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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE OPERATION BASKETBALLOctober 25, 2017Devon HallIsaiah WilkinsCharlotte, North Carolina Q. Just what you can say about the environment around the team right now. You had a bunch of guys transfer out and you have some new faces coming in. Just what you can say about how you've handled that and establishing a good culture going forward. DEVON HALL: Well, I mean, it's up to us as leaders. Myself and Isaiah, to be able to make sure we establish a culture for guys who haven't played here. We're going to try to do as best as possible. Q. You're a redshirt senior; how did it happen that you got to be so old so fast? DEVON HALL: Isaiah will joke about that all the time. But just learning, man. I took a redshirt year and tried to grow as much as possible. I've been able to get better each and every year, so just hopefully I can continue that process. Q. What sort of expectations do you have for yourself as well as the team? DEVON HALL: Just try to be as competitive as possible. We're a young, little bit different team, so we just try to make sure we establish our foundation as a unit first early in these non-conference games and every day in practice to where we know going into ACC play who we are and how we have to play. But like I said before, it's up to older guys like myself and Isaiah and Jack to be able to lead these younger guys. Q. Does this season in your opinion feel -- does this team feel drastically different to you than the typical Virginia? How do you gauge going into the year what you've got? DEVON HALL: I think we have a few more offensive weapons in terms of how we are going to play and we might be able to get it out a little faster and play a little bit quicker, but defense is not going to change. You guys know Coach Bennett well, so you know it's not going to change. Q. Coaches talk all the time about making sure their young men and women are going to be good citizens after they leave college. What have you learned that you'll take away? What traits do you think he's instilled within you? DEVON HALL: He does things the right way, and I pride myself in doing the same. He recruits high-character guys, and it's been an honor and a pleasure to play and be amongst those people at UVA, and our program, as well. Q. In interviewing some of the other younger players during Media Day recently, it was asked of them, of the leaders on the team, who do you go to for a hug, and they generally talked about Isaiah doing that, but if something was wrong or maybe they'd made a mistake, maybe you'd be on the lookout for Devon and the evil eye or something like that; how do you feel about maybe that role? DEVON HALL: I guess I'm big on taking responsibility, so if something is done wrong, then I'm a guy to make sure you know about it. But Coach Bennett always talked about being a feared leader. I don't necessarily want to be feared by my teammates, but I just make sure if something is wrong that I address it. Q. Just the thoughts on the interior for the team defensively. As Devon said, it's going to be a lot the same, but what you can say about the front court this year. ISAIAH WILKINS: Well, I feel like we found a groove. I feel like I'm in a groove now offensively. But you've got guys like Jay Huff come in their first year who can really stretch the floor and shoot it, and Mamadi and Jack have been working their moves, as well, so hopefully we can help the guards out a lot this year. Q. In dealing with your health issues at the end of last year, how do you feel about your health going into the season, and is it something that you need to be concerned with, or is it behind you, you never have to look back? ISAIAH WILKINS: I don't think it's ever to that point. You know, I try to take good care of myself. I have some things that are genetic that you can't really change, so I just try to make sure I'm eating right and taking care of my body and stuff like that. I played in a scrimmage and I was all right. Trying not to think about it as much, and just getting ready to play this year. Q. You mentioned in the media notes that part of the reason you chose Virginia is because it felt like family. You come from a big family yourself; what is it about this basketball family that's made its mark on you? ISAIAH WILKINS: Well, I feel like I just remember my visit and being embraced by those guys who didn't really know me, and I just felt like this is a place where I could come and be happy. Devon talked a lot about guys' character, and I feel like that's 100 percent true. Coach Bennett does a great job of doing that, and I know when I graduate I'm always welcome back. You just can't take anything like that for granted. Q. Isaiah, what sort of offensive moves have you been working on to complement your baseline jump shot and your foul line moves? ISAIAH WILKINS: Just really post moves, playing more off 2, hop steps and things like that, just to kind of get a groove. I feel like I have solid footwork and I can use that to my advantage because I'm undersized down there. So try to create something and try not to get my shot blocked. Q. Every team has a comedian. Who's the comedian for you guys? ISAIAH WILKINS: Nigel Johnson. First year here, big-time comedian. But no, there's a lot of guys, like I've got a top-5 comedy guys. Q. Do you want to roll those off? ISAIAH WILKINS: So Nigel, Kyle, De`Andre, Ty, and Devon. That's my five. Q. So Devon is five and not one? ISAIAH WILKINS: No, there was no order, trust me. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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