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PAC-12 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA DAYOctober 20, 2016JR PayneKennedy LeonardLauren HugginsSan Francisco, California JR PAYNE: I'd like to say that I'm very honored and humbled to be here in truly the conference of champions in such an outstanding conference with outstanding coaches inspiring players. It's just a very special place for us to be today. I'm honored to be up here as these two gals' coach. We have these fabulous young women that are here, and I'm honored to be with them today as well. So thank you for having us. Q. This conference is going to be really, really good. You're going to start fast. People are going to set a fast pace in terms of competitiveness. Can you talk about how you get that started in a new situation? JR PAYNE: That's something that really drew me to the University of Colorado and to this conference. It's an awesome challenge. It's one thing to build a program and make it seem better, but to have the challenge laid in front of you and to build a program in the truly number one conference in the entire country is just phenomenal, and I'm excited about it. We talk about it with our players, about it takes more than the minimum. It takes all of our best efforts to be able to do that, so I'm thrilled for that challenge. Q. Coach, wondering how much that victory by your Santa Clara team over Stanford last year gave you a personal boost of confidence or maybe helped you in terms of knowing what to expect now in the Pac-12? JR PAYNE: Well, that was an incredible win, an incredible night for our players and our program at Santa Clara. It was hard to top that one. But it did. I've known about and watched and admired the Pac-12 Conference for years, as we all have. I know that Stanford has set the precedence, but every other team in the conference is so strong and it's such a deep conference that I know that's what's to expect every night, an opponent like that. Different levels of size and athleticism and things. But that was definitely a good preparation as far as entering this league now. Q. JR, I need to know about the ink on your foot. What is the story behind that tattoo? JR PAYNE: Well, it's a symbol from Ghana, West Africa. It means fear nothing but God. I came into my faith later in life, towards the end of my college career and early in my coaching career, and it's something that as a team we talk about being fearless, playing with that kind of fearless mentality. So it's something that I wouldn't say it inspires me every day, but it's something that's important to me. Q. To follow-up, you had seen film of the players sitting next to you. What's different in reality about these two individuals versus what you saw on film? JR PAYNE: Well, something that I adore about these gals and the rest of the players on our team is that they have awesome personality. I think these two alone have already made their mark on this building, on this day. Because everywhere I go, they say, man, your kids are awesome. So from a basketball standpoint, I can look at the stats and watch the film and see what they can and can't do or what our strengths and weaknesses are. But the type of desire that they have, I can speak to these two in particular, to be better, to do more, to leave their mark and things like that, it's something that's really impressed me so far. Q. As a fifth-year senior, what was the biggest challenge going through a coaching change and trying to get back at it with the whole new coaching staff? LAUREN HUGGINS: I think the biggest challenge would be being introduced to a new system. We found out in late March about our coaching change. Then a couple weeks later we had JR and Coach Toriano come through and introduce themselves as our new head coaches, and we got straight into work after that. So there wasn't really time to process the change. But I think so far we've handled it great, and we're actually very excited about this year and the new staff, and the new system that we're going to be running. Q. I have a two-part Kelly Graves question for you. What kind of influence did Coach Graves have on you and your career? Secondly, now that he has this recruiting class he's been working on nonstop for two years in the building, what do you expect from Oregon going forward? JR PAYNE: Well, Kelly is truly like a father to me. He's someone that I've leaned on throughout my entire adult life, both personally and professionally. He really laid the foundation for me in coaching in knowing that I could. I think I can have it all. I think I can have a great family, I think I can have a great career. He's someone that really showed that to me; that I can do that. I appreciate that almost as much as all the X's and O's he's taught me. The recruiting class is phenomenal. He's had a desire to have the longest team in the country, and I think they're certainly getting there. So you're going to see the same type of basketball that they've been playing. They have a couple great returners. But the type of size and depth they've added inside is pretty remarkable. Q. Last year you talked about your streak and being the hardest-working, toughest team and having a really disciplined team. How have you fared with that at Colorado, and is that still your mantra? And for the players, has it been an adjustment to live up to those expectations? JR PAYNE: I would say definitely that's our mantra, it always has been, and quite honestly, it always will be. Our desire is to get our players to maximize what they have. If they're 6'5, great. If they're 5'5", we'll maximize that too. So that toughness, and hard work, and discipline is something we're already working daily to try to grow. It's a process, though. I can't come in and say, hey, guys, this is what we're going to be. And they say, okay, great, and snap our fingers and that's who we are. So it's a daily process. Some days we take bigger steps forward. And other days not so big. It's something that we continue to talk about, and I think ultimately will lead to our success. KENNEDY LEONARD: Just like JR said, we know tough times make tough people. And we're just pushing through each day. If we don't make a gun on one day, we'll make the gain the next day. It's a process and understanding that things will get better. Q. Can you talk about what your system is? What you envision, kind of what your style is? Then I'd like to hear from the players, too, how they describe the style that you want to implement. JR PAYNE: Yeah, from an X's and O's standpoint, we love to be creative in what we're doing. So I wouldn't come in ask try to fit a round peg into a square hole and say, this is what I do, and this is what we're going to do. If our personnel doesn't fit that, I think it would be foolish to try to turn that into what I want it to be. So as far as our identity from a basketball standpoint, this team, I think our biggest strength is what we can do in transition. We have a fabulous returning point guard. We have a fabulous back court, I think, and we'll use that to be one of our biggest strengths this season. As far as I think it speaks to the previous question. Every night we take the floor, we'll be the toughest team on the floor. We'll be the hardest working team on the floor. We'll work to be extremely disciplined. So those three things, it's kind of boring, but it's who we are, and what we rally feel will be successful. LAUREN HUGGINS: So as JR said, transition is going to be key for us, and one of our best key plays is the altitude we have at Colorado. Yeah, the sixth man off the bench is that altitude. So we're excited to have freedom and get the rebound and outlet and push up the floor. We have great shooters returning, posts are working hard. So just quick hitters if need be, and expect a lot of transition in a fast-paced game. Q. Kennedy, I was wondering what you could tell us about your experience playing this summer with the U-20 Great Britain team? Being an Olympic year, how much that got your interest going for 2020 and potentially playing on the National Team in Tokyo? KENNEDY LEONARD: Yeah. This summer was pretty eventful. I took a trip overseas to play with the British National Team. I think it taught me more about life than it did basketball. Just being around the culture and seeing people I wouldn't see normally. But basketball-wise, it taught me different things. I got to work on my game and play games. People don't play games in the summer, so that was probably a plus. So just the opportunity to be out there, people I'm not around in America. I got to see different cultures and different people, and kind of got to immerse myself in things that I wouldn't see here. So, yeah, it would be pretty cool to be in the Olympics. But don't want to get ahead of myself or anything like that, but just try to focus on Colorado and winning a Pac-12 Championship here. Q. JR, in your previous two positions at the other schools, a pretty quick turnaround. Are you expecting that at Colorado? What's it going to take to be successful? JR PAYNE: That's a great question. Yes, quick turnarounds are great. Our soccer team is inspiring us. They were in 12th place last year. I don't think they won a single conference game. Now they're in first place. I don't necessarily expect that. We will work for that. Really we're just working to establish the culture of who we want to be. I really think when we're able to do that and get our players to maximize potential, I think the winning takes care of itself. So as far as a number goal, do we want to finish in first place, that's not really where we are right now. Our goal is working on building a foundation of the culture that we want to be moving forward. Q. Just to follow up on that, Colorado football, one win away from Bowl eligibility. You hit campus at just the right time, Coach. Have you had an opportunity to speak with Coach Mike MacIntyre and pick his brain about building a program in Boulder? JR PAYNE: Yeah, Coach Mac is awesome. In fact, the coaching staff and administration at the University of Colorado is so welcoming. I mean, it truly feels like one big family. So now Coach Mac's pretty busy, so I haven't had a ton of time with him. But it's been neat to see the things he talks about. When he talks about building his program, it's not I've just got to get the five-star players. That's not what he's built with. He's built with solid people that have bought into the idea of family, of hard work, of attacking each day, winning the day. So I appreciate that even from afar. But it is a great time to be a Buff. That's for sure. Q. Lauren, you've been there a while and played with a lot of different players. And having Kennedy there last year, she really stood out to all of us. But I'm wondering what it's been like having her leading the way. What kind of growth have you seen from her in her game so far? LAUREN HUGGINS: It's been great having Kennedy. Having a true point guard that loves to distribute the ball and see other people on the floor have success, it's kind of a change-up that I've had from other players on the floor. Lexi was a great player, but never a true point guard. So having Kennedy around to pick me up to pass me the ball, you know, always the first to pick me up off the floor, give me a high five after a knock-down three. Her growth not only on the basketball court but off is tremendous. She's definitely developed into one of the best players in this league, I believe. JR PAYNE: Freshmen, you get lost on campus. Off the court, you always struggle. She's an out-of-state kid, so being away from her family and her dog and all of that has been pretty tough on her. But there is a level of maturity and mental toughness where, when maybe you're not having the best day, you can find a different outlet than just kind of moping around or missing your home, that type of stuff. I think she's been able to get involved with the athletic department and immerse herself within the community to a point where this is her new home. So just being able to have that home away from home I think is a mature thing, especially as an incoming sophomore. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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