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00:00 Thank you so much.
00:02 Thank you.
00:03 Emmanuel, Matt McGavin.
00:06 First things first, how have you utilized this offseason to improve your game?
00:12 From this offseason, the work we've put in individually and as a team has really, really
00:20 helped me because this was my official first summer workout.
00:26 When I came in offseason, I didn't have the chance to workout with the guys last year
00:31 during the summer.
00:32 So this offseason, summer workout, I got a lot better in the weight room, on the court,
00:38 on the track, stuff like that.
00:40 So it really helped me.
00:42 I got a lot bigger.
00:43 I got a lot stronger.
00:44 I got a lot quicker.
00:46 My vertical improved, stuff like that.
00:49 So I would say this offseason really helped me grow my game and develop.
00:55 How much did participating in Global Jam help you?
00:59 Participating in Global Jam really gave me a different kind of confidence to get against
01:06 older guys and to get against guys that are ranked high, stuff like that.
01:14 I just went in there with the energy to win, different kind of energy.
01:20 That just gave me the perspective, just going in there giving 100% energy and you're going
01:26 to be good for the court.
01:28 Now that you have an entire offseason to prepare, get your body right, get up to game speed,
01:34 how much different are you now versus when you first joined the program last December?
01:39 I'm getting a lot stronger than when I first came.
01:42 I'm getting a lot faster than when I first came.
01:45 My endurance is getting a lot better than when I first came.
01:48 On the court, skill wise, I've gotten better than when I first came.
01:52 So I would say this offseason really helped me develop my game, grow.
01:56 Playing against these new guys, guys in my position like Dennis, Brandon, have really
02:02 helped me grow my game too.
02:05 Because Dennis is like 7 footer, Brandon is strong and I'm in between.
02:10 So yeah, playing against them really made my game develop.
02:15 Kenny has made it a point to, he wants all the guys to use last season as motivation
02:21 and as fuel rather than just forget it.
02:24 How are you using last season, even though you joined midseason, as a motivation heading
02:28 into this season?
02:30 We don't want to lose.
02:33 We want to win games.
02:35 We want to turn this around.
02:38 From last season, a lot of people were talking, wherever you go, people talking about us,
02:45 people talking about the team and stuff like that.
02:47 We don't want that.
02:48 We don't want to experience something like that.
02:50 We had work we put in this summer.
02:53 I believe we're going to have a good season.
02:57 Kenny's also said that he wants this team to be, he wants this program to be very defensive
03:02 minded and he wants his guys to be physical and aggressive.
03:05 Where do you fit in with this team's role in his goal of being a defensive minded team?
03:11 I feel like from practice, just about, from practice what he's been saying, just pay attention
03:17 to details.
03:18 I feel like the same thing applies to when I'm on the court.
03:21 Pay attention to details, mark positioning.
03:24 I feel like mine, especially when I pay attention to details, when I'm on the right spot, I
03:29 get to block shots.
03:30 I get to help the team by blocking shots, by getting rebounds.
03:33 I get to help the team by running the floor, by creating space for my teammates, by setting
03:36 good screens.
03:37 So I mean paying attention to those things will help this team.
03:40 And kind of building off that, how much better or different is the defensive chemistry for
03:45 the teams?
03:46 In spurts against Simmons and against the Red-White scrimmage, it seems like the guys were communicating
03:50 more and defensive rotations were a lot more often.
03:54 Yeah, we've been working on our defensive rotation a lot this preseason, this summer.
04:00 So I would say we're going to be a good defensive team.
04:05 We got length.
04:06 We've been working on our communication a lot.
04:09 We even had to do an out-of-the-court activity to build our communication.
04:15 And I would say that's really helped the team.
04:18 Because right now, we've been talking a lot on the court, like we're going to like during
04:22 the switch, we'll be like announcing the screens, switch, and stuff like that.
04:25 And that's really going to help the team.
04:27 Now that you have had a full offseason prepared, where do you think your game is right now
04:32 heading into your first season of college basketball?
04:35 Yeah, I would say I believe I'm going to have a good season.
04:39 I believe I'm going to help the team in different ways I can.
04:43 All I've got to do is do my job.
04:45 Whenever I get in gear, get sets of screens, roll hard to the rim, get my rebounds, block
04:52 shots, communicate on the screens, stuff like that.
04:56 Do you have any personal goals or do you have a set for this season?
05:00 Yeah, I mean this season, I just want to play hard to win.
05:06 I just want to win games.
05:07 I don't want to experience some hard classes.
05:10 And also be healthy, take care of my body, and just win games.
05:15 Because I believe if we play hard as a team, everything is going to come along.
05:20 And last one for me, going back to Global Jam, what was it like playing Kentucky?
05:25 Before I had the chance to play against Kentucky, I've seen a little bit of fans giving my
05:30 dreams on the comment section, like winning, winning, winning, killing, stuff like that.
05:35 I would say that gave me some of a goal to make, put something on my shoulder to carry
05:48 on for the field.
05:50 I just went out there with energy.
05:55 I didn't really practice with the team.
05:58 We didn't have time to practice with the African team.
06:01 But I would say we did our best, we played with energy.
06:04 I feel like they knew they played a tough team.
06:09 Did it kind of give you a taste of what the rivalry is like, considering you didn't get
06:12 a chance to play in it last season?
06:14 Against Kentucky?
06:16 Yeah.
06:17 Because the African team, we didn't really have time to train together.
06:22 We just came from our different teams and clubs.
06:26 And I would say Louisville is going to be different.
06:28 We've been here all summer, we've been training together.
06:31 We have great matchups against them.
06:34 I would say it's going to be a good one to watch.
06:37 (door slams)