Penn State Men's Basketball
Head Coach Patrick Chambers
Men's Basketball Media Day – October 16, 2018
Opening Statement
"Year eight is going to be a lot of fun. I know everyone is making fun of me about 'The Climb,' but the climb continues. I think everyone is really excited about it. When I walk around at football games you see the excitement from our fans. Our players are seeing [the excitement] and really feeling it. Recruits are seeing it as well. Our alums are seeing it. It's been an awesome feeling walking around and all these Penn Staters are coming up to us. They know we're heading in the right direction. They know we're doing a lot of positive things. Building off 26 wins, 51 records broken, cutting down some nets, getting one of first players drafted since 1999, lots of exciting things. Shep Garner just signed with the Pistons, a G-League team. We have to keep this momentum going in that direction. As far as our team, Lamar [Stevens] is playing really good basketball now. He looks like a grown man. He's put on about 27, 28 pounds. He was at Nike Basketball Academy this summer, really representing Penn State Basketball very well. He was our fourth player in my seven years to go to Nike Basketball Academy so that's just a fantastic statistic for us. Our players are doing a great job. Josh Reaves is back to his old self, again all over the floor. Obviously those two guys are All-Big Ten caliber players. Mike Watkins was back in practice playing really good basketball. He's been our 'Attitude King' for a lot of weeks there. It's really positive around those three guys.
John [Harrar] has been playing really good basketball. 7-1 [team record] last year as a starter and he did not miss any steps going into this preseason. He's really doing a good job for us rebounding the ball, defending, and he's extended his range out to the three-point line so that will be great for everyone to witness. Jamari Wheeler is playing terrific. I know, everyone is playing great, right, but they really are. Specifically these five guys are playing tough, Penn State basketball right now. They're defending, they're rebounding. Jamari is shooting the ball. He's made six threes. He was 3-for-5 on Saturday, he was 3-for-3 yesterday. His shot has really improved. I'm excited about those guys. And then the freshmen – I think you guys are going to love them. They're really high-IQ guys: Can shoot the three, can make plays for others, defend, and rebound. They're winners, they're competitors. They really stepped in to a situation where I was impressed with their conditioning throughout the summer. They continue to get better. They continue to be coachable and they're going to be a big part of what we do as we continue the climb this season.
Q: What about Lamar's [Stevens] leadership qualities have you seen not just as a basketball player that have translated to some of the younger guys?
A: He merged at the end of last year, I think you noticed that. Not just with point production but on the floor, communicating, talking in the locker room. And then staying around both summer sessions I really think he showed these guys that his commitment level to Penn State Basketball, his commitment level to getting better. And then he's just passing down words of wisdom. You have to remember that when Lamar was a freshman everything was on him and Tony [Carr]. To get things done, to score, to do it all. Now he can take those words of wisdom, that knowledge, those experiences of what he went through and pass them down to these freshmen. And here's the good thing about these freshmen: Unlike Lamar and Tony they don't have the pressure on them that Lamar and Tony had. They can play the Robin and not be the Batman. They can play the third or fourth scorer on the team. Lamar is really embracing that role.
Q: When John [Harrar] was on the court for you in the off-season as a defender and a rebounder how have you seen him grown?
A: I think you're going to notice his body right away. He's really lean. He was a football player last year playing basketball. I looked at his minutes throughout the year and it kind of flat lined for a while and then it took a little jump in the right direction for him. He was big, he was beefy, but when you walk out there and see him in the practice facility in a little bit I think you're going to see a basketball player. He looks faster, he's jumping higher, obviously he has great hands. His skill level is getting much better. I think you're going to see a guy we can rely on in the offensive end as well.
Q: Are there challenges you anticipate as being unique to coming off a successful season and how do you address them?
A: That's a good question and that worries you, right. We won 26 games and we're treated very differently. The buzz about our program is at an all-time high since I've been here which is awesome and the vision that I had for this program. We just have to focus on getting better every day. We want to make the NCAA Tournament, there's no secret about it. You guys already know that. The true challenge here is to stay present and get that one percent better every single day. And if we can stay present and limit distractions, and get better every single day then I think we have a really good chance to be a successful team. But if we get ahead of ourselves and we're reading headlines and relying on last year's successes then we're going to stub our toe more than a few times.
Q: Are you still going to try to be this 85-points a game team or are you going to lean on defense a little more? Where does defense fall on your hierarchy of what you want your biggest asset to be?
A: I think we finished 19 in KenPom with all those great analytics. We definitely [want to focus] on the defensive side. 85 was awesome and that's a lot of points but I'd like to score 70-plus a game. I think that's a goal and I like the possessions at the end of each game where we were. I think defensively we have to turn it up a little bit. We have a lot of speed, a lot of athleticism, so I think we're going to have to push out a little bit more but I look forward to that. Jamari [Wheeler], you have to take advantage of his talents, his speed and his toughness, competitiveness. Same thing with Josh [Reaves]. Same thing with Lamar [Stevens]. Lamar is really focused on his defense this preseason. He wants to become that guy that can cover one through five and that's very exciting to me. And John [Harrar] is as solid as they come. So if we can get some stops and some turnovers much like we did last year and get out and run those are some easy baskets for some of those guys that are so called defensive guys.
Q: How do you work with Lamar [Stevens] in a post-Tony [Carr] world?
A: We're already doubling him in practice. Any time he gets the ball we're doubling him. So he's going to learn how to make plays out of the double team and he's going to find different ways to score the basketball if that's what they're going to do in the half court. He's terrific in space – we already know that. He can get rebounds and push himself. He's got to get himself to the free throw line. He should be in the top-five in free throws attempted in the Big Ten this year. If he can handle all those things I think he still gets his 18, 19 points a game.
Q: You return a lot of key players from last season but you do lose a couple of your top three-point shooters so how do you replace the production from beyond the arc?
A: I'm just going to go with the statistics at the end of the season. Lamar [Stevens] was at 50 percent, he was 5-for-10. Josh [Reaves] was over 52 percent. They shot the ball really, really well from three in that NIT run. It's looking like they're going to pick that up here in the preseason going into the season. You add in a Myles Dread who's shooting at a very high clip right now. Rasir Bolton, very high clip. Actually, all the freshmen are. They're north of 40 percent right now in practice which is fantastic. It's practice, though, so we've got to see what we do in these scrimmages coming up and then we'll kind of gauge where we are. But they get in here, they get in the gym, they work on it so they have the green light so they can shoot it. And I think that makes us really tough to defend. If you're going to double Lamar and you're going to leave some of these guys open. And these guys played high level basketball. You're talking top of the line Adidas, talk of the line Nike. I think they've seen a lot. I think they've played against a lot of high level talent and I think they'll be ready for it.
Q: Have there been any attempts to get Izaiah [Brockington] a waiver and if not, what does he bring to the team from a practice standpoint?
A: I don't want to compare him to Josh [Reaves] but I'm going to have to because he's a lefty and he's an incredible athlete. He actually has a better vertical than Josh. I expect him to be the best defender on the second team all year long and really push Lamar [Stevens] and Josh and these freshmen and try to push them to limits they didn't know they had. I think you're going to like him. He knocked down a couple threes the other day. He's very rangy in his defense. He's a great rebounder. The sky's the limit for him. We're looking into it – as far as researching the eligibility right away.
Q: What did it mean to you to get that contract extension?
A: It was exciting, it was awesome. To see all your hard work over the years start to come together and get rewarded by Sandy [Barbour] and President Barron and Lynn [Holleran]. I appreciate them, I thanked them, but that's the kind of support you need to feel good about what you're building and the direction that you're headed in. You know what else it says? We've recruited some really good players here. Let's not discount the guys. They've put us in a position to be successful. My staff has been so incredibly loyal. I've had most of these guys since day one. They've stayed when they've had other opportunities, too. They saw the vision, they believed in this vision, and we're going to see this thing through.
Q: How critical is the freshmen's development to the success you guys have this season?
A: As long as our vets do their job, I think if we can just get a consistent effort from the freshmen, and what that means is if Myles [Dread]is on, alright we're good. If Myles is having a tough night well we got Rasir [Bolton], you got MJ (Myreon Jones), you got DK (Daniil Kasatkin), you got other guys that are able to make plays and make shots and you can put on the floor. I think what we have is some depth. We didn't mention Trent Buttrick but I expect him to play. He should be in our rotation of eight or nine guys. Deivis [Zemgulis] is still here as a senior you can plug him in everywhere. He started at Ohio State last year, gave us great minutes. Those guys we're going to count on. That's the beauty of Josh [Reaves] and Lamar [Stevens] leading this team, and John [Harrar] leading this team, so the freshmen don't feel like they have to do everything. They just have to hit open shots which is kind of exciting. And defend and rebound of course.
Q: As I was looking at the freshmen's bios on the website, one thing that jumped out to me was Myles' [Dread] off the court stuff. He does community service, and things like that. What has he already added to the locker room?
A: He's a poet too. You guys should ask him about that when you sit down with him. He's terrific and writes poems all the time. He did that his senior year for a senior project as well. He's a unique kid. They all are. We have a couple kids, which is awesome, that want to be Academic All-Americans out of this freshmen class. So not only are they great basketball players, great kids, but they are very good at taking care of their studies. But Myles brings a level of confidence. That DC Catholic league is one of the best and he played on team takeover EYPL. So he brings a very eccentric experience to the locker room and to the court and he's every bit of 6-5 and he's about 218 right now so he has a Big Ten-ready body. I think you're going to like his personality but I also think you're going to like how he plays.
Q: With the way your team is built right now, who out of Shep [Garner] and Tony [Carr] may be the toughest to replace right away?
A: You can never replace a Tony Carr. For what he did for this program – he put us on the map, he formed the foundation, and everybody kind of followed suit which is fantastic. Same thing with Shep [Garner]. Shep was fantastic. I'm so proud of him for what he did and the senior year that he had to break that record of Big Ten is just huge to have a Penn Stater be at the top of that list. It's got to be a collective effort. Our front line is our strength. Not to say Jamari [Wheeler] isn't ready to take the ball because those extra games and extra practices that we were able to play last year really benefitted him and John [Harrar]. We've got to go through our front line and they have to step up. It's going to be a little bit different, but guess what, these guys are up for the challenge.
Q: Going back to Jamari [Wheeler], last season may not have been consistent minutes throughout the season, but will be a big part in the starting lineup this season. How do you think he will handle this situation and what are you looking for from him?
A: I look forward to you guys talking to him. He is one of the most confident kids that I have ever been around for a six-foot guard, and I'm being generous with the six foot. He's confident, he's cocky, he's tough, he competes. He steps on the floor and he does not – how do I say this nicely, shut up – which is a good thing. You want that. That's your point guard. Him and I need to be an extension of each other and you want your point guard to nonstop talk and help these guys out, push these freshmen to get better and that's what he is doing for us. Now he's knocking down shots because he has earned the right. He's in here every day. He's feeling really good about himself, really good about his shot, really good about his preparation and work ethic and that's why I think you're seeing results. That's why I'm seeing results.
Q: Going back to last season, looking at Coach [Jim] Ferry's impact, a year removed from bringing him in. What kind of impact do you think he has had? With the offense as a whole, how much better do you think he's made this team while working with guys individually, how much improvement have you seen with him being here?
A: I don't want to single out Coach Ferry. He's done a great job, but I think it's the entire group that was here last year that did a phenomenal job on both sides of the ball. We still run the same plays that we have been running for the last six years, but we just tweaked some things. Our spacing was a little bit better. We had more intent when it came to the offensive side. Let's be true here: When the ball goes in, everyone looks pretty good. When the ball goes in the basket, especially when we shot down the stretch, but I think Ferry has done a great job. We kid with him and call him the "Ferry Factor," but I thought Keith Urgo who's done a masterful job at recruiting. He's our defensive coordinator. He has been absolutely terrific in that area. Our defense has probably been our staple for the seven years that I have been here and that is one thing that you will continue to see and those guys have done a really good job.
Q: Generally speaking, your best players have been guards over the years. Now that that is switching a little bit, how does that change your approach going into the year, when your best guys off the bat are maybe not your guards?
A: It's been a lot of fun now. We are coming up with different ways to make sure Josh [Reaves] has some plays run for him. Some plays for our five man, some plays for Lamar [Stevens]. It's been a little bit of a challenge, but we are enjoying that process. We have been working on end-of-game situations, end-of-clock situations. You don't have a Tony Carr who can bail you out a make a play or make a shot, but we're getting creative with Jamari [Wheeler] and with what he can do. We're getting creative with Josh and Lamar and what those guys need to do. We're having a lot of fun coming up with different things to make sure we get the guys in the right position to be successful because that's what we did with our team last year.
Q: Young depth can sometimes be good for a lot of guys who are equally not ready. Where are they in the process if the Big Ten started tomorrow?
A: I will tell you right now – we have four starters and we're looking for a fifth and it's an absolute dogfight for that fifth spot between the freshmen, and it's been a lot of fun. I've done a lot of different things: I played two bigs, I've played Trent [Buttrick], Lamar [Stevens] at the four. I've really mixed it up to see what flows. I want it to flow and I want consistency. I want to be efficient so we've done a lot of different lineups and right now the lineup that fits us best is the four guys and one of the freshmen. Which is exciting and it shows growth and development. You have some youth coming off but you also have some veterans coming off.
Q: 'The Climb' continues to be engrained in college basketball. Does that make it into everyday conversation at home with your family and has Mrs. Chambers ever said to you, "Enough with 'The Climb,' talk like a normal person?"
A: Absolutely. Funny question, but yes. I find myself saying 'climb' here and there to my kids. My kids are now saying it at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, whatever the meal might be. When I take them out to dinner or when we are downtown people are screaming climb and they scream climb back. So my wife has probably had it up to here with climb, but we have to keep climbing. We've got to keep getting better. It's part of our program. It fits the personality of who we are.
Q: In terms of last year and nonconference play, there were some games that I am sure you have looked back at. What's the tough part about getting guys to take those games as seriously as those in the Big Ten?
A: We can only prepare every day to get better and to set the standard of Penn State Basketball. That's what we need to do to not slip up on games that you're supposed to win. We have to approach every game like it's the championship. We have to approach every game the same way, and if we do that, we will find success. On those nights that you're not making shots, that's when you have to rely on your defense and rebounding, but if we can get a little bit better each day we will be okay.
Q: Last season the offense had a distinct feel to it, with Tony's [Carr] style of play developing throughout the shot clock. This season with Jamari [Wheeler] at point guard, who is obviously a much different player, he plays a lot faster. Do you expect that to show up in the way that you run your offense? Do you expect to play a lot faster?
A: I think we are going to play faster but we call it fast-to-slow. Let's get the ball over half-court as quickly as we can. That does not necessarily mean to take a shot in the first second. We're not the Phoenix Suns back in the day with Steve Nash where you're shooting in seven seconds or less. We're not doing that. We want to get the ball up as quickly as we can and put pressure on the defense and reverse the ball and make plays, but Jamari [Wheeler] will definitely allow us to do that, and so will Rasir [Bolton]. Rasir is a lot faster than people think and athletic. So yes, we are going to play faster.
Q: Are you going to take more advantage of fast break opportunities with Jamari [Wheeler] and Rasir [Bolton], where last year, you might have pulled it back and developed a certain play for Tony [Carr] or Jamari?
A: I think [we'll do] whatever is presenting itself at that point in the game because there are times where we want to play fast, but if we're winning, now the clock is your enemy. We want to be strategic in everything we do.
Q: One of the freshmen that we haven't mentioned yet is Daniil Kasatkin. Is he going to have a role this year? I know he has been in America for a couple of years, but does he have any relationship with Deivis [Zemgulis] as another European player? What's he been like so far?
A: He has been a great personality for us. He is every bit of 6-7. Really shooting the ball at a high clip. He has to work on his defense like all the freshmen do. He has to work on his rebounding because he's 6-7, he has to be able to rebound the basketball, but I think he's adjusting. It's a steady process of adjusting to American style basketball and Big Ten basketball. He's funny. He says, 'My Russian coaches, they yell at me all the time, don't worry about it.' He is a great kid, a high academic kid too. I think you will enjoy meeting him, too. He has a great, kind of dry personality, but very funny.
Q: You haven't played a game in Philadelphia since the 2016-17 season when you took on Michigan State. Has there been any attempt to get back into the city, whether it be for a nonconference or relocated Big Ten game?
A: That is something my sport administrator, Lynn Holleran, and I talk about every year. Is this the time to go back? It is the same thing with Rec Hall. Is it time? We don't want to wear out that type of welcome. We want people to be excited about it. We're always talking about Rec Hall, we're always talking about … Wells Fargo (the Philadelphia 76ers arena). It would be cool to play in there. I liked Atlantic City. I thought that got me somewhat close. So that's why we chose that game to be a neutral site game. We are always looking for ideas, whether it's Atlantic City, Philadelphia, or Madison Square Garden. I though Penn Staters really showed up in New York last year. 11,500, the most since 2005, and even in the Big Ten Championships they showed up. I think if we can get one at MSG, Palestra, Wells Fargo, or Atlantic City, I think that is really hitting our recruiting footprint and our players' families are all from there.
Q: Myreon Jones was a late commit. Can you talk about the recruiting process to get him here? He obviously de-committed from Memphis. What have you seen from him so far?
A: He de-committed from Memphis. I had a couple long conversations with Tubby Smith. We had seen him play and had offered him, but knowing the relationship that he had down there, we kind of backed off and he committed to Tubby. Once Tubby left, we got back on it. We wanted either a fifth year or another guy who can commit right away and help us out with the guard spot. That was the plan all off-season. … His nickname is 'Buckets,' so you can ask him that. What's 'Buckets' mean? The kid scores on every level. He hits shots that I'm still not sure, even when I'm watching film, how he made that shot. He is kind of a quiet kid, but he loves to play the game of basketball. He is a hard worker and we are very fortunate to pick him up late. He is going to play critical minutes. Trust me.
Q: Going back to Lamar [Stevens] and Josh [Reaves], what are their individual leadership strengths and how do they work together to really drive this team?
A: Lamar [Stevens] is more of the vocal one, more of the Trace [McSorley] and Josh [Reaves] is more of the one who is going to put his arm around you and say that he cares about you and loves you, it's not personal. He will talk to you in a quieter zone, where Lamar might really get after you and try to push and drive you. His expectations are very high for himself and for this team and we need that guy. It is kind of good cop, bad cop. I think the combination of those two alone, and with John Harrar, has been a phenomenal leadership council. These guys are so dialed in and come up with great ideas to help the program continue to get better.