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PACIFIC-12 CONFERENCE MEDIA DAYOctober 28, 2011Johnny DawkinsJosh OwensLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA THE MODERATOR: We'll continue with the Stanford head coach Johnny Dawkins, and student-athlete Josh Owens. COACH DAWKINS: Well, we are very excited about the season. I thought our kids have done a great job this preseason of working hard to get better. I thought it started last spring and continued through the summer and through our trip to Spain, in which our team got closer. We grew a lot from that experience, and we're just very excited about starting this upcoming season. We have, I think, very good leadership. Probably the best leadership that we've had since I've been there, and I'm really proud of what these young men have done in the senior class to make sure that we're all on the same page and all understanding the culture that we want to have at Stanford. So I'm very excited about the upcoming season. Q. Point guard play, we talked about this last year. I know you had a great one coming in. Is he everything he was built to be? Were you able to see that in Spain that here's an answer to probably a major question you had going into the season? COACH DAWKINS: I believe so. I think we definitely got better at that position. First and foremost, I believe the young man Aaron Bright who played point some for us last season, is probably our most improved player returning, which is exciting. I think the young man that's coming in Chasson Randle definitely gives us depth there and a young man that answers a few of our questions with regards to how we need to compete in the Pac-10. So in both cases I'm excited about the depth we now have at that position. Q. Can you talk about the experience you guys had in Europe and what that meant for your team coming into this season? COACH DAWKINS: I thought the experience in Spain was terrific for our group. First and foremost, I thought we grew closer being over there in a foreign country, with the ability to spend a lot of time with each other at meals in our room in the hotel or just culturally sightseeing. I thought it was great for our guys. I watched them really grow. I thought the competition was terrific. The teams we played over there were very, very good, and it forced our kids to really play at a level that they had to up their games, and in doing so, I think they got better from that experience. Just the level of physicality, the level of execution over there was terrific. Playing against the men, and I think it really will help our team, as I mentioned earlier, benefit from having had that competitive opportunity early this fall. Q. As you've watched conference expansion play out this last several months and it being all about football, are you surprised how little basketball has been talked about in the scheme of things or not? COACH DAWKINS: For me, it's that time of year. It's football season, and I'm very excited about what our program is doing, I'm excited about what our conference has done in that regard. But I'm just really looking forward to the amount of school spirit that's been generated by what you see happening right now. So for me, I'm happy for football. I'm excited that we're getting ready to start up, and it is their time. So the exposure that they're gaining is warranted, and I think we all benefit from it. Q. What did you see in Chasson that made you target him recruitingwise as kind of the answer at that position, and what's impressed you about him so far? COACH DAWKINS: With regards to Chasson, when I first saw Chasson, I thought he was a winner. His team, of course, won the state last season, so he comes from a winning culture. His team was terrific, and he led them. I also saw a young man who was very versatile in his play, whether it's being able to knock down a shot from outside. Whether it was taking the ball to the basket and creating shots for himself or his teammates. He had that innate ability to make that play. A very unselfish player, just only out there looking to make his teammates better. But at the same time, he has the ability to attack and create on his own as well. I think he adds another dimension to our team, and we're excited to have an opportunity to get him. Q. Josh, can you give us a player's perspective of this trip to Spain that you guys took earlier this year and how it's motivating you guys as the season's about to begin? JOSH OWENS: Yeah, I mean, for us it was great just being able to start so early. Guys put in a whole bunch of work in the spring and in the summer. Then you have one freshman coming in at the point guard position, Chasson, and just having that opportunity to play with him early in six games, which was a great opportunity for the team, for him to get to know us, and where we like the ball, learning more about the offensive and defensive principles and stuff like that. But from a bonding experience, it was a great time. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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