ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASKETBALL TIPOFF MEDIA DAY

October 10, 2024

Earl Grant

Donald Hand, Jr.

Chas Kelley, III

Boston College Eagles

Men's Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We start with Boston College and Head Coach Earl Grant. Questions, please.

It is clear that you have started turning the program in the right direction. What are the variables that you can point to to say, all right, yes, we are moving in the right direction?

EARL GRANT: I think the biggest variable probably is just hard work. Hard work works, you know, and there's no substitute for hard work.

So I think it starts with that. That's one of the basic pillars that I would say why we've been able to continue to pursue success or continue to move the program in the right direction.

I think the second layer of that is just honesty. Guys being honest with themselves, them being honest with me and the staff, me being honest with them. That way we trust. We trust each other. We know every game we play there's no guarantee, but we're thankful to play the games. We're thankful to be in this conference. We're thankful to have the type of people we have in our locker room.

So really it starts with just trust and hard work. We trust each other. We know every game we play there's no guarantee, but we're thankful to play the games. We're thankful to be in this conference. We're thankful to have the type of people we have in our locker room.

So it really starts with just trust and our work.

Q. Going off of what you were saying, building a culture in this environment we obviously know that NIL, transfer portal, there's a lot of change that happens, but you've had that success from year one to two to three in the win-loss column. How are you building a culture in an ever-changing environment?

EARL GRANT: Well, I mean, I think it is an ever-changing environment. I can't really control that. I think the student-athletes can't control that either. We didn't ask for this environment; this environment found us. This where we are, 2024, right?

But in terms of culture, you just try to get players that have good character, that fit what you believe is important to winning on and off the court. I'm big on on and off the court. I know this basketball is fleeting. You get four years of college basketball. You maybe get an average of three to seven years of pro, right?

I'm more focused on the 29-year-old and 30-year-old man. How is he going to take care of his family? What are the habits he has to be a good father and good husband? I'm not changing. That's important to me. That's the most important reason I got in this business, to help these young men.

So I want to win. I don't like losing. I'm a very competitive guy. But the main thing is how to help them become better people so they can go out and have great lives with their families, have good jobs, understanding relationships and networks.

We at a place like Boston College where network is a major factor for the next 30 to 40 years. So these are two rising juniors, all right? These are two rising juniors. These guys have been with me going in their third year. You talk about culture. That's culture. They been around every step of the way, and they're sitting here today.

THE MODERATOR: It's a comment that I guess I'll ask for a reaction. Last year B.C. registered true road wins seven times. It's almost like Boston College is a disruptor when it goes to somebody else's house. Do you think about playing the role of spoiler? Obviously every game you want to win, but seven true road wins last year is pretty special.

EARL GRANT: I mean, a road kill is really fun. I mean, it's fun. The milkshakes taste good after, you know. But, you know, the home and road games, they're very competitive.

Again, like I said, you don't know what the result is going to be. Results are a byproduct of your efforts and your belief and your planning and your preparedness. We just try to prepare. We try to believe in what we do and don't compromise what we do to satisfy others. We let the chips fall where they may.

I'm glad we were able to win those seven true road wins. They're not easy to get, but you know, my focus and I think our players' focus, is just on the day-to-day process. The process of becoming good: A good team, a good person, and you let the chips fall where they may.

Q. Through the transfer portal you picked up Josh Beadle out of Clemson. I wanted to ask how he's fit into y'all's system so far over the offseason?

EARL GRANT: Josh has been really good. Obviously he's a veteran going into his fourth year in the ACC. He graduated in three years, so he is working on his masters.

He has been really good. I think the biggest thing is obviously you can't take away his experience in the league, the minutes that he has logged, understanding what goes into becoming a good team, the day-to-day grind. He gets all of that.

He's expecting a breakthrough individually as well as he wants the team to break through. It's nice to have somebody who understands the league, but also it's nice to have somebody to understand the importance of leadership, seeing teams that were led well by players, seeing teams that weren't led as well by players.

Then coming into our locker room and respecting the fact that there are some guys who have been around. I think he gets it. So he has been really good. He's a really fast, athletic combination guard. He is going into his fourth year in the league, so I'm happy he's with us.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, you and Donald will switch places.

Questions for Donald?

Q. Donald, coming off your redshirt freshman season you've shown a lot of promise for this upcoming season. Is there any specific parts of your game we need to look out for outside of shooting?

DONALD HAND JR: Really I've been working on all aspects of my game. My leadership has took a step to another level. My ball handling, my defense. I would really say the defensive side of things has really changed. I know where to be. I've been watching a lot of film. I can say this season you should expect me to be a high-level defensive player in the ACC.

Q. Back court for you with Josh Beadle coming in from Clemson, what can you say about that give and take and what that's looked like in summer ball as well as what we can maybe expect this season?

DONALD HAND JR: Yeah, Josh is a high-level player. He's very fast, very quick, very athletic. We're a fast-paced team this year, so in practice and stuff it's been very fun to get up and down with him. He is pitching it fast. I pitch to him fast, get on the rim fast. We're attacking the paint really fast this year. It's going to be fun playing with Josh, so I'm excited.

THE MODERATOR: In the ACC tournament you had ten points in 19 minutes off the bench against Clemson. That's got to be a really good note to sort of end on and think about during the offseason.

DONALD HAND JR: Yep, yep. You know, that game was fun. The whole experience was fun. Going into that game Coach was always preaching to me, be ready, be ready for your opportunity. Opportunity came and we were playing Clemson in the ACC tournament; I was ready for it.

Just staying ready throughout the season, watching film in Coach, being focused in practice. Then once my opportunity came, like I said in the ACC tournament, it showed. This season should be a fun one.

Q. You guys are going to be traveling to the West Coast a bit with California and Stanford coming into the conference. Are you excited about the trips to California? Have you ever been?

DONALD HAND JR: Of course I'm excited, but at the end of the day we're going to win games. I feel like the team and Coach is going to do a good job at getting us ready to go over there and win games. We're not going over there to vacation or anything like that. So we're going over there to focus, get the job done, and get a road kill.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you. You and Chas can switch places.

Describe your leadership style for us.

CHAS KELLEY III: I would probably say very versatile. Kind of understanding the relationship that I have with the coaches in the meeting room and being able to take what they're saying and preach it to my teammates so we all have a better understanding of what's going on and the task at hand.

But just trying to understand the relationships that I have built individually with all the guys in our locker room and just try to help collectively just web it together and just become one big family.

Q. Just for you personally going into this season, the evolution of your role on this team, how have you see that coming to be as you step in here?

CHAS KELLEY III: Just from arriving my freshman year and envisioning myself to be that guy, wanting to be a leader and learning from guys like Jaeden Zackery, Quinten Post and just taking what they've done and try to just enhance it and try to keep on growing.

Like our coach said earlier, just trying to grow and become a top program in the ACC.

THE MODERATOR: This year you've got someone on your squad from the Republic of the Congo and Japan. Last year you had someone on your squad from Canada and Amsterdam. These influences from around the world, different styles of basketball, how do they affect the way that you approach the game?

CHAS KELLEY III: I would say it just brings a level of appreciation. People say a lot that basketball is like a fraternity and just the places that you will go. Now we're going to California this year, and the people that you meet and the cultures that you may come -- that may come to be. It's just a blessing just how this small ball can change your life, change the people around you, and your family's lives to just be better for everyone overall.

THE MODERATOR: Small ball, big opportunities, right?

CHAS KELLEY III: Yep.

Q. Over the course of the offseason this team has had to fill in major holes. With all the new freshmen that have come in and the transfers, what has your role been in bringing this team together with you being the veteran?

CHAS KELLEY III: Just creating a family foundation, right? Trying to get guys out of their shell as quickly as possible. We had five guys returning and lots of guys that were incoming and being introduced to the program, to Earl Grant's coaching ways.

So I saw it as an opportunity. The faster I can get these guys out of their shell, the faster I can make them laugh, make them smile, understand what makes them tick, what makes them sad, what makes them happy, the faster I can build a relationship and just kind of spread that relationship culture that, hey, we're here to be your brother, not your teammate.

THE MODERATOR: How do you make teammates smile?

CHAS KELLEY III: Honestly just joke with them. Just give a little joke or two, see how they react, understand how they can take and receive things. Just try to make them laugh. Try to stoop down to their level, understand the things that they like, don't like.

Just you should always start off the day with smiling. Just be blessed that you woke up.

THE MODERATOR: Boston College, thank you. Good luck this season.