Indiana University Athletics
A Conversation with Kenya Hunter
9/11/2020 3:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana men's basketball co-associate head coach Kenya Hunter met with the media on Friday to discuss his new role with the Hoosiers. Below is a video from the availability, as well as a transcript.
Opening Statement: Thank you for having me today. Obviously, I am excited about joining the staff here at Indiana with [Archie Miller]. It has been a quick transition to say the least. From starting here, getting here last Tuesday, being with the guys, being able to work out with the group last week was good to see. I am excited to be here. This is a great opportunity for me and my family. Hopefully I can come in and be a help to this program and move it in a direction where every year we are competing for championships. That is our goal here.
Q. On the wings/forwards…
HUNTER: What excites me is that it is a group of guys that has experience playing. We [UConn] played against Indiana last year and we were concerned about the inside guys with Trayce Jackson-Davis and Joey Brunk. Also, the guard play of Devonte Green last year. It is still the same with those guys for this year. With a year under Trayce's belt and Joey being a veteran, their experience will hopefully win over for us this year. Those guys, the first week that I was here was a voluntary week of guys coming in and lifting weights and getting extra shots, and all of the guys were in here. That right there tells me this is a good sign for this team. I am excited to work with the forwards or guards. Wherever Arch needs me, that is the group that I am going to work with. Right now, everyone is working with both groups. Everyone is involved.
Q. On taking a job during a pandemic…
HUNTER: It happened really quick. You and I both know that normally guys do not change jobs going into August. I tell people all of the time that it was an opportunity at an inopportune time. This was an opportunity that I did not think that I could pass up because of it being Indiana and the history and tradition that they have here and because of who wanted me to be here with him in Archie Miller, who I have known since he was 15 years old and coached him with his dad in the AAU program. I was also able to coach him in college at NC State as well. It was one of those things, you could say the stars aligned right. I think it aligned right for this to happen. With Bruiser Flint going to Kentucky, Arch reached out to me. It was one of those things that after talking with him and talking to my family, I prayed about it and felt like it was the right thing for me to do. And, here I am.
Q. On why Indiana makes sense now…
HUNTER: It is the opportunity that presents itself. It is Indiana. The history and tradition, like I said, is rich. UConn has the same basketball history. It was not a thing where I am coming to Indiana and going to a place where there is not a rich tradition in basketball and history of winning. Again, most of the reason that I am here is because of the relationship piece. I am big on relationships, especially when I recruit. That is big. Archie and I, and his family, have known each other for a very long time. That was my reasoning for this time, right now. There are not too many jobs that, at this time, I would get up, pack up, and move myself and my family, but because of the situation and because of it being a person I have known for a very long time, I trust, and I believe in as a coach, that was the reason for this opportunity and for me coming to Indiana at this point.
Q. On seeing Archie Miller develop from player into coach…
HUNTER: For me, the thing I was most impressed about is that we had a recruit Zoom call yesterday and I was very impressed. People keep telling me that Archie is very impressive on the Zoom calls and when we get recruits to campus that he wins the recruits over. I saw that first hand. He was very attentive to detail about the program and very thorough in going over why this is the best situation for the recruit. It opened my eyes to how much he has grown from the player that I remember. Obviously, I worked for his brother and it is kind of like a splitting image. Arch has a way about himself, he is very confident in knowing and teaching the game. I was very impressed yesterday on how he was able to go through the program from A to Z and really do a great job.
Q. On the coaching style of Archie Miller…
HUNTER: I think he is similar to Dan Hurley (Head coach at UConn) in that he is a player's coach. He played at the highest level. The understanding of the game. Watching him in skill development last week, he is still out on the floor demonstrating, going through different things and teaching the guys. We call that 'sweat equity' when you see your head coach out there on the floor, getting in the mix and coaching it up. It shows a level of respect because he has played at the highest level. Me watching Arch do that, I am a guy that likes to get on the court as well and do the skill development stuff. We are kind of cut from the same cloth when it comes to that.
Q. On recruiting has been this summer with going virtual…
HUNTER: I think that's when relationships comes into great value. People that you trust when you call because you're not able to be in front of the recruits and see them firsthand. I think you have to depend a lot on the relationships that you built for me over the years of trusting their evaluation to give you the right feedback you need to recruit the kid. I think one of the reason UConn and Coach Hurley has done a great job with his recruiting class. We found the '21 recruiting class at the beginning of August. It aligned right. It's different with the Zoom calls because you try and present the university to them. I thought we did a really good job of making sure the relationship part of them seeing the university without actually being there. From virtual tours of campus to dorm rooms to our practices, how are workouts are. We brought all of that to the table and showed that to the recruits to put us in a position to be able to get some of those guys early. They're doing the same thing here. Me getting here and seeing the needs of the team and the program. Especially in the '22 class now and starting to offer some of those guys that I think will fit into the culture and what Arch is trying to build here.
Q. How valuable his time at Nebraska will be to planning for conference play…
HUNTER: I think it's huge. Just the coaching styles and being there for five years with Coach Miles. He gave me a great opportunity as far as with scouting and getting a feel for the league. It's important. It's just going to help with the continuity coming here with this staff as well. It's not my first rodeo coming into this league. There's a high respect of coaches in this league so when it comes to game-planning I know you have to be really locked in to each scout. I know how important that is. Me having that experience being in this league for five years is definitely going to help.
Q. What skills and attributes he looks at during recruiting…
HUNTER: First, they have to be talented. I mean that's the first thing I look for. What unique talent do they have or skillset. It's deeper for me because now that I've been in this basketball game and coaching for over 20-some years, I think the biggest thing is developing good people. Finding good people that are talented – there's a lot of them out there. It's our job to find the right pieces and bring them to the table. That's why I saw the relationship piece is important to me if because I really truly believe at the end of the day if you're going to get the most out of the individual prospect they have to have your trust and you have to trust that they will do what they need to do as well once they get on campus so building that relationship. Obviously at this point in time, you're not able to see those kids so my evaluation of being in front of them, how they deal with their teammates as well as their coaches. Are they coachable? Those are the things if I was evaluating a kid I would be looking for if I was in front of them.
Q. On if there are positions he prioritizes when recruiting…
HUNTER: I think it's definitely 'what do we need?' Then you have to look at overall talent. Since I got into coaching I've heard this – you at least need three potential pros on your team to make a run in the tournament and go deep. So I'm looking at the roster and thinking 'can we get three potential guys that we feel like in the near future can develop into pros?' Because if you have that on your team, you have a great chance of making a run in the tournament and getting to that end goal and that's to win a championship.
Q. On his perception of Indiana…
HUNTER: When I first got to Nebraska coaching against Tom Crean and his teams and then later years to me being at Nebraska when Arch first took over, they've always had talent. I was at Georgetown when they were ranked No. 1 or 2 in the league with Victor, Will Sheehey at Barclays. I remember that, it went into overtime. So just the level of talent they were able to get and how well coached they were. Obviously with Arch, I follow him and his brother, people I have relationships with. But I've always looked at Indiana because of Archie being here as a good place. I was friends with Bruiser Flint in the business, obviously me knowing Bill Comar, I recruited Brian Walsh to Xavier before I left to go to Georgetown so I still communicated with the guys on the staff here from time to time. Indiana – you go back to Isiah Thomas when he was here and just knowing the history on what they've done here. Like I said, being at Nebraska and coming to Assembly Hall and seeing the crowds – now it wasn't the crowd it probably normal is for the Nebraska at that point – but you know the history of coming into this building and what it means.
Q: On what he looks forward to bringing to the coaching staff…
Hunter: Basically, a seamless transition. I want to be able to add value, especially with recruiting. Don't get it twisted. I'm here to recruit, but I think I can bring value on the basketball part of it as well. That's one thing that Archie and I talked about. Going back to the question we had earlier about just being on the court and developing kids. I think he felt confident in me in that I can go out there in skill development and really help a kid get better. So, I think I can bring a lot of value on the court, and then game planning and scouting. Again, I've done this for a long time. Not to say that I'm great at it but I do a very good job of game planning. That's why Bill and I are working with most of the defensive schemes going into the season. So, I just feel like I can come in and be a person that, however it was running before and they've had success I want to be able to add to that. And then the recruiting part of it, I've got to do my job of bringing talented kids to this University.
Q: On his past experience around the state of Indiana…
Hunter: It's been awhile since I've been on this side of the Midwest. I think that's one thing that I'm excited about. I think they do have a very good grasp of the state, from them and Tom Ostrom, and Bruiser being here and Mike Roberts being a former player knowing the state very well. I think where I can value, I think when Indiana was 1-2 when I was coaching with Victor and I've said this before, they've had the best players in the state of Indiana and the Midwest mixed with a couple east coast kids. If I can bring one or two guys to the table like that and help Tom and Arch with the Midwest. I have contacts in Chicago and trying to rebuild those connections as well, but I remember recruiting when I was at Xavier coming to Indianapolis. Stanley Burrell, Justin Cage are guys that I recruited to Xavier at the time and I've had relationships. Most of those coaches have gone on to being college coaches so there's new relationships that I will have to build here in the state, but I'm looking forward to doing that. Again, I think they have a really good hold on what's going on here in the state Indiana, the best kids that are coming in the younger class. So, hopefully I can get a feel for it but also bring some of these guys from different areas to Indiana.
Q: On his work with certain positions…
Hunter: To be quite honest with you we haven't gotten into depth with that. Like I said, right now we have our player groups that we're in charge of, so I've got a couple guards and a big in my player group but as far as the skill development we all are on the court coaching the guards, and the forwards and bigs. We're all out there, we're all in the mix and so right now Arch hasn't specifically said exactly which group that I'm working with. More of your player in your player groups to be quite honest, and building those relationships as well.
Q: On recruiting in new ways during the pandemic…
Hunter: Without a doubt. I think the Zoom calls and presenting especially to younger kids. I think the rising teens, the '21 class, I think you have to be in front of those kids but for the juniors that we're able to recruit and be able to show them things that, as far as your campus, a workout, a practice, skill development. If you're able to show those guys early they kind of get a feel for it, and it's actually been good in that regard so I think we should definitely continue that moving forward. The younger classes, making sure that we get in front of them and they kind of get a feel for what your program has to offer. So yes, moving forward I think the Zoom calls for the younger class will be great, but again for the guys that are in the senior class, I think it's more being in front of them and their family, but I think for the younger classes yes.
Opening Statement: Thank you for having me today. Obviously, I am excited about joining the staff here at Indiana with [Archie Miller]. It has been a quick transition to say the least. From starting here, getting here last Tuesday, being with the guys, being able to work out with the group last week was good to see. I am excited to be here. This is a great opportunity for me and my family. Hopefully I can come in and be a help to this program and move it in a direction where every year we are competing for championships. That is our goal here.
Q. On the wings/forwards…
HUNTER: What excites me is that it is a group of guys that has experience playing. We [UConn] played against Indiana last year and we were concerned about the inside guys with Trayce Jackson-Davis and Joey Brunk. Also, the guard play of Devonte Green last year. It is still the same with those guys for this year. With a year under Trayce's belt and Joey being a veteran, their experience will hopefully win over for us this year. Those guys, the first week that I was here was a voluntary week of guys coming in and lifting weights and getting extra shots, and all of the guys were in here. That right there tells me this is a good sign for this team. I am excited to work with the forwards or guards. Wherever Arch needs me, that is the group that I am going to work with. Right now, everyone is working with both groups. Everyone is involved.
Q. On taking a job during a pandemic…
HUNTER: It happened really quick. You and I both know that normally guys do not change jobs going into August. I tell people all of the time that it was an opportunity at an inopportune time. This was an opportunity that I did not think that I could pass up because of it being Indiana and the history and tradition that they have here and because of who wanted me to be here with him in Archie Miller, who I have known since he was 15 years old and coached him with his dad in the AAU program. I was also able to coach him in college at NC State as well. It was one of those things, you could say the stars aligned right. I think it aligned right for this to happen. With Bruiser Flint going to Kentucky, Arch reached out to me. It was one of those things that after talking with him and talking to my family, I prayed about it and felt like it was the right thing for me to do. And, here I am.
Q. On why Indiana makes sense now…
HUNTER: It is the opportunity that presents itself. It is Indiana. The history and tradition, like I said, is rich. UConn has the same basketball history. It was not a thing where I am coming to Indiana and going to a place where there is not a rich tradition in basketball and history of winning. Again, most of the reason that I am here is because of the relationship piece. I am big on relationships, especially when I recruit. That is big. Archie and I, and his family, have known each other for a very long time. That was my reasoning for this time, right now. There are not too many jobs that, at this time, I would get up, pack up, and move myself and my family, but because of the situation and because of it being a person I have known for a very long time, I trust, and I believe in as a coach, that was the reason for this opportunity and for me coming to Indiana at this point.
Q. On seeing Archie Miller develop from player into coach…
HUNTER: For me, the thing I was most impressed about is that we had a recruit Zoom call yesterday and I was very impressed. People keep telling me that Archie is very impressive on the Zoom calls and when we get recruits to campus that he wins the recruits over. I saw that first hand. He was very attentive to detail about the program and very thorough in going over why this is the best situation for the recruit. It opened my eyes to how much he has grown from the player that I remember. Obviously, I worked for his brother and it is kind of like a splitting image. Arch has a way about himself, he is very confident in knowing and teaching the game. I was very impressed yesterday on how he was able to go through the program from A to Z and really do a great job.
Q. On the coaching style of Archie Miller…
HUNTER: I think he is similar to Dan Hurley (Head coach at UConn) in that he is a player's coach. He played at the highest level. The understanding of the game. Watching him in skill development last week, he is still out on the floor demonstrating, going through different things and teaching the guys. We call that 'sweat equity' when you see your head coach out there on the floor, getting in the mix and coaching it up. It shows a level of respect because he has played at the highest level. Me watching Arch do that, I am a guy that likes to get on the court as well and do the skill development stuff. We are kind of cut from the same cloth when it comes to that.
Q. On recruiting has been this summer with going virtual…
HUNTER: I think that's when relationships comes into great value. People that you trust when you call because you're not able to be in front of the recruits and see them firsthand. I think you have to depend a lot on the relationships that you built for me over the years of trusting their evaluation to give you the right feedback you need to recruit the kid. I think one of the reason UConn and Coach Hurley has done a great job with his recruiting class. We found the '21 recruiting class at the beginning of August. It aligned right. It's different with the Zoom calls because you try and present the university to them. I thought we did a really good job of making sure the relationship part of them seeing the university without actually being there. From virtual tours of campus to dorm rooms to our practices, how are workouts are. We brought all of that to the table and showed that to the recruits to put us in a position to be able to get some of those guys early. They're doing the same thing here. Me getting here and seeing the needs of the team and the program. Especially in the '22 class now and starting to offer some of those guys that I think will fit into the culture and what Arch is trying to build here.
Q. How valuable his time at Nebraska will be to planning for conference play…
HUNTER: I think it's huge. Just the coaching styles and being there for five years with Coach Miles. He gave me a great opportunity as far as with scouting and getting a feel for the league. It's important. It's just going to help with the continuity coming here with this staff as well. It's not my first rodeo coming into this league. There's a high respect of coaches in this league so when it comes to game-planning I know you have to be really locked in to each scout. I know how important that is. Me having that experience being in this league for five years is definitely going to help.
Q. What skills and attributes he looks at during recruiting…
HUNTER: First, they have to be talented. I mean that's the first thing I look for. What unique talent do they have or skillset. It's deeper for me because now that I've been in this basketball game and coaching for over 20-some years, I think the biggest thing is developing good people. Finding good people that are talented – there's a lot of them out there. It's our job to find the right pieces and bring them to the table. That's why I saw the relationship piece is important to me if because I really truly believe at the end of the day if you're going to get the most out of the individual prospect they have to have your trust and you have to trust that they will do what they need to do as well once they get on campus so building that relationship. Obviously at this point in time, you're not able to see those kids so my evaluation of being in front of them, how they deal with their teammates as well as their coaches. Are they coachable? Those are the things if I was evaluating a kid I would be looking for if I was in front of them.
Q. On if there are positions he prioritizes when recruiting…
HUNTER: I think it's definitely 'what do we need?' Then you have to look at overall talent. Since I got into coaching I've heard this – you at least need three potential pros on your team to make a run in the tournament and go deep. So I'm looking at the roster and thinking 'can we get three potential guys that we feel like in the near future can develop into pros?' Because if you have that on your team, you have a great chance of making a run in the tournament and getting to that end goal and that's to win a championship.
Q. On his perception of Indiana…
HUNTER: When I first got to Nebraska coaching against Tom Crean and his teams and then later years to me being at Nebraska when Arch first took over, they've always had talent. I was at Georgetown when they were ranked No. 1 or 2 in the league with Victor, Will Sheehey at Barclays. I remember that, it went into overtime. So just the level of talent they were able to get and how well coached they were. Obviously with Arch, I follow him and his brother, people I have relationships with. But I've always looked at Indiana because of Archie being here as a good place. I was friends with Bruiser Flint in the business, obviously me knowing Bill Comar, I recruited Brian Walsh to Xavier before I left to go to Georgetown so I still communicated with the guys on the staff here from time to time. Indiana – you go back to Isiah Thomas when he was here and just knowing the history on what they've done here. Like I said, being at Nebraska and coming to Assembly Hall and seeing the crowds – now it wasn't the crowd it probably normal is for the Nebraska at that point – but you know the history of coming into this building and what it means.
Q: On what he looks forward to bringing to the coaching staff…
Hunter: Basically, a seamless transition. I want to be able to add value, especially with recruiting. Don't get it twisted. I'm here to recruit, but I think I can bring value on the basketball part of it as well. That's one thing that Archie and I talked about. Going back to the question we had earlier about just being on the court and developing kids. I think he felt confident in me in that I can go out there in skill development and really help a kid get better. So, I think I can bring a lot of value on the court, and then game planning and scouting. Again, I've done this for a long time. Not to say that I'm great at it but I do a very good job of game planning. That's why Bill and I are working with most of the defensive schemes going into the season. So, I just feel like I can come in and be a person that, however it was running before and they've had success I want to be able to add to that. And then the recruiting part of it, I've got to do my job of bringing talented kids to this University.
Q: On his past experience around the state of Indiana…
Hunter: It's been awhile since I've been on this side of the Midwest. I think that's one thing that I'm excited about. I think they do have a very good grasp of the state, from them and Tom Ostrom, and Bruiser being here and Mike Roberts being a former player knowing the state very well. I think where I can value, I think when Indiana was 1-2 when I was coaching with Victor and I've said this before, they've had the best players in the state of Indiana and the Midwest mixed with a couple east coast kids. If I can bring one or two guys to the table like that and help Tom and Arch with the Midwest. I have contacts in Chicago and trying to rebuild those connections as well, but I remember recruiting when I was at Xavier coming to Indianapolis. Stanley Burrell, Justin Cage are guys that I recruited to Xavier at the time and I've had relationships. Most of those coaches have gone on to being college coaches so there's new relationships that I will have to build here in the state, but I'm looking forward to doing that. Again, I think they have a really good hold on what's going on here in the state Indiana, the best kids that are coming in the younger class. So, hopefully I can get a feel for it but also bring some of these guys from different areas to Indiana.
Q: On his work with certain positions…
Hunter: To be quite honest with you we haven't gotten into depth with that. Like I said, right now we have our player groups that we're in charge of, so I've got a couple guards and a big in my player group but as far as the skill development we all are on the court coaching the guards, and the forwards and bigs. We're all out there, we're all in the mix and so right now Arch hasn't specifically said exactly which group that I'm working with. More of your player in your player groups to be quite honest, and building those relationships as well.
Q: On recruiting in new ways during the pandemic…
Hunter: Without a doubt. I think the Zoom calls and presenting especially to younger kids. I think the rising teens, the '21 class, I think you have to be in front of those kids but for the juniors that we're able to recruit and be able to show them things that, as far as your campus, a workout, a practice, skill development. If you're able to show those guys early they kind of get a feel for it, and it's actually been good in that regard so I think we should definitely continue that moving forward. The younger classes, making sure that we get in front of them and they kind of get a feel for what your program has to offer. So yes, moving forward I think the Zoom calls for the younger class will be great, but again for the guys that are in the senior class, I think it's more being in front of them and their family, but I think for the younger classes yes.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballFB: Nico Radicic - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Drew Evans - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Bray Lynch - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Spring Practice - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
Thursday, April 16