Alex Jensen on the 3-0 start for the Runnin Utes, Saturday's game vs Sam Houston St, G League players getting eligibility + more

The Runnin Utes head coach on their unbeaten start, Saturday's matchup with Sam Houston St, G Leaguers becoming eligible to play men's college basketball + more

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're lucky enough today to be joined right off the

(00:01):
top of the show right now by Alex Jensen, head
coach Utah men's basketball, undefeated at three and zero so
far on the season.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Coach Jensen, welcome again to the show. How are you?

Speaker 3 (00:15):
I'm doing good, Sean, how are you doing?

Speaker 2 (00:16):
I'm doing all right.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
Glad to start off the top with you and and
dive in a little bit to what has been so
far a successful start to your season. I'll probably ask
you this question every time in some form when we talk.
But it's only been three games. But what do you
know through three games about your team that you didn't
know before you had played live competition?

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Great question, you know, and my answer will probably change
every time I get asked. But no, I think, you know,
with having a whole new staff and a pretty much
almost a well, yeah, a whole new roster like it
takes time caught newt he's a great thing to have.
But I think just guys get more comfortable playing with

(01:04):
each other. I think the thing that I had a
better feel for is, you know, the roles, the roles
that our guys will have on our team and the
role definition that they have and with each other.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
How much will those roles evolved do you think from
you know now conference play, injuries will come in to
play at some point for yourself and for other teams
and things like that. You know, I imagine that it's
it's best to get some level of continuity. But this
is a living, breathing organism, your roster. So how much

(01:39):
do you anticipate those roles kind of evolving and changing
as the season progresses?

Speaker 3 (01:45):
You know, they already have. You know, you mentioned injuries.
We lost Bob a kar Fey, one of our better
players before the season started for the year, so then
all of a sudden those roles changed. And then you know,
James at Konko another if you're senior big man that
we have, you had to sit out the first three games,
so so now now he'll be back in the next game.

(02:09):
So the roles will evolve. So I guess you just
try to build a foundation of regardless of who we
have on the court. It's kind of more of like
I guess you could call it an identity of the team.
You know, things that don't change no matter who's playing
or who you're playing with.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
We have not had an opportunity to speak to you
since the overtime game, a win against Weaver State, and
you know, there's there's positives and negatives when you go
into overtime. There's positives and negatives when you get a
scare from a team that you should outmatch physically and
things like that. What was the conversation like with your
squad after a really tough one against the Wildcats and

(02:48):
didn't state opponent, you know what?

Speaker 3 (02:52):
First and far foremost like we didn't stop and you know,
we didn't stop playing, We didn't give up, found a
way to win. And I give you know, Eric and
coach Stuffed and web Shayed a lot of credit because
you know, I warned our guys this is going to
be a big game for them. And yeah, I think,
you know, as a learning process, like I said, very

(03:13):
fortunate to win. There's a lot of lessons. Like you know,
I think the biggest one is, you know, the season short,
the game is short, and every possession matters, and you
can't you know, the time's too valuable to get better
as a team, and and and just you know, and
again the message I'm trying to send to our guys

(03:35):
is it's not about you individually. It's about the team.
And you might have a game where, you know, you
score a lot of points and then the next game
at that night that might not be what we need
from you. So yeah, no disappointing at times, but a
lot of things they'll learn of and fortunate enough to
beat them, to beat Weaver at home and over time.

Speaker 1 (03:55):
You came back and you kind of put it on
Holy Cross, which of course is expected.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
They're not on the same level as you are.

Speaker 1 (04:02):
But what what was the I guess the highlight are
the best thing you saw when you evaluated the film
of that game from your squad. Eighty seven to sixty
nine was the final there as you know, you.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
Know, I think I think it was probably our best
game that we put together. And I think the good
thing was I think they got they got it to nine.
You know, we had, you know, just like a young
team or a new team like and we got up
like twelve or fifteen sometimes and then we took some
early bad shots, but I think we we didn't let
him back into the game and kind of those things

(04:35):
I mentioned, we kept We did a good and you
know what, that was our best rebounding game, you know,
regardless of the opponent. We we from the get go,
we won the rebounding battle. So no, that was encouraging
because the first two games we came in at halftime
where San Jose State and we were shaded. Both killed
us on the boards. So that was a big emphasis.

(04:55):
And you know, like say Tree or I did a
good job where he had ended a think with eight
or nine rebounds and they took it to heart and
and uh, yeah, that's what that was really good.

Speaker 1 (05:08):
I was going to ask you about rebounding because well,
when a lot of people think of Alex Jensen the player,
they think of like the the sort of effort, the
nitty gritty, like I'm willing to do some of the
stuff that that we consider to be kind of want
to type plays. And I imagine that's something that that
you hope will permeate the culture of Utah basketball and

(05:28):
every basketball coach we talked to, it's like you could
control your effort on rebounding. Yes, there's technique to it,
but a lot of times rebounds are are kind of
an effort and a want to sort of proposition.

Speaker 2 (05:41):
Uh, how do you instill that? How do you practice that?

Speaker 1 (05:45):
Because you know it's a it's one of the I
guess the the harder to pin down things for the
average basketball fan.

Speaker 3 (05:53):
Oh yeah, no, rebounding. You're exactly right. Rebounding it's something
anybody can do and there's not much of fairly at
technique to it. It's just the mindset that I'm gonna
rebound every time. And I tell my guys, yeah, anybody
can do that, regardless of you know, you might not
get as many if you're smaller, can't jump very high.
But you know, we don't necessarily have any rebounding drills.

(06:17):
We just try to emphasize it in everything we do.
And but you're right, like rebounding is one of those things.
You know, you'll have games where we won't have the
size advantage, but rebounding is just like it's just a
will of wanting to do it and making it, making
it a priority every time. So in which we again
we've gotten better at and did our best job on

(06:41):
Saturday against holy Cross, and that's going to be our
upcoming game that's going to be more difficult because the
team's going to be a little bit a bit bigger
and stronger in Sam Houston State. So again, making that
habit and put an emphas on it and emphasis on
it in everything we do.

Speaker 1 (06:57):
Running you Ted Basketball coach Alexen is our guest here
on the Sean O'Connell Show to start off the show.
As you mentioned, it's it's Sam Houston and and this
whole thing is kind of growing and progressing and we're learning.
What what you've got on your roster? What do you
anticipate the role of the three point shot to be
in your offense this year? We've we've seen some ups

(07:18):
and downs already through three games, and obviously the three
has become such a massive thing in the game of
basketball at every level. You got to have shooters. So
what what what role is three point shooting gonna play
in your offense?

Speaker 3 (07:35):
You know, I think you have a huge part. I
think the it's it's helping our guys concern There's a
difference between hunting a shot and falling into a shot
to what we what we run offensively, whether it's just
spacing or a play. And I want our guys to be,
you know, confident like when they shoot it. I think
that's the most important thing in shooting, is believing that

(07:56):
you could make it. But you know, but discerning the
difference between you know, uh, no pass possession with a
three off the dribble as opposed to an assisted catch
and shoot three, which is better at any level of basketball.
And you know, and I tell our guys that I

(08:17):
think we have we have a handful. We have a
lot of capable shooters and uh, you know, and I
go back to State Utrela. He was five for seven
the first game against from three against San Jose State
and he was zero for seven against Weaver And it
can't be. I think that goes just learning the difference
between hunting hunting those shots and falling into them. And

(08:38):
I tell our guys all the time, you might get
five one game, you might get one one game, depending
on the scout. You just got to be ready to
ready to take it. And again it's a you know,
analytics are a big top part of basketball. And you know,
I think there'll be games and teams we play we
will have more threes than when we won't. But I
think the threes have to be generated by other things,

(09:00):
if that makes sense, not to get too much into
the weeds with it.

Speaker 1 (09:04):
We don't mind getting into the weeds, coach, you know,
we we don't have a lot of opportunity to pick
a brain like yours. So if you want to get
into the weeds at any time on any answer, feel
free to. This one is probably not one you get
too far in the weeds with. But uh, look, attendance
matters in college basketball. Atmosphere matters in college basketball, and
it's something that you know, when you were playing in

(09:26):
the glory days, was never in question at the Huntsman Center,
and in recent years it's fallen off a little bit,
but attendance is up from last year. The muss is
engaged through the early part of this season, and I
think that's a testament to the optimism surrounding your roster
and your arrival individually. How how's that sitting with you

(09:48):
right now, knowing that you know people are there watching
to see what you're doing.

Speaker 3 (09:54):
Well, no, no, it's great. It's great. And I think
you know the cure for extendance and all that stuff
as you win. And you know, I can remember when
I was a freshman in ninety four and McBride in
football and they had a harp five doing it now,
But like it's great to watch what Pyle and his
you know, the people that were before him and with

(10:15):
him have done Now that's I don't know how many
sets and it's a great atmosphere and it's awesome and uh,
you know, we've done it. You know. The Moss has
been great. I think we had three times as many
mus remembers at our home opener and they did a
year previously. And I think winning and then also having
the connection with the community, the students, the boosters, the

(10:37):
donors and everything like that, letting them get to know us,
Like we've done a docu series that's on YouTube where
you know, because it's all you know. In college sports,
fans like to cheer for a guy for a couple
of years. And just as a coach, I liked that
was the fun part about college when you get a kid,
he was young, and you get him for a couple
of years, you watch him grow and your team becomes better.

(10:59):
And I think just overall with camps, community outreaches and stuff,
and I think just bridging that gap and having that
connection with everybody.

Speaker 1 (11:13):
Well, I'm campaigning aggressively on the air that we get
in Alex Jensen throwback uniform night on the floor and
in the muss where everyone everyone wears the baggy jerseys,
the baggy T shirt, the baggy shorts, and we take
it back to.

Speaker 2 (11:28):
The glory days.

Speaker 3 (11:30):
Yeah, no, I'm all for it. We'll do it. We'll
do anything to get him to get fans in there.

Speaker 2 (11:36):
All right.

Speaker 1 (11:37):
I have to ask you this question because there are
very few people that that match up in the Venn
diagram having NBA and specifically G League experience, and then
also now are head coaches in college basketball and are
ultimately responsible for recruiting and filling out rosters. It's becoming
a strange trend, in my opinion, strange trend that G

(12:00):
League players are becoming eligible to return to college basketball
if they're within a five year window of high school
graduation and they have not actually signed a real NBA contract.
So they're going from being pro players in the G
League to ostensibly amateur players, although we all know that
college sports are pro sports at least at the highest level.

Speaker 2 (12:20):
Now, I wanted your opinion on this.

Speaker 1 (12:22):
Having coached in the G League and now being the
head coach for your alma mater, what do you What
do you think of G League guys coming back to college?

Speaker 3 (12:31):
You know, probably probably shouldn't give my opinion but you know, it's, uh,
it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But again,
I I try not to get you know, it's interesting,
but it it. I think there's a lot, there's a
lot of the gray area right now, and I think

(12:52):
it's evolving. But I think that's kind of just from
when I when I played and coached in college that
that seemed like that was the the opposite of what
college basketball is about. But that's changed. But no, it doesn't.
And again, every every such every specific situation is different.
But yeah, I think common sense would kind of lead

(13:13):
you to think that that doesn't make much sense. What
is the level essentially turned professional then come back?

Speaker 1 (13:22):
But yeah, I mean that's kind of where I met
out on it. But I've never been as close to
these things as you have. What is the level of
a G League only player versus a big time division one,
you know, power for conference type player, Like how obviously
it's individual based on you know, talent, skills, size, all

(13:44):
those things, but in general, what is the level of
your G League player can't quite make it to that
NBA roster compared to a college player.

Speaker 3 (13:54):
You know, it's interesting because it you know, because the
NBA itself is base. It's the difference is it's just
everybody's so much bigger, longer, faster, Like it's physically a
different you know, in the D League they always say
you've got to have a skill to fit on the team.
Like the skill could be rebounding we talked about earlier.

(14:15):
Everybody needs a true point guard. There's not a lot
of true point guards left. You know. It's interesting because
when I was in the D League before the G League,
there wasn't as many teams now, and that not every
NBA team I think approaches the G League situation that
the best the best possible way. But I think it's

(14:37):
like I try to tell our guys, like, if you
want to play professionally anywhere, you have to have a skill.
You got to be able to fit in with with
four other guys like in your dreams the NBA. Most
NBA teams, they don't need a guy that's going to
shoot twenty times a game, right, They're going to need
somebody that can play along an All Star or a
Max level player that can defend and do a lot

(15:00):
of the little things. But I think if the lines
are kind of blurred between you know, a G le
level player and uh, you know, a high major college player,
you know, and because I think it's kind of been
watered down some if that makes sense. But I think, uh,
I think that, you know, I think the top players

(15:20):
in the in the in the G League are the
legitimate borderline NBA players who and you know, here's another thing.
The games are. I mean, I've learned a lot of
the game is so much different. The rules are different.
There's guys that skill sets are their game fits college
better and it doesn't translate to the pros, right. You
see it every year in the draft, but uh, you know,

(15:41):
it's hard to say. I think I think that's pretty equal.
But it's kind of like a you know, player by player.
I mean that's what people like front offices in the
NBA get paid the money to make the right choice
on which kid can make that transition.

Speaker 1 (15:57):
All right, before I let you go, And I don't
want to belabor this point too much, but do do
you think that most college coaches kind of see it
this the way that you see it or is this
one of those trends where like there was a time
when in you know, basketball and football, we were like, hey,
let's not pay these guys. This is like we're opening
the can of worms here and now everyone's just accepted
it as a reality. Is this is this something we're

(16:19):
all just gonna have to get used to.

Speaker 3 (16:22):
Yeah, you know, I think it's gonna get used to.
I think you know the thing I would say, and
I think you hear a lot of veteran coaches say like,
like there's more questions than answers now, like it'd be
nice to, uh put a few more guardrails in and
uh because like you know what's legal, what's not, what's accepted,
what's not. Like one player play in the D League

(16:44):
can come back and have four years of eligibility, another
one can have one or two years, like like just
to kind of make it uniform across. But yeah, I
think the money here to stay. We've got to get
used to it. But I think there's a path forward,
but we just need some more rules and regulations around it,
which might take longer than any of us would probably

(17:07):
like or hope.

Speaker 1 (17:09):
Well, coach can't tell you how much I appreciate you
giving us some time. I know you're incredibly busy. Congrats
on the hot start, and let's stay hot against Sam
Houston coming up on what's that Friday Saturday?

Speaker 3 (17:20):
Okay, I appreciate it. Thank you guys.

Speaker 1 (17:22):
Anytime Alex Jensen head coach of your running Newts, it'll
be Sam Houston seven pm. Tip that'll be on ESPN
Plus or better yet, up at the Huntsman Center Live.
If you want to hear more of Alex Jensen, the
Coaches Show is tonight right here on ESPN seven hundred
and ninety two one FM at six o'clock. Really appreciate

(17:44):
Coach giving us a few minutes right in the thick
of his schedule.