
From your vantage point, s Bindy, I've been talking about this today with our guests, and you know a lot
of people here at the Huntsman Center. Whatever part of the ecosystem you kind of exist in with the University of Utah, if you're a former player, if you're an alum, if you're a current student, if you are a booster, if you're a season ticket holder, or if you just go to games, or if you cover games like we do on the media side, it feels like this has been a decision for Mark Harlan that has been wildly you know, widely, i should say, and consistently applauded as the right move.
Does it feel that way to you?
I mean, this is a basketball community that's badly in need of some sort of shot of life, and it kind of feels like the Alex Jensen news has been a little bit of that shot.
Then maybe this community needs.
Yeah. Well, I again, he's a guy that everybody in the community knows, they know of his background. He's not a guy who's coming in, you know, from the outside that who's trying to ingratiate himself with the fan base or or get people to know who he is. Everybody knows Alex He's a homegrown guy, you know. But at the same time, sometimes those things also come, you know, with their own set of circumstances that you, as the individual,
you'll have to overcome. You know, people know what he's about, they know what kind of a coach, what kind of personality he has, they know how he's approached his career, you know, all along, and so there's not a getting to know you period with him in that regard. What it's going to take is the patience of the Utah fan base to understand that you don't just do this overnight.
You have to have the players. And I know I'm being redundant and saying that, but that's that's the one issue that the you has had is being able to get those guys at that level. You see all the excitement that's been created in provo, you know, with the recruiting that the players they had. Mark Polpe did a terrific job parlaid that into, you know, even a bigger time job at a blue blood like Kentucky. They got
Kevin Young to come from the NBA. Kevin Young is installed his own offense down there, in his own program, in the in the eyes of running it like an NBA type program. You know, Alex is going to have to compete with that, and in order to do that, he's going to be able to have He's going to have the opportunity to get the kind of players who
can come in and do that. I mean, b y U doesn't just go out and get the number one so called rated recruit out of high school who's from Boston, Massachusetts and have them happen to come to Provo Utah
like that doesn't just happen. That's something that's embedded in how they're approaching the job that they're doing down there, and he and Alex and his staff at the you is going to have to look at it with that kind of mindset to be able to figure out how they can go about creating that kind of excitement in their program to want to have players around the country who want to look at Utah and want to come and be part of the history and the fabric that
Utah basketball has been for so long in this community.
Let me ask you, Smitty and Richard Smith is with us forty years with the Jazz front office, nine of those years spent working with Alex Jensen. A lot of conversation about what Alex's staff is.
Going to look like. And I'm old enough to remember when.
Jerry Sloane had two assistant coaches and Don Magic Finger Sparks was the trainer and TC and away we go and we're good.
That's all we need.
Well, now there is a traveling party where the coaches take up an entire wing of the plane. It's a different day and age. And I've said before and I have no problem saying this. I know that youth fans might get in their feelings about whether or not they should copy what Byu has done.
Well, I think they should.
And Kevin's staff is comprised of former NBA and g Lee coaches on the bench. It's comprised of former NBA people in their strength and conditioning office. It's comprised of a nutritionist that followed Kevin from the Phoenix Suns. And there are a lot of conversations about Andre Miller, who's
coaching the g League right now. Uh, there's some other names out there, but generally speakings maydy, what sort of staff would you like to see Alex around himself with to give him the best chance to make this.
Thing right, Well, he's gonna he's gonna be able to get the kind of people he wants to be able to work with him and have the same mindset in the same vision that he has. The really thing that the thing it boils.
Down to, uh Spence is as simplistic as it sounds, and much to my cagrin because I don't like saying this, but you have to in this day and age.
In college basketball, you have to have the financial backing in your ni L and your your your approach to be able to to get players from a financial standpoint. That's the reality of what it is now. I don't think that's going to be sustainable myself personally. As a side note, I think that's going to have to change at some point in the near future. I don't think college basketball can keep going down that road. But at the current time, that's what the lay of the land is.
So if you don't have the money and you don't have the resources to be able to attract kids, because that's how kids are coming up now, whether we like it or not. The kids who are sophomores, juniors going into the senior year of high school now they're looking at programs and saying, how can that program benefit me as an individual? Can it help me with my skills set and my talent get to a possible next level,
which would be playing professionally. And also while I'm doing that, what are they going to do for me personally in terms of financial rewards? And so that's just the reality of it. And so unless the U has that platform to operate from and then they have a staff that that shows that they can help you to progress, they can help you to improve your ability to be able to continue playing and and maybe get a career out of this sport. Uh, then you're going to have a
hard time. You're gonna be always swimming upstream. And that's that's what the that's what he's going to be dealing with now. So I would assume, and I don't know this. Alex and I have texted back and forth since you got the job, but we haven't talked personally. But he's, uh, he's gonna have I'm sure he took the job, uh with the knowledge that I'm going to have those kinds that kind of support and those kinds of resources to help me to get on that that kind of a
playing field. And then from there we can take it, you know, to where we need to in terms of the basketball stuff. But that but the recruiting, getting eyes on your program, and getting interest in your program from players like that and from players in the transfer portal,
all that stuff. You're going to have to attract them by the money that you have available and also the staff that you have around you to help those individuals feel like they can come and improve and get themselves into a better situation, you know, in their lives going forward. That's what he's going to have to be dealing with coming up in the near future.
I know you actually just kind of answered what I'm about to ask you again, but I do want to elaborate on it because I feel like Alex taking the job Smithy is an indicator that things are good financially economically and the state of you know, the athletic department and what Mark Carlin and whoever else promised Alex that they would allocate towards his success. Do you read it
the same way? Because I've been told by more than a few people that Dallas liked Alex and they wanted Alex to stay, and Alex and Natalie enjoyed living in Dallas, Like, I don't think this was a desperation job grab from a guy who had a job that he liked an awful lot. So the fact that he simply just took the job, doesn't that indicate to you that the promises that were made are you know, in place as far as the economic viability of where this program.
Is, well, I would think so. I would think he wouldn't go into a job where he thought that it's going to be really an uphill climb for him and that he's going to have a hard time, you know, getting to any kind of a level of success. So that would that would seem to be you know, part and parcel with with the decision to take the offer
that the University of Utage gave him. I do think that that, you know, the rich history of the of the program, you know, he's going to have to have people who have some kind of a profile around them or present that to prospective recruits in a way that they feel like that's enticing and that's exciting for them.
And I would not be surprised if he was leaning on the Rick mcgerryus years in some way, whether that's bringing back players, former players, who are in the business you mentioned and Andre Miller, guys who can get you know, high school kids to at least look at the program and sit down and talk to them or that kind
of thing. But also setting up a program where kids feel like again, you know, whether you know Utah fans want to admit it or not, BYU has gotten ahead of the curve on setting up what they have and so they've attracted and look, there's kids who are going to look at that program and say, hey, they can help me a lot by by how they've got it set up and how they're approaching their program and their
skill development work and all those kinds of things. But you also have to play into the factor that these kids are also designed to go to a school. You know, that's a church related school that's in a small town. It's a college town in Provo. And you know, sometimes that works for you and sometimes that works against you. Now, the University of Utah is in a bigger city. It's a public school, it's got fifteen thousand seats, it's got a historic venue that they play in. They've got a
rich tradition. You know, alex Is I would think is going to look to lean on all of those kinds of things that he can sell to recruits and the fact that they're right down the street literally from an NBA team, and that recruits, you know, should be looking at that it's an opportunity to come play in a setting where they can get not only the personal and career development that they might be looking for, but also be able to make connections and do the things that
you do within a program to try and help you as an individual for when you're playing days are over. And so I would think that those are some of the main things that he'll be leaning on to try and sell as he tries to figure out how to go about the recruiting.
Game on the BYU side of things, and I agree, you can get salty that maybe BYU was ahead of the curve on this stuff, but it doesn't look it doesn't matter what level.
I mean.
For years and years and years, I've heard front offices openly talk about copycat formulas to try to figure out what one team is doing really well, how can we get some of that. So complain about BYU figuring it out all you want, but they seem to be ahead of the curve with a couple of different things, and as you articulated earlier, very well, it's been a good run for them and doesn't look like it's ending anytime soon now.
I know some BYU fans were upset with the sixth seed, because if you know, if it's a day that ends with why BYU fans are upset about something.
Whether it's the CFP rankings or their sixth seed.
I think you embrace the seed personally because of the location as opposed to being a five seed out.
East or something. They're in Denver, but they.
Get a VCU team, smitty coach by Ryan Odom, that has veteran guys. They have four seniors in their starting lineup. Three of those seniors or fifth year guys. One of them is a seventh year guy. They have two players two transfers on their roster that have experienced Elite eights. They have the A ten Player of the Year. They played a Utah State who's a good guard. They've got
good guard play three players six' ten in the. Rotation LIKE byu is a three point five point, favorite, right and so this is not an easy, matchup but at least It's denver.
And the LOCATION i think is.
Good even maybe the seed not you know WHAT byu fans were hoping. For but what do you make of this matchup That kevin's up against first round and IS byu built maybe advance you, know for the first time since The jimmer fordet, years, RIGHT i mean that's the last time they advanced out in a round of thirty.
Two, well this is a tough MATCH i. THINK i think this is one of the tougher matchups in the whole first round of THE ncaa. Tournament and then AND byu, fans fans in the state Of utah general don't FOLLOW bcu very, much and that's to be. Expected but let me tell you they are a very good. Team anybody who was paying attention to When Ryan odam was up At Utah state and the teams that they had there the couple of years he was. There they're very well,
Coached they're very. Disciplined he's got a veteran. Group they are very good. Team and you, know for, me the whole game is going to hinge like it, did like we saw in The big twelve tournament last week FOR.
Byu they had one night where they hit eighteen threes and they looked really, good and then the next night they were into a buzz saw defensively in one of the best teams in the country in my, opinion In, houston and they couldn't get those same look and they couldn't get the same, rhythm they couldn't get the same,
feel and you saw what happened to. Them and so that, game to, me is Going thursday is going to boil down to WHETHER byu can't create the looks that they want and then have them in some kind of a rhythm where they feel comfortable taking. Them and they're going to have to make you, know twelve, thirteen fourteen threes to be able to win that, game because if they, don't they're going to struggle BECAUSE vcu is really good
AND vcu is going to come after. Them and IF byu thinks that just the seating, thing you, know should get them by into a next round or, something they're fooling. Themselves they're going to have to come ready to go
and really really have to grind. Out in The houston game may be a help to, them they may look at that and you, know be coming back with their tail between their legs, saying, well they really showed us you know what we need to do to get better and better At, Hurry otherwise it's going to be a very short appearance in THE ncaa. Term so that's going to be for me one of the more interesting, games not just BECAUSE i have, a you, know a rooting interest for the local, team but it's going to be
a very good contest between two very well coached. Teams AND i want.
To be, Clear i'm not SAYING vcu Is, houston not even kind. Of When i've Watched houston this, Year i've found myself feeling sympathy for who they're playing. AGAINST i, mean that's their brand of physicality and defensive, intensity BUT vcu plays with a similar defensive, intensity and they don't extend the pressure full court oftentimes the way That houston tends to.
Do BUT smiddi one of the many.
Things one of the hats you wore over The Utah jazz is you did a lot of, scouting AND i can see why pro scouts like Yegor. Demon it's obvious because of his measurables and his. Vision his ball handling ability is passing LIKE i get. It but more often than, not it was the The Iowa state game And ames and then The houston game recently two examples Of Kevin young Pulling demon For Dallan, hall who's simply a tougher. Player he's just not afraid of. Pressure he doesn't cowtail
to physicality the way That demon seems. To and he's a kid and this is his first year of college. Hoops i'm not necessarily knocking on him for. It but if he can't handle VCU's, Pressure kevin's probably gonna have to go with Down. Hall and maybe we see something similar AGAINST vcu that we saw Against, houston Because Kapa cata was the only athlete that looked like he.
Belonged on the floor Against.
Houston so what DOES byu do IF vcu brings some of that physicality and pressure and their guardline isn't ready for. It because to your, point like if they knock down fourteen to fifteen, threes they're gonna. Win but this tournament is impossible to predict for a couple of different. Reasons first of, all spraying, ankle whatever injury, happens and then suddenly a team is. Out second of, all one team goes hot from the, outside the other team goes.
Hold then you get an.
Upset if B yu is not knocking down threes and their guard play isn't necessarily responding against, pressure what do they?
DO i think it could be a little bit of a problem for.
Them, no you're exactly. Right and then they're going to have to figure out a way to be able to really man up and really uh react in a positive way to the pressure that that they're going to. Feel. Now, again maybe The houston game helps them because they Played houston twice this year and got and and got run out both, times you, know against. Them, Uh so they've got all that film to look at and to figure
out The demon. KID i like him some as a, player but he's been so inconsistent in his effort uh this year and his his, ability you, know to do the things THAT i think he's capable of doing skill wise and talent. Wise but he always a lot of times he tends to play WHAT i call him second gear and and uh and rarely really turned it. On because you can see some plays he makes and games where you, go, okay that's why everybody likes, him and
but he doesn't do it for me often. Enough he's going to have to come in a game like this and, Say, okay this is What i'm here. For this is what it's all. About this is WHY i came From. RUSSIA i stopped. OFF i was In madrid for a few years in their youth academy program At Real. Madrid NOW i come To Provo utah to get try and get ready for THE. Nba this is where all the eyes
are on. Me, okay here we, go and this is where you find out when guys show, up if guys have it in them to be able to do, that to be able to, present have a presence in a game that makes everybody watch and look at you and, say, oh that's the guy who's running the show out. Here because as we, know you, know when when you mentioned that that you know that coach young, start you took him,
out puts In Dowllen hall. Whatever that's because at that, moment coach feels, LIKE i got to go with the guy WHO i know is going to play harder for a longer sustained period of. Time that's WHAT i have in my. Gut that's what coaching is. About and that's what we always used to, Say, spence when you got
a tight game at the end of the. Game you'd set up a play for a particular, player and as the players went out on the, floor sometimes the players that talk to each other and, go, hey the coach wanted us to run this, play but we're gonna run the Other we're gonna run in a different. Way and why is? That it's because the, players when they're on the,
floor they know who the real players. Are you can fool the fans and sometimes and the broadcasters, whatever but the players who are on the, floor they know who the real guys. Are and a game like this is going to be a big step for someone like Agor demon to show people That i'm one of the guys you've been hearing about. Me there's some flus talk minus talk or, whatever but this is a. Gamer i'm going to show you, guys this is WHY i came, here
and this is this is WHY byu has me. Here so that's going to be an interesting thing for me to watch Come.
Thursday, smiddy thank, you my friend for the. Time where do we find you these? Days are you back in town after your? Travels where are you?
At?
No i'm ACTUALLY i spent the last two weeks working at the THE atp thousand tennis tournament down In Palm. Springs we had a good time down, there and Now i'm in. Traveling i'm actually In Las vegas today on my Way wednesday up To Saint. George we're going to have a little three days of some golf with a bunch of my buddies down, there and then we'll be back in Sul. It we'll be back in the studio and next week span you'll have to spend a whole hour listening to my. Dribble, WELL i.
Cannot wait for. It i've said it, Before i'll say it. Again it is good to Be Richard. Smith so enjoy your, travels thank you for the, time and we'll see you next, Week, Okay.
Hi, spence appreciate you. Man.
Hi Richard smith forty years with The Utah, jazz including nine working side by side With Alex.
Jensen