ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASKETBALL TIPOFF MEDIA DAY

October 11, 2022

Amanda Butler

Amari Robinson

Clemson Tigers

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the show. Amanda Butler, head coach for Clemson, and we have Amari Robinson as well.

When we're looking at last season, I know it isn't something you wanted, but you are known to win. You have a tendency to build culture in locker rooms.

Obviously congratulations on the contract extension as well because that program obviously believes in what you can do for this team.

Just going back to last year, a couple of things -- obviously losing Washington as well, one of the anchors of your team, how can you build on what you've already established now, and what does that look like? What is Clemson going to be about?

AMANDA BUTLER: How much time do we have? Because I have a lot to say about all of these things.

Really was just such a pleasure to be part of Delicia's journey and watching her do her things in the pros.

One of the things we do every year, we number our teams. Last year was team 47. They have their own strengths and weaknesses, struggles and triumphs.

This year is team 48, though, and they have their own unique identity. That identity, we don't ever let that identity be formed by what's not there or what is left, but much more of like celebrating what we have and how do we play out of strength with those things.

And I'll just tell you, I'm really excited about what we have, about what our strengths are, what the game can look like with the combinations we can put on the floor.

The new players, whether that be Ruby Whitehorn, our freshman, our transfers, Ale'jah, Brie, and then our returning players, our veterans. Mari and Hannah are our first group of four-year players, and this will be the completion of that traditional cycle.

I could not think of two other people, two other young women that I would have wanted to go through the journey to reach where team 48 is at, and excited for what they're going to bring to team 48 in combination with those other returning players.

Super excited about our sophomore class, Kiki Gaines and MaKayla Elmore, their growth. Madi Ott, what she continues to stabilize us with as a communicator.

Nunu Bradford, ya'll -- ya'll get used to hearing her name. She's fun. She's dynamic. She's going to be big, important part of what we do as well.

Lots to look forward to, but I'll leave it right there. I can keep going, but I'll stop there.

THE MODERATOR: We'll keep talking more about team 48.

AMANDA BUTLER: Let's do it.

THE MODERATOR: Amari, just what this season is looking like for you? In the off-season I'm sure you come in with goals and what you want to establish yourself to be. What does that look like for you?

AMARI ROBINSON: This off-season mostly focusing on things I can improve. Improving my three-point game, bringing all my other stats up. Getting physically fit and mentally fit to just be prepared to do whatever my team needs to help us have a long, long season.

THE MODERATOR: Averaging 10, I think, or 11 points, and just constant. That's what I was looking at, just going through your stats, just how it seemed like they could always look to you to be that voice, to always be that person that could show up.

Where does that come from? And even in a leadership aspect, how does that look just trying to build with a team?

AMARI ROBINSON: So I've had to be the leader for all of my teams growing up, so I think it really stemmed mostly from my high school experience, just being the most seasoned, I would say, and the most experienced player to just having to do whatever I needed to do for my team, whether that was score all the points or whether that was block shots or whether it was just being a cheerleader on the sideline for those that got to go in the game and things like that.

So I think just carrying that over into my college experience, like my freshman year, coming in as a freshman not knowing what to do. Of course everybody comes in thinking I'm going to be the best, but you're surrounded by a lot of great players.

I think just coming in with that clean slate and just willing to do whatever for my team, whether that was run the floor, whether that was box out or get rebounds. So I think that consistency just stayed knowing my role and just doing it and executing it the best I could.

THE MODERATOR: And the buy-in is already there too because you've already announced you're coming back.

AMARI ROBINSON: I know.

THE MODERATOR: Why was that important to you? We'll get to how important that is for you too.

AMARI ROBINSON: I think it was important for me. I didn't want to rush into leaving. I had my COVID year, of course, and I think I'm just trying to max out everything I can out of Clemson and out of my college experience.

So I'll start getting my Masters next spring, and being able to play is a plus. Being able to do it all over again with my sisters and my teammates right next to me, I think that was really the icing on the cake.

And being next to this one, of course. That's a little cherry.

AMANDA BUTLER: Tiny, tiny cherry.

THE MODERATOR: Maybe a little bit more playing time, but you can't get much more for sure.

I wanted to go back to just how special you are off the court as well. Special education major, and even going back to your younger sister, Kennedy, who has downs syndrome and what that means to you, your inspiration.

Can you share that story?

AMARI ROBINSON: My sister, she is a bundle of joy. If you've seen her, if you've experienced her, you know Kennedy, and Kennedy will forever be in your mind when you think of me or even Clemson, honestly. She's the star of the family.

But just being around her, her classmates and being at Special Olympics, whether it was volunteering or passing out cupcakes in her class, I knew it was something I was passionate about and wanted to do.

So it just motivated me and directed me in the direction I am now, and I wouldn't be doing anything else.

THE MODERATOR: Geez, Coach, what a jewel, right? Now I can see why you're doing this when she decides to come back. Just the impact. I'm pretty sure you've had discussions just about how special she is.

Even in the growth that you can see and what she can provide this season?

AMANDA BUTLER: Everything that you just said is true, and everything that she just said she lives every day. I think that authenticity and the consistency with which Mari shows us her whole heart and her purpose and her grasp of what her purpose is and how to execute that is well beyond her years.

I think most of us are in our 30s and 40s before we really start to understand the power of our who factor and why we do the things we do, and Amari lives it now.

Just her growth, and she touched on it a little bit, her willingness to do whatever the team needs. I think there are a lot of players that feel that way, and that ends, though, when you start to cross over into your comfort zone and leaving it.

Leadership and all that leadership requires is one of those things that really stretches Amari, because you can also probably tell she's motivated by harmony. She's motivated by connection and sisterhood, and sometimes leadership crosses over into something that feels a little more confrontational than those things, and that's where she's really pushed herself.

That's where I've really seen not just the growth because I have to, because I'm a senior or whatever, but like this is what my team needs, and I really want to say I want to be what they need. I really want to be what they need, and she knows that her voice and the way that she executes her leadership role in a little bit of a different way than she has is important for team 48 and our team growth going forward.

I got total confidence in her doing that.

THE MODERATOR: You talk about what the team needs. Well, you're what they need. I've gone through a couple of the interviews that you've done, and you talked about the balance of family. Twice I've heard from both of you the sisterhood, just the family, and how you're fighting for one another.

Just understanding the balance in that, what ways have you, I think, inspired your team to understand having that balance? So you can gain and pull whatever you can from them on the court.

AMANDA BUTLER: I don't know. I hope that I'm being a good role model when it relates to family first and foremost. Of having my own family and prioritizing them even above basketball, because basketball is very, very important in both of our lives. It is literally the only thing I've ever done.

Yet it's just what I do, it's not who I am. That's really, really important. I think when we as a group really grasp that concept, it makes us play harder for each other because we are for each other in ways that goes beyond basketball, that is way deeper than basketball.

So I try to do a good job of modeling that and teaching that, but I think the more open and honest conversations that you can have, and then me as a leader driving in them sometimes, where you get comfortable with concepts like accountability.

And you don't just say words like vulnerability, but you practice it. Whether it's a team meeting or whether it's some other intentional space where we're trying to really connect with one another, those are things that I try to do well.

Then there's a lot of those things where I'm following their lead because this is their experience. I just get the honor and privilege of being a part of it and serving them during this part of the year hopefully in a way that we keep coming back to each other once they're no longer -- their eligibility is expired, which I don't like to think about that, but it happens.

THE MODERATOR: Absolutely, Coach. We're going to go back to on-court just for a second. Your conference record even last season isn't indicative of really what you guys are able to be as a unit. Can you expound on, I guess what you've seen in your team and being this close?

AMANDA BUTLER: Yeah, absolutely. One of the things that is on our video room wall is a scripture that I feel like is really, really powerful as it impacts team 48 and all of our teams, especially women like Amari, who went through losing a lot of really close games, and if this makes sense, losing close games for sacrifices of the greater good and the right reasons.

I think that scripture is Galatians 6:9: Don't grow weary in doing good; in due time you will reap a harvest if you don't give up. Sometimes we don't understand the due time part or the struggle or the losing by two or the adversity in different ways it raises its head in our seasons in ways it may serve us later.

I'm very hopeful for Amari, for Hannah, for Nunu, all of our seniors, our veteran players. All of our players, but definitely the veteran players who experienced close losses and being right there last year, that it will empower them as a unit to lead, to dig a little deeper on the days you just don't feel like it.

You played. We all know what it feels like. Because you remember that close loss or remember that intense locker room conversation afterwards and you know that you want more, and then you bring more. That's hopefully what we'll see with this year's team.

The lessons that we learned for those of us who were part of team 47 and just a lot of elite celebrations that will go on this year.

THE MODERATOR: Absolutely. I think to kind of build off what you just said, it's the connectedness too. You can feel that and say I want them to feel this, and I want them to know this and understand what it takes to win this. But even for you in that leadership standpoint, when she believed that you can add in that value, the adversity -- we always hear pressure builds and just makes diamonds.

But what's the confidence you have in this group that they can definitely build off of winning these close games and kind of getting over the hump in that aspect?

AMARI ROBINSON: I definitely think this year we really pushed to be connected, whether it was on or off the court, just making sure we were all on one accord. So when we do translate in those hard games or in those hard, adverse moments, that we're still connected as one rather than one person's over here doing their thing, one person's over here, and then trying to bridge them back in those tough situations.

So I think it's just all of us understanding the foundation and the basics that we need to get to that point and everybody just understanding their role to get there.

THE MODERATOR: I love that, everyone understanding their role, because that is very important. Let's talk about the scheme and what it's going to look like. Talking basketball this year.

What is that going to look like for you guys? Has anything changed with the new faces? What are you wanting to see as far as the identity aspect in this year?

AMANDA BUTLER: I think the connectedness. We want to be manifestations of that in the way that we play, and I said elite celebrations, but a team that plays fast, but not just plays fast but plays fast together. And not just plays fast together on the offensive end, but plays fast together defensively as well, plays fast as we connect in huddles, that we just can do things at a speed and with a tempo that demonstrates that we're in lock step with one another.

I think that our reinforcements, our new faces at the point guard spot are going to be absolutely game changers for us. Brie and Ale'jah are both new players, but they have really important experience underneath their belt.

Ale'jah coming from a championship program in Western Nebraska, Community College, and then Brie coming from Elon as a grad transfer.

Both of those in combination with Nunu's ability to run the point when we need her to, they're going to be the heads of the monster in terms of directing that speed and setting the tone that is going to be a defining factor in our success this season.

THE MODERATOR: Last question: I know it's pretty broad, but what are you most excited about? I don't know if it's one of those things where I'm just ready to get on the floor, I'm tired of practice -- not really, but kind of tired of practice.

AMANDA BUTLER: They are. They definitely are.

THE MODERATOR: What are you looking forward to this season?

AMARI ROBINSON: I'm just ready to compete, quite honestly. Since the league has shifted so much with people coming from other conferences and even the people that we've played against, how much we've all developed over the course of the summer and even preseason.

So I think it's just going to be exciting to see everybody compete and who's where and what's what, and I think it's just going to be a fun time.

THE MODERATOR: I'm excited to watch what team 48 is doing. I'm excited to watch you guys. Congratulations on everything you've done this far. Congrats on the contract extension as well. Looking forward to watching you all this season.

AMANDA BUTLER: Stay tuned. Go Tigers.